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Orit Pollak is a second-generation industrial leader based in Peru and a participant in Harvard Business School’s OPM 67 program. She leads her family’s manufacturing group, including Rayemsa, one of Peru’s main manufacturers of 200-liter steel drums, and a second factory focused on natural colors, ingredients, and spray-dried powder products. Born in Peru to Eastern European parents who survived World War II and communism, Orit grew up immersed in stories of resilience, education, and rebuilding from nothing.

After building her career across oil & gas, mining, healthcare, and corporate affairs in large multinationals, she convinced her father to let her join the family business initially with no title or formal authority. Soon after, she had to take over leadership abruptly when her father passed away, managing two factories: one manufacturing steel drums and barbecues/grills, and another producing natural colors and spray-dried ingredients.

Under her leadership, Orit introduced innovation, sustainability, and customer-centricity, while launching her own retail barbecue brands that now account for over 10% of company revenue. She also co-authored an award-winning barbecue book that received the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards for Best Barbecue Book in the World.

Beyond her companies, Orit serves on the board of Peru’s National Chamber of Industry, is active in YPO forums, and emphasizes lifelong learning, humility, and team-based decision-making. Since completing OPM Unit 1, she has begun developing two new ventures inspired by the program.

Here are the Top 10 Takeaways from the conversation:

1. Resilience is learned early
   Stories of survival, failure, and rebuilding shaped Orit’s leadership mindset long before she became a CEO.
2. Work outside before joining the family business
   External experience builds credibility, perspective, and better decision-making.
3. You are never fully ready for leadership
   Growth comes from learning in motion, especially during crisis and uncertainty.
4. Don’t waste energy on unfixable problems
   Focus on creating value and building forward momentum instead.
5. Decisions made in anger are irreversible
   Emotional discipline is essential—“once you throw the stone, you can’t take it back.”
6. Customer obsession beats competition
   Service quality and deep understanding of client needs are long-term advantages.
7. Innovation applies even in ‘traditional’ industries
   Sustainability, coatings, and customization matter—even for steel drums.
8. Leadership is a shared process
   Strong teams, trusted advisors, and peer forums lead to better outcomes than solo decisions.
9. Women in family business should listen first
   Respect institutional knowledge before pushing change.
10. OPM’s greatest value is people, not just content
    Being surrounded by humble, capable global leaders sparked new ventures and personal growth.