Carles Farre, Division President at HP Solutions Hybrid Systems, Real Leadership

Most leaders spend the early years of their career trying to accelerate forward.

Carles Farré stepped away.

Just a few years into his career at HP, he and his wife made an unconventional decision: they left the corporate world to spend several years in Latin America working with microfinance nonprofits—helping entrepreneurs in remote villages access small loans to start businesses.

S03 E04 Carles Farre

Some communities had no electricity. Getting there often meant navigating rivers, riding horses, or walking between villages.

What looked like a detour would become one of the defining leadership experiences of his life.

Carles eventually returned to HP, where he built a global career spanning engineering, research and development, worldwide operations, and commercial leadership. Today, he serves as Division President of HP Solutions Hybrid Systems, leading teams focused on building the integrated technologies shaping the future of work.

But the lesson that stuck with him from those early years isn’t about hardware, software, or AI.

It’s about people.

In this episode of Real Leadership, Carles reflects on the leadership journey that shaped his philosophy—from stepping away early in his career to leading global teams across multiple countries and business units.

He shares why culture is the true foundation of sustainable success, how leaders can build trust and empowerment at scale, and why the future of work must balance technological advancement with human connection.

In this episode of Real Leadership, we explore:

🔥 Why stepping off the traditional career path can reshape a leader’s perspective 🔥 The leadership lessons learned from working in remote communities across Latin America 🔥 Why culture is the bedrock of successful organizations 🔥 How trust and care inside teams drive speed, agility, and results 🔥 The balance leaders must strike between AI-powered productivity and human connection

Key Moments

03:02 — Introducing Carles Farré and HP’s evolving mission 06:20 — Measuring employee experience and human connection at work 11:31 — The future of collaboration and ambient technology 16:45 — Early leadership influences and personal values 19:31 — Leaving corporate life to work in Latin America 24:54 — The leadership lessons that experience created 27:43 — Why culture becomes the bedrock of organizations 33:10 — AI, productivity, and protecting human connection 37:01 — Advice for the next generation entering the workforce

Show Notes

• Carles Farré — LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carles-farre-hp/
• HP — Website: hp.com/
• HP — LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hp/
• HP Careers: jobs.hp.com/
• Jim Weaver — LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jim-weaver-36457418 Real Leadership Podcast: realleadership.oningroup.com
• Real Leadership — LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104897916/

The Ōnin Group: oningroup.com/clients