Matteo Lezzi

What has your grown path been like?

I’m an industrial expert. I attended the ITIS (State Technical and Industrial School) in Chieti (Abruzzo, Italy) and I graduated in 2008. I met the company in a very romantic way: by chance. The ex-office in Chieti Scalo (a neighborhood in Chieti, ed) was located next to my girlfriend – now wife, actually – house. She was the one who suggested me to send my CV. I then started at LabAnalysis a month after my graduation.

My first experience was as a Laboratory Technician, performing analysis of Hydrocarbons with the FT-IR technique. I then moved to the Ecology laboratory, dealing with first and second level sample preparation and bench chemistry analysis, ion chromatography, spectrophotometry, elemental analysis and calorimetry.

With the arrival of LabAnalysis Group I became in 2014 Head of the sectors dealing with: ion chromatography, calorimetry, titrimetry and elemental analysis for all environmental matrices.

In 2017 I also became Head of Spectrophotometric Sector. Later in 2019, I was promoted to Head of Metals Sector, enriching my experience through the use of ICP-OES, ICP-MS and FIMS, and Laboratory Manager of the Rome site.

What are you involved in, now?

I am currently Coordinator of the Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory in LabAnalysis Environmental Science, role assigned me in 2020 thanks to the experience gained over the years in all the different work areas.

I must say that LabAnalysis Group has played a key role in bringing improvements to the company. From training to latest generation instruments. They have also met the need for new qualified staff, allowing the great growth that has characterized us in the last years.

Who has had the biggest impact on your career?

My parents first. Since they were entrepreneurs I grew up having the opportunity to see their daily commitment in carrying out their business: they gave me such a strength and spirit of sacrifice, key factors to get to be what I am today.

After that, during my studies, one of my professors inspired me and made me passionate about the chemistry world.

What motivates you when you’re in a negative moment?

My family above all: my children, Amedeo and Beatrice, and my wife Enrica. They give me the necessary strength to face the dark moments. COVID has allowed me to spend more time with them, even though the company has never stopped. We had some special breaks so that we could live that time – which I hope is coming to an end – in a better way.

What is the biggest lesson you have learned as a Coordinator?

Facing the responsibilities of this role was quite complicated as first. Moving through interpersonal dynamics, qualities and characteristics of individuals, empathizing.
What I tried to communicate is the team spirit: unity is strength and together we can face anything and achieve our goals.

What I have learned is the importance of adopting this vision: a united team can work together and get some results.

Describe your typical day at LabAnalysis

As soon as I arrive at the lab, I immediately check my emails to find requests for urgencies and verifications: this allows me to better plan the daily work for the whole group of labs.

I organize the delivery schedule to meet the needs of all areas. I also organize my entire staff, 25 people, to distribute the workload in all areas in the best possible way.

Phone calls never stop and problem solving is the every day challenge: I am constantly dealing with complicated situations, trying to solve them in the best possible way thanks to my team.

At the end of the day I check the latest requests and deliverables from every working group.

What do you like most about your job?

I like it because it’s not monotonous: each sample analyzed has different criticalities and it’s stimulating to find the best solution to always get the required result.

Collaborating with all my colleagues always gives me ideas for professional and personal growth.

This is my first and only job, but it is with no doubt my life’s work. I’ve been doing this for 13 years and the trick is to live every day like the first one.

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