Fabio Rossetti

How Chemistry came into your life?

Actually, we can say it came by chance! I started studying Chemistry in High School. I liked it right away and realized that it could be my future. Since then, I got hooked. I’m fond of chemistry so I always want to be updated and learn more about it.

I’ve been dealing with Chemistry for more than 20 years. When you’re young you don’t know where you’re going, though. You only want to do your best. I was (and I still am) very ambitious: I put myself out there whenever I can!

I got very lucky. I’m doing a job that I love. In my opinion this is what matters: passion for what you’re doing.

What did you study?

I attended an Industrial Technical Institute in Casale Monferrato (AL, Italy), Chemistry focused. I then became a chemistry major at Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale (UPO) and I eventually got an MSc in Clinical, Legal and Sport Chemistry in Turin (TO, Italy).

How did you land in LabAnalysis?

It’s a fun story. I graduated in March 2009, a very critical time due to the financial crisis. I didn’t find a job for the next 6 months. One night a friend of mine invited me to a graduation party. Here I met one of my former colleagues, who suggested me to have a look at this Laboratory near Pavia. At that time I was living in Alessandria (AL, Italy) so Pavia (PV, Italy) was quite far from me… Anyway, I decided to send my curriculum and apply for a position. In a few days they asked me for an interview. After 3 days I began working in LabAnalysis. It’s 11 years since that day!

Professor Maggi (Luigino Maggi, ed) interviewed me on a summer evening. It was about 6.30 pm.
It was quite peculiar, but I then understood that was the standard. LabAnalysis has nothing to deal with ordinariness: extraordinariness is commonplace and that’s why I love it!

They offered me two different job positions: lab or environmental sample registration.
I wanted to learn something new, so I accepted the second one. I know, that doesn’t seem a chemist job at all, but I can guarantee this is exactly what helped with  my next steps.

I started with a 3 months internship. I was then offered a fixed-term contract (2 years) and eventually a permanent one.

Let's talk about your arrival in Vicenza

After working in sample registration for a while, I suggested to move to the lab. I wanted to learn something new one more time. It turned out there was an opportunity in the research and development laboratory. So, I then spent two years working on analytical methods for active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Later, the Management asked me to take over for the outgoing Water Sector Manager. I’m holding the position since 2012. I’m dealing with both reporting and customer service, so with both technical and commercial aspects. As well as water sector, I have something to do with waste and other matrices.

I then heard that we were going to acquire a laboratory in Veneto (region, Italy). It was the beginning of 2020. Let me tell you … I had already exposed my ambitions to the Management. In the end they asked me to take charge of this new site and be the connection figure between Pavia and Vicenza (VI, Italy).

The pandemic had just started. Finding a place where to stay, sleep and rest was critical because every accommodation structure was closed. After a while, fortunately, tourism companies were allowed to receive workers. It went well and we all respected social distancing. There was only me and the owner.

Obviously, my family was also involved in these events. I’ve been married for nearly 10 years. When the time to make a decision has come, I involved my wife as well. I clearly remember that she said you would have to be crazy to miss this chance!

What is your job position now?

*he laughs* I’m now Operation Manager for the Pavia, Vicenza, and Cagliari offices, a role I undertook after the spinoff of LabAnalysis Environmental Science from LabAnalysis.

What are you looking for from new colleagues?

I’d like to see passion in what you do. The same passion I have. I mean, I’d like to see commitment. It would be fair and respectful, thinking about who gives you the job too. We would be on the right path.
If you can find a person with the right attitude and soft skills… then the hard ones can be taught in LabAnalysis with a training program.

What values should a manager have?

He (or she) should be motivating, with no doubt at all. He (or she) should let people feel to be part of something – and, I have to say it, it’s quite difficult. For example, after I started working in Vicenza, we introduced several changes in the laboratory, both technically and in the quality management system.

In the first few months it was complicated as people don’t like changes and are scared of them. You have to find a way to communicate that you’re working to improve, to grow, to be better than yesterday. It’s really important to me. And I think I succeeded! After a couple of years, the Vicenza lab acquired in 2020 was already fully aligned with LabAnalysis procedures! I put a lot of effort into it, but nothing would have been possible without the commitment of the "new colleagues" to get involved and the colleagues in Pavia who, even from a distance, supported the guys in Vicenza and never backed down!

Personally, I often try to speak with people – to truly speak to them. I prefer to be authoritative rather than authoritarian: you should not do something because it was told you or because you’re going to be warned, but because you believe in what you’re doing.

What if someone disagree with you? What happens?

On the technical side, that’s ok if someone doesn’t agree with me and suggests to do it in another way! Everyone is free to express his own idea, as I am. We can talk about it! As I said, I’m not giving orders to a soldier. We can discuss and try to find a better solution to reach our goals.

Stay tuned with Fabio's progress in LabAnalysis!
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