Human First Leadership in AI-Driven Manufacturing

Fernando Guedes, Global Manufacturing Engineering Manager at Aptiv, joins The Manufacturing Intelligence Podcast for a deeply human and practical conversation on leadership, learning, and how manufacturers can navigate rapid technological change without losing what matters most.

Drawing from more than 30 years in electronics manufacturing, Fernando traces his journey from shop floor technician to global engineering leader and shares how hands-on experience, teaching, and empathy shaped his leadership philosophy. He explains why trust and mental health are foundational to performance, how continuous improvement frameworks like Six Sigma still apply in an AI-driven world, and why real-time data has fundamentally changed the speed of decision making.

Throughout the episode, Fernando offers a grounded perspective on AI and automation, emphasizing that technology should enable people, not control them. He discusses how leaders can use data as a signal for opportunity rather than blame, why lifelong learning is essential, and how manufacturers must prepare teams for significant workforce and skills shifts in the coming years.

Topics discussed:

• Leading global manufacturing teams through trust and human
  connection
• Learning by doing and why shop floor experience still matters
• Teaching as a way to scale expertise and build empathy
• Why Six Sigma and Lean still work, but faster than ever
• Using data as opportunity rather than judgment
• How AI and real-time analytics change continuous improvement
• Preparing for workforce shifts driven by automation and AI
• The importance of curiosity, adaptability, and lifelong learning
• What excites Fernando about the future of manufacturing leadership