Mentorship Reversed: P&G's Strategy for a More Agile, Digitally Fluent Future

Mentorship has long been part of the learning culture at P&G. And now, some of the most transformative mentoring relationships are happening in reverse — from technical experts all the way up to the C-suite. It’s an approach that’s not only accelerating innovation but also broadening mindsets and preparing leaders for a more digitally driven future.

Several groups at P&G are using reverse mentoring to upskill leaders in technology and digital transformation, helping them make more informed decisions and solve complex business challenges.

A Think Tank for Tech Solutions: CIO Technical Advisory Board

One example of reverse mentoring is P&G’s CIO Technical Advisory Board. Composed of senior-level technologists with diverse experience and backgrounds, this board acts like an internal think tank, exploring near- and long-term tech trends to support P&G’s business strategy. The board’s diverse experts advise and support the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and other senior executives by offering insights on complex, emerging technologies.

“We are shaping the technology P&G needs to win in the marketplace,” said Seba Borgnia, Lead of the CIO Technical Advisory Board and Chief Enterprise Architect, Engineering Leader. “By doing that, we not only match technology to unmet business needs, but we are also influencing technology in the industry.”

The board helps executives understand the external tech landscape and has tackled challenges from defining AI governance and agentic frameworks, to researching the potential of quantum computing applied on consumer goods companies.

“It has the power to be very transformative and to deliver strong business results for P&G,” Borgnia said. “We use this group not just to qualify the technology itself but to inform our leaders on the art of what’s possible.”

Because the industry changes rapidly, the board projects out one to three years to keep recommendations ambitious but grounded.

Membership on the board has become a platform for professional growth and an inspiration for future talent. "As people see the type of research this group does, it becomes very aspirational for some of our technical talent to one day be able to become part of the CIO Technical Advisory Board,” Borgnia said.

Upskilling in Action: Reverse Mentoring in Product Supply

Reverse mentoring is also gaining traction in Baby Care Product Supply, where a new program is helping executive leaders build critical digital skills. Launched in January 2024, this program is already receiving high praise from participants. Digital mentors — often early-to-mid career employees with tech fluency — are paired with senior leaders based on their upskilling goals. These relationships are informal, providing safe spaces where mentors provide hands-on coaching in digital tools, processes and problem-solving.

Cem Canikoglu, HR Senior Director for Global Baby Care Product Supply, sought a mentor to help him automate reporting tasks. The relationship with his mentor, Michal Foltys, unlocked capabilities he didn’t know were there.

“Today, instead of spending hours to generate some of our reports, we are now spending minutes to get the data we need and turn them into actionable insights for our business,” Canikoglu said.

Not only did it improve Canikoglu’s productivity, but it has inspired him to be a better role model for digitizing work and utilizing existing resources.

For Edoardo Rubbiani, Baby Care Process & Engineering Senior Director and Global Data Activation Leader, partnering with data specialist Pathik Chamaria and Pruthvi Raj Rudrarapu helped close the gap between leadership mindset and technical knowledge. “While external training has expanded my technical expertise, reverse mentoring has accelerated my learning and shifted my perspective on the challenges faced by the organization to embrace digital as the way we work,” Rubbiani said. His mentors’ insights have helped Rubbiani pinpoint areas where leaders can drive meaningful change.

Rubbiani emphasized that the shift isn’t just technical — it’s cultural.

“Digital transformation isn’t just about technology,” he said. “It is fundamentally about changing mindsets — a shift that must be embraced at every level of our organization.”

Julia Semenchenko, Senior Director of Supply Network Operations for Europe Baby Care, credits her digital mentor, Daniel Dolz, with expanding her fluency in AI — and giving her the confidence to apply those skills in real time. “I’ve been truly impressed by the natural and engaging style of my digital mentor — it has been both inspiring and impactful. His guidance on AI has been particularly valuable; he not only shared high-quality resources, both internal and external, but also sparked actionable learning,” she said.

That experience led to real-world success: applying AI to elevate a recent business event.

“This mentorship has been a catalyst in advancing my leadership journey in the digital space,” Semenchenko said.

Reverse mentoring at P&G is more than a trend — it’s a strategic lever for innovation, inclusion and future-ready leadership. By listening to voices from every level, P&G is not only building digital muscle — it’s creating a culture where every perspective helps shape what’s next.