Paolo Rocca, from an Italian family but born in Argentina, is an executive and businessman who served as CEO of Tenaris, one of the companies belonging to the multinational holding Grupo Techint, founded by the Rocca family. The Argentine executive announced that he is leaving the role of chief executive officer, but will remain as chairman of Grupo Techint in the country.
According to Forbes, a business-focused magazine, Rocca ranks among the top three billionaire businessmen in the country. Much of his fortune is linked to the constant development of Vaca Muerta and to gas pipeline and steel infrastructure. The investor was key in the creation of Tenaris, a company formed in 2002 after the merger of several operations developed in the Americas and Europe. From that moment, Rocca took over as chief executive officer, a position he held until May 2026.
Since its beginning, Tenaris became the world’s largest manufacturer of seamless pipes for the oil industry. Its products did not go unnoticed and were used in offshore projects, shale developments and major gas fields across the planet.
Rocca’s departure as CEO
The news is recent and still surprising, although it is not a definitive farewell. The board announced the appointment of Gabriel Podskubka as the new CEO, while Rocca remains as chairman of the board and advisor to the company. The succession was presented as part of a long-term planning process. The board highlighted that Rocca had been the main architect of Tenaris’s global growth since before its initial public offering in 2002, and recognized his role in building a world-leading company in solutions for the energy industry.
The departure is due solely to a change in management planning and to the recognition of Paolo’s enormous work over more than twenty years. As chairman, the Italian-Argentine executive remains involved in decision-making and in the management of Grupo Techint in the country.
His most relevant actions within the energy industry
Paolo Rocca is undoubtedly a name that will not be forgotten soon in the energy industry. As chief executive officer of Tenaris, in addition to having participated in the creation of the company within Grupo Techint, he also founded another company called Ternium.
In 2005, Rocca promoted the consolidation of several steel assets of Grupo Techint in Latin America to create a company capable of competing in the global steel market. Ternium integrated operations in Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, the United States and Central America, and became one of the largest flat steel producers in the region.
Both Tenaris and Ternium are two major achievements in Rocca’s track record. Both reflect the same business philosophy: building multinational companies with a solid industrial base, strong technological investment and the ability to compete globally from Latin America. Today, these two companies are among the most important pillars of Grupo Techint.
Rocca’s work as chairman after leaving the CEO role
Today, his work is focused on the strategic guidance of Tenaris in an international context marked by energy transformations, geopolitical tensions and new industrial challenges. Among his main responsibilities is monitoring the company’s expansion in key markets.
He also maintains an active role in the industrial expansion linked to Vaca Muerta and to liquefied natural gas export projects that seek to position Argentina as a global energy supplier. From his new institutional role, he acts as a kind of strategic architect of the group.
His departure as CEO, far from meaning retirement, marks a new stage in which he continues to exert influence over one of the most important industrial organizations in the energy world.
International influence and leadership
Paolo Rocca managed to establish himself as an influential figure in the main international business forums. His frequent participation in economic, energy and industrial meetings turned him into a regular interlocutor for governments, multilateral organizations and corporate leaders from different regions of the world.
He also took part in spaces of discussion on international trade, industrial competitiveness, technical education and energy transition. From those forums, he defended and strengthened industrial production as a driver of economic growth and quality job creation. He also promoted cooperation between the private sector, educational systems and governments to improve the training of specialized workers, an issue he considers fundamental for long-term development.
Grupo Techint promoted technical education programs, university scholarships and community development initiatives in several countries. Rocca argues that companies have a responsibility in building productive and human capabilities, especially in regions where they carry out their operations.
In recent years, he has remained active in the debates that will define the future of industry, energy and economic competitiveness over the coming decades.
