Driving Digital Transformation in Automotive Coatings: Leslie Gatza at PPG

Rising Talent Feature | Women Automotive Network

At the Women Automotive Network, we’re proud to spotlight emerging leaders helping shape the future of automotive. Our Rising Talent series celebrates professionals bringing fresh thinking, strategic perspective, and real momentum to an industry undergoing transformation.

In this edition, we feature Leslie Gatza, PPG’s Marketing Intelligence and Digital Leader, Automotive Coatings. Leslie’s journey spans analytics, strategic foresight, digital transformation, and advanced materials, offering a strong example of how new talent is helping drive the industry forward.

Above: Leslie Gatza, Marketing Intelligence and Digital Leader, Automotive Coatings at PPG

Can you tell us a little about you, your background and how you got started in the automotive industry?

My name is Leslie Gatza. I was born and raised in Mid Michigan and began my career in the chemical industry supporting building products. Early on, I found myself gravitating toward roles that blended analytics, market intelligence, and strategic foresight.

In 2021, I joined PPG Industries, an opportunity I’m incredibly grateful for, as it allowed me to leverage my background in strategic intelligence while entering the automotive industry. My first role focused on battery electric vehicle coatings and specialty materials, an exciting entry point at the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and mobility transformation.

That experience cemented my passion for the future of automotive and the role advanced materials and digital technologies play in shaping it.

What is your current role, and what are your primary responsibilities within your organisation?

In Q3 2025, I accepted the role of Digital Transformation & Intelligence Leader for PPG’s Automotive Coatings business. I have the privilege of leading an exceptional team of product owners who guide both our internal teams and customers through the next chapter of digital enablement.

Our work spans the full digital ecosystem, from digital styling and color visualization solutions to advanced application technologies at customer production sites. We focus on leveraging data, digital tools, and AI to elevate operational excellence, accelerate development cycles, and strengthen value creation across the supply chain.

Ultimately, our mission is to transform how PPG collaborates with customers by building more intuitive, connected, and insight driven experiences.

What is the hardest truth young women entering this field need to hear?

That you may not always see yourself reflected in every room you enter and that’s exactly why your voice matters. The automotive industry is evolving rapidly, but structural change takes time.

Young women should know that confidence doesn’t come from fitting into the existing mold. It comes from bringing your unique perspective forward even when it feels uncomfortable. You don’t have to be the loudest person at the table, you just have to make sure you have a seat.

How have mentors and sponsors played a role in your career, and how do you recommend finding and cultivating these relationships?

Mentors and sponsors have been instrumental in helping me navigate new industries, stretch into strategic roles, and build the confidence to take on challenges that once felt out of reach. Mentors helped me think differently. Sponsors opened doors I didn’t even know existed.

My advice for cultivating these relationships:

• Start with curiosity. Ask leaders about their journeys, challenges, and philosophies.
• Be proactive. Mentors rarely fall into your lap. Reach out, follow up, and show genuine commitment to growth.
• Seek diversity in guidance. Some of my best mentors were outside my function, gender, or industry.
• Give back early. Mentorship is reciprocal. Bring energy, ideas, and appreciation into every conversation.

What initiatives or programs within your company have been particularly effective in supporting women?

Mentoring and networking are foundational to how PPG supports inclusion. Our Women’s Leadership Network (WLN) has been especially impactful through its mentoring circles program, a peer to peer initiative that enables women to connect across functions and regions, learn from one another, and grow as leaders.

WLN also hosts flagship events for International Women’s Day, Women’s Health Month, and other moments that elevate women’s voices and experiences at scale. These initiatives help create belonging, build capability, and shape a more equitable leadership pipeline.

How do you challenge outdated mindsets and systemic biases within the industry?

I challenge bias by asking straightforward questions, involving the right people early, and focusing on what will help us perform better. Keeping it practical makes change easier for everyone to get behind.

Favourite business or leadership book?

Think Again by Adam Grant. This book embodies what the automotive and digital transformation spaces demand today: the courage to rethink, unlearn, and reimagine.

What’s a quote that has inspired you?

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”, Eleanor Roosevelt

A reminder that vision and belief are powerful accelerators, especially for women in industries undergoing transformation.

What new skill are you currently learning or want to learn?

Much like many leaders today, I’m continually expanding my understanding of digital and AI capabilities. What excites me most is learning how to apply these technologies responsibly and creatively to solve real customer and societal challenges.

What’s your personal career motto?

“Lead with clarity, act with courage, and elevate others along the way.”

It captures how I approach leadership, insight driven, human centered, and future focused.