How long have you been with Telefónica and what is your assessment of your time here?
More than 20 years, that’s an understatement. In fact, I have always been linked to the Telefónica group, from my end-of-degree project where, as an intern, I innovated by paying for coffee from the vending machine with SMS, to being responsible for different products in Telefónica Empresas and Telefónica Tech. During all this time I have always had the good fortune, and the difficulty, of dealing with innovative products, from mobile payment to energy efficiency solutions or electric vehicles. I can only value very positively all the experience and learning of these years, perhaps having been somewhat removed from the traditional business of the company has made me see all the things we can do when we set our minds to it.
Is there any project at Telefónica that you feel particularly satisfied with or proud of?
By chance, as is often the case, I began to be involved in sustainability and energy efficiency projects. What started as a one-off collaboration eventually became one of the most important projects of my career, providing our customers with energy-saving solutions that allow them not only to obtain an economic return but also to actively participate in the fight against climate change and the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).
What are your expectations for the future at Telefónica?
I think it is a very significant milestone. How many companies, especially technology companies, can celebrate their centenary? In a world where change is accelerating more and more, where we see companies emerge that grow exponentially and then disappear in a matter of years, to be able to celebrate a centenary is a sign of solidity that is very difficult to match.
What do you think Telefónica has contributed to societysince its inception?
Being able to pick up the handset as my grandmother used to say, and establish immediate communication with another person regardless of distance or location is something we take for granted today, but looking back it is a revolution that changed the world, just as the Internet has done, also a way of communicating, or what we are already seeing coming with the world of IoT and AI.
Where do you see Telefónica in the future?
The question alone says a lot about the company; very few companies can imagine what will become of them in the next 100 years. I imagine a Telefónica always linked to the most disruptive technologies of the moment, where the need to communicate with people will still be present.
Could you live without a mobile phone?
Yes, but why suffer like that?
Help us solve one of humanity’s great enigmas: the potato omelette… With onion or without onion?
Clearly with onion, and it´s delicious!
Nominate another colleague to appear in this section
Rosa María Martínez García.
