How long have you been with Telefónica and what is your assessment of your time here?
My career at Telefónica began in August 1999, when I joined the infrastructure department of Telefonica Data, where I provided administrative support. Two years later I made the leap to Telefonica Móviles where I have now been for 22 years. During these years I have been lucky enough to work and get to know different areas of the company and, above all, many people who have contributed a lot to my growth and development, both professionally and personally. I started in the Marketing and SVAs department where I spent almost 3 years, then I joined the Residential Management for 7 years, later with the creation of the DTs I embarked on the Marketing Management of the DT Centre for another 9 years and finally, I have been enjoying the last 3 years in the Sponsorship department, where I always wanted to be.
They have been wonderful years, with some bad moments, but they are insignificant compared to the good ones, and as I said, I have been lucky enough to meet great people and great friends. I am going to leave out many people, but I would like to mention some names that especially marked me, such as Pilar Latorre (DEP), an incredible director, Juan Mirabet, Luis Tellería, Carlos Rego, Fernando Fdez. de Lis, Jose Manuel Uria, Carlos Quintanilla, Mónica Parejo, Ander Pérez, my current colleagues in Sponsorships (Gema, Raquel, Noe, Clara, David and Guille). In this list there are bosses, managers and colleagues who have become friends and there are many more I could name, but it would be an endless list, and that is very fortunate.
Is there any project at Telefónica that you feel particularly satisfied with or proud of?
The truth is that in so many years I have been through many projects, although there are always some that leave their mark on you… I would choose two, the first was working in DT, when we set up an infrastructure so that the technicians who visit customers’ homes could prescribe our products and charge a commission for it, it was something that had been tried several times and had not worked. We had two years in which it was considered as another sales channel, but then it had to be closed for other reasons.
The second is a project I did this year, the sponsorship of the film Campeonex. This sponsorship has given me the opportunity to get to know the world of cinema and to become even more aware of people with disabilities. Being able to work with the actors in the film, with Javier Fesser, who is unique, has been very enriching, above all personally, and it is the most beautiful project I have been lucky enough to be part of.
What do you think Telefónica has contributed to society?
Telefónica has made a basic contribution, I think, to the evolution of society. Communication between people is essential and often distances meant that we could only contact our loved ones by telephone. Then it has been able to adapt to the new times and has put Spain in a unique position in terms of FTTH and 5G networks in the world, making it possible that, as happened during the pandemic, we could all continue to work, connect with our families by video, etc. Without the network ever faltering. This is only appreciated when it is lost. Can you imagine what we would have done without such a network?
Where do you see Telefónica in the future?
This question is very difficult to answer, I am not going to go back to 99 years ago when our company started, did anyone imagine 25 years ago where we are now? I think we will continue to evolve and diversify our business, but it escapes me where we will be in 25 years.
Could you live without a mobile phone?
Another complicated question, I would like to say yes, but nowadays we are hyper connected to our terminal and it would be difficult for me to disconnect for a while. Nowadays we have the phone for everything, to connect, agenda, mail, camera, GPS, Pagos….. It’s too convenient not to live with it.
Help us solve one of the great enigmas of humanity: the potato omelette… With onion or without onion?
I don’t like onion, so no onion!!!! Of course, you have to try it with bacon bits.
Nominate another colleague to appear in this section
The most difficult one. As I said, I have been lucky enough to meet many incredible people, but there are always people who make a mark on you, they don’t make noise, but they are little ants in their work and when you meet them you discover incredible things… He was with me for years from my beginnings at Telefonica Móviles and helped me a lot, and although unfortunately we don’t keep in touch as much as we would like, but he is always in my mind, he is Jose Manuel Uría Alañon.
