How long have you been with Telefónica and what is your assessment of your time here?
I started working at Telefónica España in 2000, I joined the Technology team that was located in the building on Emilio Vargas Street, which is now defunct. My assessment is very positive, Telefónica has given me many and varied opportunities to grow professionally.
I have been fortunate to have been able to develop very different roles; from my beginnings in the Emilio Vargas laboratories, through my work in engineering for the deployment of the NGN and value added services platforms, an exchange of several months with NTT Docomo in Tokyo, to my current job as part of the Innovation team at Telefónica Spain. Our task is to drive the generation of new value propositions always leveraging the capabilities of our network and the advantages of new technologies. We have been very focused on 5G with different projects in which we have applied AI, Extended Reality, Robotics… generating proposals for very different sectors. Working in Innovation allows me not only constant technological learning, but also to develop facets such as business-oriented ideation, close relationships with customers and also the dissemination of our work in different forums, a very rewarding task for me, as I like to communicate.
Is there any project at Telefónica that you are particularly satisfied with or proud of?
More than a specific project, I would highlight the months I spent at NTT Docomo, years ago. It was an exchange programme between the Japanese telco and Telefónica, which, in addition to being a professional challenge, was an incredible experience with a lot of professional and personal learning, the kind of experience that marks a turning point in life. For me, it is an example of the many opportunities offered by working in a company like Telefónica.
What do you think Telefónica has contributed to society?
This year the company is 100 years old, it has been a benchmark and driving force for the modernisation of Spanish society in the development of communications and the digitalisation of different sectors. I would also like to highlight the work of the Telefónica Foundation as an example of the company’s social commitment. I am also proud of the company’s contribution to sustainable development objectives. On a personal level, I have had the opportunity to participate in projects related to innovation in the field of health and education, which have a very direct impact on improving people’s lives, and I have witnessed first-hand what we are capable of contributing to society as a company.
Where do you see Telefónica in the future?
Telefónica is already the future. We are a company capable of adapting and taking advantage of the current exponential technological evolution to offer more and better services to our customers.
Could you live without a mobile phone?
I can’t imagine it, I use it for so many things: planning, listening to music, getting information… I can’t live without navigation applications, and to top it off, I haven’t used a watch for years, I check the time on my mobile. In any case, I think it is important to learn to manage our online time and, above all, to educate future generations to mitigate the risks of social networks and hyper-connectivity.
Help us solve one of humanity’s great enigmas: the potato omelette… With onion or without onion?
I prefer it with onions, but I have no problem adapting to the tastes of the majority if I share a table and tablecloth. Actually, I would say potato omelette, always, with or without seasoning.
Come up with a crazy idea that you would like Telefónica to do for its centenary
As I couldn’t think of any, I asked my 9-year-old daughter, and she suggested setting up a “water park” in the Telefónica District lake, or at least a slide. She has been there on occasion and loves it.
Nominate another colleague to appear in this section
I would like to nominate Guillermo Gavilán Montenegro, Francisco José Gutiérrez de Blas and María Echeverría Gómez.
