Company: Metanomia Consultoria Estratégica Location: Barcelona, Spain Position: CEO
Where did you learn the basics of running a business? In today’s fast paced and ever changing world it’s not
enough to learn the basics of business. You’ve got to keep improving and
expanding your knowledge in order to find new and creative ways to tackle
complex business matters. Even the apparently “simple” businesses are nowadays
facing tough situations and know hardly how to deal with their sophisticated
competitors.
Whom did you work with before becoming a consultant? Having graduated in Business Administration in 1981, I
started working for 3M, where I was in charge of sales and marketing of several
industrial divisions of its Middle East subsidiary. 4 years later I moved on to
one of Schlumberger’s companies that manufactured X-ray equipment for Airport
security. A couple of years later, I switched over to a Belgian multinational,
Vandemoortele, active in food products. There, I was initially in charge of
several European countries before starting up the Spanish subsidiary where I
stayed on for 8 years as General Manager. I also held that same position in a
couple of Spanish food companies before starting my own consulting practise in
2007.
What will you do in ten years? I do like the diversity of consulting assignments;
therefore my intention is to continue with consulting. I am also serving as a
board member of a few companies.
What kind of people do you like to work with? The challenge is to be able to work with all kinds of
people, regardless of personal preferences. I’ve always learned much more from
working with people whom, initially and for some reason or another, I didn’t
particularly like. After you get to know them better, you’ll usually find that
several qualities of theirs make up for the questionable first impression.
Is there someone whom you would describe as very intelligent? The
challenge is to be able to work with all kinds of people, regardless of
personal preferences. I've always learned much more from working with
people whom, initially and for some reason or another, I didn't
particularly like. After you get to know them better, you'll usually
find that several qualities of theirs make up for the questionable
first impression.
After working many years as a consultant, are there any project that have given you special pride, joy or new knowledge? Most
of my consulting assignments started out being very specific and
related, say, either to finance, marketing or human relations to name
just a few. Quickly though, we always seem to move from the specific to
the more general strategic implications for the business. I
particularly enjoy these moments when one can help the client see the
real shortcomings they are failing to address and start working
together on the deep and far reaching strategic issues being faced.
Why is your company a member of IMCN? We all need to build our network. This is why the so
called social media, Linkedin, Facebook or Twitter, are having such a tremendous
success. IMCN offers us the possibility to increase our reach, both
internationally and from the standpoint of expertise availability.
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