Natalia Paiva

I am a Black woman from the Northeast of Brazil, and that says a lot in a country still deeply divided by region, race, and gender. I studied Journalism because I believed in the power of stories to mobilize public opinion and drive change. Over time, that same purpose led me from journalism to public policy, technology, entrepreneurship, and social impact. I worked at McKinsey and Meta, and that combined experience led me to found Alandar, a strategy consulting firm specializing in internet regulation. At the same time, I became the leader of MOVER, a coalition of more than 60 major companies working to advance racial equity in Brazil – where 56% of the population is Black, but less than 15% of us hold leadership roles. At MOVER, I have helped mobilize CEOs, set strategic priorities, and build programs that have impacted more than 900,000 people through education, employability, and leadership development. More than anything, I am a mother of three, and a published children’s book author. I originally wrote my picture books for my own children, so it was a beautiful surprise to see them resonate with so many other families, making them best-selling books. In the end, I remain a strong believer in the power of stories: stories that mobilize people and drive change, and stories that amaze and connect with children, who will one day carry the torch and continue building an inclusive world.

How did IE help you get to where you are today?

IE changed the way I understood my own potential. As a journalist by training, I had learned to see how a powerful story could push institutions to act and drive impact. But I had never thought of myself as the one leading that change. I first came to IE through a scholarship connected to a journalism fellowship program designed to give young journalists international exposure. Then the head of IE in Brazil challenged me: “What if, instead of doing the communications program, you went to the MBA?” That unexpected question was life changing. IE helped me translate my purpose into strategy, management, entrepreneurship, and global leadership. It gave me the confidence to move across industries, build organizations, advise leaders, and become an entrepreneur myself. More than a degree, IE helped me discover a muscle I did not know I had, and gave me the tools to exercise it: the ability to design, scale, and sustain impact across different organizations, sectors, and diverse groups of people.

What are three achievements you are most proud of? 

The achievement I am most proud of is my family: my three children, Serena, Martín, and Nina, who are kind-hearted and as bookish as their mama, and my partner in life, Manoel, with whom I share a truly loving partnership. Professionally, I am deeply proud of my work at MOVER, where I helped build one of Brazil’s most important business-led platforms for social impact. Between 2023 and 2026, I helped transform a coalition of engaged CEOs into a strategic, disciplined, and measurable system for change, reaching 60 member companies, more than 1.3 million employees, 4,584 Black leadership positions, and over 900,000 opportunities created. This helped show that racial equity is not a peripheral agenda, but a serious business, governance, and market-shaping priority. I am also proud of founding Alandar, my own strategy consulting firm focused on public policy and internet regulation, where I have put so much of who I am and how I work. We have created a distinctive value proposition for our clients and a strong internal culture of integrity, inclusivity, and excellence. In just over three years, this has translated into a strong client portfolio, including YouTube, Uber, and OpenAI, and sustained strong double-digit year-over-year growth.

What does success look like for you? 

Success, for me, means putting my full driving energy, and the best of who I am, into things that truly matter to me and have a net positive impact on the world. It means working with passion and heart, but also with discipline, excellence, and purpose, achieving results and being recognized for them. All of that without losing sight of what matters most: having time, presence, and love for my family.