María Sanchiz

How did your experience at IE prepare you for your professional career?

It was 30 years ago, but I still have this feeling that I had a great and solid education on tax law, which sometimes I don’t see in many professionals. And this foundation has always accompanied me throughout all of my career, and it’s been my safe place whenever I was trying different things, because this was fully covered by the education I had in this one year.

In what ways do you think the program you did has changed your life professionally and personally?

I was leaving my hometown in the Basque Country and coming to Madrid, meeting people from different places. And especially, I think, for me the most important thing was that I found that open mind perspective that education at IE brings. This for me was a change. I learned to be more open minded. This was a radical change for my professional life and even my personal life.

What is one thing you wished you knew, when you were a student?

I think nothing because one of the things that I have liked from my personal and professional life in these thirty years is the surprise. This feeling that I was doing something new all the time, and this feeling of doing new things is for me very special. The action of finding something is very challenging, and I like it very much.

You don’t plan too much ahead, but you look into the future…

You always know where you go, the destination. But the best thing is the way. I enjoy the path and taking decisions along the way; I know where I go, but I just like to enjoy the path, not planning too much what the next steps are going to be. I know where I go, but I go step by step.

GAR Board member, almost 30 years at PwC, advising family businesses… You are all about “keeping things in the family.” What’s the importance you see in maintaining close ties with your peers and engaging with the IE community?

For me, I always say that, “keeping things in the family.” And it’s something that happens in my professional life. It happens all the time when I find somebody, and I get really connected with them. It also happens very often that when I ask somebody where they studied it turns out to be IE. I think the values IE sprouts in people are very important, so for me it is important to keep in touch with IE because you will always find interesting people around the institution.

What makes family businesses so special for you?

When I started in PwC, I was in international tax and I worked for big companies. I was very proud because I wanted to be in a firm like PwC and work with these big companies. Then, one day, they decided I was going to work in family business, and I was like “no, I’m here for international things!” (Laughs.) But then, I realized one thing: whenever you work for big multinationals all the decisions are taken abroad, or within the confines of a board, and you just execute these decisions. When you work with family businesses, you sit down with the family, the business owners are taking the decisions with you, and you execute these decisions. This completely changes your profession, you become more creative, you become more responsible, more involved, and the owners ask for your opinion. Once I started working with family businesses, I never changed.

What can alumni do to create a positive impact, not only within the IE community but also for the rest of the world?

To change the world, it is not the big things that are going to change it. It’s the small things we do in our everyday actions that change the world. So, I’ll go back to values: if we stick to our values and we act according to them every day, from small things we will make a better world.

It seems it is easier these days to progress professionally, both in terms of salary and position, by frequently moving jobs. Being someone who has achieved great success working for the same company for almost 30 years, what are your thoughts on this matter?

When I entered PwC, we were 40 people in TLS (Tax and Legal Practice.) We are now 500 and something. So, even if I have been in the same company, I have always had the impression that I have changed companies every two or three years. We have changed buildings, we have enormous rotation, so I work with different people all the time. The organization changes all the time and this is what I like from PwC, I haven’t changed companies, but the company has changed 50 or 60 times since I am there, As I’ve said, I like the changes very much, so I am fulfilled.

What can young professionals do to increase their opportunities for career progression?

For me, it’s the need to be curious. Sometimes, when I see young professionals that start working with us, they’re expecting you to tell them what to do and they do it. This is not enough, they need to question things, why are you asking me to do this, why I’m doing that. They should also try not only doing what they are being requested to do, but also improving things and doing things in a different way. This is what I’m requesting from young people; don’t take for granted everything I’m telling you, challenge them!

What are some good practice to nurture talent within an organization?

We at PwC are very focused on attracting and retaining talent. For me, the most important thing is to find the best talents, to detect the best talents, because we’re very used to the idea of talent as having good grades. For me it’s different. Talent hides in different places, and you have to give people the freedom to develop their own talents and skills.

What is the secret to having a successful career without sacrificing your personal life?

You need to like both things—your professional and your personal lives—very, very, much, If you like your profession and you love your family and being with your family… it will always be hard, but you will find your way.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Nature is my way of escaping. I practice rock climbing and skiing with my husband. I mean, all mountains sports I enjoy very much. This for me is a way to think about a something different. Whenever you are rock climbing, you can only on thinking about it, what you’re doing at that moment. I have never tried meditation and I think it would be a little difficult for me; so, instead of meditation, I concentrate on rock climbing, that is how I take problems off my mind.

How is the María of today different from the María who graduated from IE?

I have kept the essence of Maria, but I feel more… don’t want to say “wise” because that’s a little pretentious. I am calmer when taking decisions, and I feel more secure, too. Age gives you a lot of security in the things you do.

If you had a billboard that you could display to the world, what would you write on it?

Live according to your values.

Going to the office or remote work?

I like both, but I will say going to the office.

Summer vacations or Winter vacations?

Tricky one, but summer vacations.

Family-business or public company?

Family business.

Going deeper into the box or connecting boxes?

Connecting boxes.

IE Tower or María de Molina Campus?

IE Tower.

Managing or Leading?

I like both things, but I think leading. I prefer it.

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