Paula García De Quevedo
Currently working at Amazon Europe Headquarters in Luxembourg. Paula graduated with Honors from a Bachelor of Business Administration at IE University in Spain in 2019.
She is passionate about consumer behaviour, and the creation of meaningful and powerful brands.
Paula has worked in big companies as Colgate, Heineken, Danone, and Samsung. Her academic and professional experience in multi-cultural environments where teamwork, entrepreneurship and velocity are fundamental attributes, has provided her with a diversified knowledge of different markets, products and consumers.
"Be patient. Hard work always gets paid back, but it’s a slow process."
Q&A WITH PAULA
Define your experience in IE in one word.
Networking
What were some of the main challenges that you encountered on your way? How did your bachelor’s program and IE help you through these challenges?
The main challenge that I have faced in my way is the Spanish work market, adding to it the global pandemic. Young workers who want to work in Spain have to deal with temporary contracts and moving from one company to another in really short periods of time. IE has helped me a lot to not get frustrated, as IE has prepared their students to deal with continuous changing, giving them the skills to adapt easily.
How did your experience at IE prepare you for your professional career? In what ways do you think program has changed your life professionally and personally?
IE has helped me a lot and has prepared me well for real-work life. As a worker, you’re dealing with different people on a daily basis (co-workers, partners, clients…) The multiple team projects that we experience in every course at IE has prepared me to deal with different people in different matters.
What was networking like in the program?
Easy, continuous, changing, and diverse. At IE, every student will meet a lot of different people, from students (from all around the world), to different professors and alumni.
What was your favorite memory from your time at IE?
Meeting new people and being in touch with so many different cultures. Apart of creating new friendships and networking, its really helpful to be able to deal with people who think differently, who have had different experiences…
If someone was considering going to IE, what would you tell them?
I will tell them that it’s a really good choice. Not just for the academic learning that they are going to receive, but also because it’s a really international university, one that really prepare students to real-work life, and also to the real life. You learn how to deal with other cultures, other languages, other way to do things, and even other ways of thinking.
What is one thing you wished you knew, when you were a student? What advice would you give to students who are about to begin the program?
That every student thinks that a bachelor’s or master’s degree is a really long period of time. But it isn’t true. My main advice would be to take advantage of all the opportunities IE gives to their students and graduates. Also, not being shy and meeting as most people as possible.
Tell us about the IE alumni community and the impact they have had in your life and/or career. Why do you think it’s important to engage with the IE alumni community?
Being connected to IE community is really helpful and also in the interest of everyone. It’s one of the most powerful platforms of networking that you can have access to.
When did you discover you wanted to work in brand marketing?
I knew since my first lecture of Marketing (Principles of Marketing). What I liked the most is that Marketing is the direct way to understand your consumers and being able to create a connection with them. Being able to create a bond between your brand and the consumers is something really hard to achieve, but when you are able to do it, it’s incredible.
What’s the highlight of your career so far?
The highlight of my career has been being part the building of three new brands in a big multinational corporation. Being in the process and seeing how a brand starts from an idea and transforms into a reality has been one of the most amazing and constructive experiences of my working experience.
Who’s your hero and how have they inspired your professional path?
My Dad. He always tells me that you can work hard, you can build a successful career, but you need to stay focused on the real life: family, friends, and hobbies.
Are there any daily habits that you attribute to your success that you’d like to share, especially now with COVID-19?
Always listen. Work closely with everyone and be kind with everyone. A company is not just selling products or services. A company is also the people who work in it. And the way you work and treat these people is what is going to dictate your career.
What’s the best career advice you have ever been given?
Be patient. Hard work always gets paid back, but it’s a slow process.
If you had a billboard you could display to the entire world, what would you put on it? (1-10 words)
Connections. People. Culture. Enjoyment.