Tell us a little about yourself. What does your job at Telefónica involve?
My job focuses on developing the sales team that serves digitally native companies. This is a relatively new and highly specialised team within the business management department. We focus on identifying opportunities in digital projects, in customers who we understand have very important technological needs.
To do this, we try to gain a thorough understanding of their business through a fully consultative approach, so that we can match our capabilities within Telefónica with the challenges and needs they face.
How would you define digital native companies?
The common element that identifies these companies is that technology is a fundamental pillar of their business, it is their raison d’être. Regardless of their sector, the type of customer they target or the product or service they provide, their distinguishing feature is technology.
They tend to be relatively young companies with high technical capabilities, significant digital needs and, usually, public cloud solutions. This requires highly specialised attention and a thorough understanding of their needs, which is what our team specialises in.
Why do they need support for their growth and development?
We manage a fairly large and very diverse group of digital native companies, each at different levels of maturity. Some require support to evolve their solutions, including complex projects such as cybersecurity or regulatory compliance consulting.
For the more mature ones, Telefónica can offer solid alternatives to their current suppliers, better conditions or solutions to complex technological challenges. In each case, we seek to add value where it is most needed.
How can these types of organisations deal with continuous technological changes?
The key is to stay close to companies like Telefónica, which have a privileged perspective and great technological capacity. Thanks to the size and resources of the group, including Telefónica Tech, we can bring our customers the latest trends in cloud, cybersecurity and communications, offering them innovative solutions.
Are digital native companies the same as start-ups?
Not exactly. The term start-up always refers to newly created companies with great growth potential and an innovative and scalable business. A digital native company may be at a different point in terms of size and maturity.
There are digital native companies that have been true leaders in the sector for years, such as Civitatis, Wallapop, Clikalia and Factorial, which are now true scaleups or even part of the corporate segment. In fact, it is in these more established companies that my team carries out most of its activity.
Can traditional companies that are digitising themselves end up having the same characteristics as digital natives?
If the trend continues as it has done so far, in a few years’ time, the level of digitisation of most of the companies we know will be so high that they will have as much technology as today’s digital native companies. Today, digitisation is not an option. It is already making a difference and plays a fundamental role in competitiveness, regardless of the sector.
Which people working at Telefónica would you nominate for this interview who you consider to be excellent at their job?
At Telefónica, there are many professionals who stand out for their commitment and excellent work. For this interview, I would like to highlight Xabier Navarro Aizpuru, an example of dedication who, from the marketing department, contributes a lot to our team and our day-to-day work.
