Ángel Valero – global vision with local approach

In this #LeadershipDeepDive episode, Ángel Valero, Corporate CIO of Telefónica, talks with Hendrik Deckers about digital transformation in a global telco company. Ángel shares his view on challenges of working in a multicultural company and the importance of combining global vision with local approach – a necessary combination for Telefónica, a company operating in more than 15 culturally different countries.
Throughout this conversation, Ángel talks about agile culture and the role it plays in his management style, which gives equal importance to empowering employees by giving them responsibilities and to personal development of the team.
Watch this interesting interview to learn and be inspired by Ángel Valero!

TABLE OF CONTENTS
01:20| Introduction: Ángel Valero’s background
30 years of experience in IT industry: Accenture, Everies, Banco Santander, Barclays and Telefónica
01:58| About Telefónica
global, or rather multi local company operating in more than 15 countries, more than 120,000 people around the world
used to be communications company, now a digital telco, new businesses and TV media
02:56 | Transformation
From scratch approach: building new structures in each country
Each country is responsible for transformation, but transformation is guided by corporate vision
07:29| Open leadership style
Agile culture in order to give people responsibility & combining responsibility with personal development of the team.
Break all hierarchies, go directly to the team, team has to take the decisions
09:11 | Adjusting the approach to different countries
Global project with local input: some things done globally and some things locally – make teams independent, but maintain control
11:00 | Digital transformation processes
Changing from product oriented to customer oriented
Transformation of the whole process – from beginning to end
Agile methodology & customer journey
13:33 | Transformation – tools, technologies & Open reference
casting
television
extra
clone
clip
list
Combination of Open reference
casting
television
extra
clone
clip
list (internal development) and commercial vendors (main transformation).
Creating DevOps culture
16:48 | Transformation – cloud strategy
„Go to cloud” strategy
Cooperation with Google & Microsoft for Spanish clients & for internal use
20:13| Internal organization
Global strategy with guidelines from global CIO executed locally and monitored by local CIOs
23:04 | Ángel’s management style
„I believe in a combination between execution and personal engagement”
Confidence and trust
Guiding his employees but allowing them to take responsibilities and grow even if it means failing
Failures force us to look for solutions
25:35 | Ángel’s leadership style
Technological expert leader in the past when he could impress with his knowledge
Not the case anymore. Now more of a guide with open door to anyone who looks for advice
Honesty and trust are Ángel’s core values
28:26 | Ángel’s personality
More introvert than extrovert
Shy in personal environment, but outgoing and focused on results at work
Separation between personal and professional life
30:27 | Ángel’s rational & emotional side
Creating area of confidence between himself and his team: weekly one to one meetings, annual lunch, out of office meetings for coffee or for lunch
32:51 | Building relationships during pandemic
Pandemic has been good for the business itself, but common space is necessary for teamwork
34:20| What makes Ángel happy?
Delivering results to customers
35:30 | Ángel’s personal mantra
„You can delegate your job but you cannot delegate your responsibilities”
36:38 | Ángel’s mentors
His former boss who transferred him from Santander to Barclays had amazing positive attitude, a very good strategic view of the business and an ability to motivate people
38:10 | Ángel’s family values
„Family is my first thing in life”
Honesty and trust
39:54 | Ángel’s failures and lessons
Rely too on his own skills and abilities while it’s easy to fail without a team
„If you don’t have the people for doing the thing, don’t do it”
41:32 | Ángel’s biggest achievements
His two daughters and his wife
Working at Telefónica with all the rereference
casting
television
extra
clone
clip
lists he needs
43:07 | Advice for people starting out
“You have to be ready for change (…), you have to learn how to change”
„You have to always be learning and to be conscious of what is happening”
„If something is failing, try to think differently, because if you think in the same way, the same thing is always going to happen”