Laura Duran – Keynote Speaker

If there’s something that defines me and that I’m passionate about, it’s transformation with purpose, staying ahead of changes, defining not only what to do but what to BE. And doing it within the business and leading by example in my day-to-day life. I’m curious, very curious, uncovering the whys, the hows… I love making the difficult simple, connecting dots that seem unrelated but make sense when you put them in the right sequence. And above all, I love people, supporting them in their development and having fun while doing it.

I started my career in investment banking in Brussels and London. After 7 exciting years, I made a 180-degree turn, moved to Barcelona, and took some time to decide what to do next after working in the city where “everything” happens in banking. From that reflection emerged my new career path, within Marketing and Business Strategy. At Vueling, I was given the opportunity to develop the airline’s loyalty program and complementary product strategy. This was a business shift for Vueling, introducing additional products to the flight, which were often unpopular but crucial to sustaining the business. Later, I led the Market Intelligence and External Communication department, developed the Social Media strategy, and created the cross-functional social media team at Vueling. Nowadays, this is integrated into the business, but in 2010, we were pioneers. Starting in Marketing at a company that was 100% digital in everything except the service it provided was an invaluable experience. After this adventure at Vueling, I joined Media Markt for the launch of e-commerce, leading the digital strategy and positioning of Media Markt.

After living in Barcelona for 7 years, I moved to Johannesburg to support my husband’s business. We spent more than two years there, during which we started a family and my husband’s startup with 3 employees, SolarWorks!, turned into a company that now supports more than 400 families. It was a beautiful learning experience, seeing an idea, a prototype, and a team grow so closely in a market that is so different from the European one.
And… IKEA called. I joined in 2015 as Deputy Marketing Director for Spain, and within a year, I became the Chief Marketing Officer of IKEA Spain. During this period, the keyword has been… transformation. Transformation, digitalization, and innovation in the field. I, along with 4 colleagues from other countries, created the definition of the new Marketing model and restructured the entire commercial area. It has been a beautiful and challenging journey at the same time because it has brought about changes not only in structure but also in ways of working, responsibilities, and training. Currently, I lead a team of 26 people in Marketing in Spain, where we create the positioning strategy and communication for the cluster formed by France, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia, and Spain.

And this is just one facet. In my free time, I am an executive coach specialized in organizational systems.