MEET
BARBARA

Piano keys and engineering dreams

Born and raised in the vibrant streets of Madrid, I grew up in a happy, middle-class home shaped by my father’s Spanish roots from A Coruña and my mother’s French-Sicilian heritage. My days were filled with tennis matches, skiing adventures, and hours spent at the piano, practising in the Conservatory. I was a dreamer, excelling at school with aspirations to become an engineer - though I did double major in piano…

Pivot with purpose

My passion for engineering took me to Paris, where I earned a double diploma in electrical engineering. But, during my final internship at Cegetel, I realised that tech work wasn’t my calling. I yearned for more - a life of cultural discovery and immersion. With this in mind, I sought a role that would allow me to truly explore. This led me to a rotational programme with Texas Instruments, who I chose because of their proximity to the burgeoning mobile boom. And just like that, my venture into the world of tech began….

the world as my campus

Texas Instruments was a cultural baptism of fire. From Munich to Dallas, Helsinki to Sophia Antipolis, and even Tokyo, I threw myself into diverse roles and cultures. In Helsinki, I worked with Nokia chipsets as Nokia was taking over the mobile world. It’s also where I first met Max, who would become my husband! In Japan, I forged partnerships with companies like Panasonic and NEC, who were at the forefront of the tech revolution. Each experience taught me adaptability and resilience, which would help to shape my career and life;

deeper meaning

After years in tech, I felt an itch. I began to search for deeper meaning, to truly impact people’s lives. This soul searching led me back to Madrid, where I began working with NGOs teaching immigrants and supporting Save the Children. I then spent time backpacking through South America and worked with the Fundación Compromiso in Buenos Aires. Eventually, I decided to pursue an MBA at INSEAD, a transformative year that gave me lifelong friendships and a whole new perspective both personally and professionally.

heart and seoul

Joining Samsung in Korea was a major chapter in my story. I learned what it meant to be a minority, being one of just two white people in the entire department. This gave me a totally new outlook. Immersed in B2C marketing and transformational strategy for Samsung’s semiconductors and SSDs, I was mentored by the first female VP in the history of Samsung, Hyeon Lee. She taught me to see the invisible, to influence and to lead. But this wasn’t just a moment of professional growth, it was personal too. I married Max in Madrid, celebrating with guests from around the globe, with a ceremony that was translated into three languages.

doing the right thing

Next stop: Google in Paris, which was a breath of fresh air. Its mission to democratise information and culture of not taking oneself too seriously stood in stark contrast to the corporate, masculine environments I’d known. I led marketing for France at a really young age, steering both B2B and B2C strategies, and launching Google Cultural Institute across Europe. Then came California: global responsibilities, the launch of Chromecast with its founding team and exciting work at YouTube, where I drove Global product marketing. I led on many different missions in quick succession, learning so much along the way. And in the midst of it all, I became a mother - twice - balancing big projects with little feet running around!

SPECIAL DELIVERY

In the U.S., I found a new purpose: democratising access to good food! I wanted to help Americans to eat better. As the CMO of Grubhub and Seamless, I led the transformation of the country’s largest food delivery company. Moving to Chicago brought new inspiration: its architecture, arts, and music were the perfect backdrop for rebranding Grubhub, assembling a new team, and achieving unprecedented growth. This journey even became a case study at Kellogg Business School, which I actually taught myself - and nearly became a professor.

EUROPE CALLING

Returning to Europe felt revitalising due to the proximity to my family. At IKEA, I embraced the mission of democratising design and wellbeing in homes worldwide. As their Chief Digital Officer - the first female, non-Swedish, and from outside the company - I led a successful end-to-end transformation rooted in digital innovation, always keeping humanity at the centre. It wasn’t just about the tech; it was about creating better everyday lives for the many people.

READY TO PLAY

Then, at Decathlon, I continue to champion accessibility - this time through sport and movement for all. As the world’s largest sports retailer, with 110,000 employees across 70 countries, Decathlon’s mission to democratise sport resonated deeply with me. Sport has such an amazing power to bring both joy and health into people’s lives. As the first female CEO and again the first to come from outside the company, I embraced modernising the entire company from end-to-end, including a major rebranding, and driving sustainability - because sport, like life, should always move forward.