Blanca Palao Email & Phone Number

Madrid, Community Of Madrid, Spain

As Assistant Director, Head of Customer Experience, I am responsible for ensuring the successful alignment, delivery, and implementation of the IATA Customer Experience (CX), bringing customer experience at the forefront of any customer interaction.As part of the IATA FSDS (Financial Distribution Services) unit, my specific responsibilities include:• Designing and managing IATA’s service strategy and value proposition, including service segmentation, FSDS key projects, processes, tools & systems, organization (in-house and outsourced resources), metrics, and reporting mechanisms.• Acting as the Voice of the Customer (VoC), gathering customer input and feedback across different touchpoints (i.e., global customer service organization, touchpoint and strategic NPS surveys, customer inputs, local insights, etc.), to provide data-driven actionable insights to solve customer issues, mitigate risk(s) and address challenges.• Evaluating, re-designing, and implementing customer-facing processes (front-/ and back-office) in line with IATA governance and Resolutions, to improve customer experience and achieve higher customer satisfaction.• Driving IATA’s digital customer engagement strategy, managing the evolution of the IATA Customer Portal (IATA’s service community with an increase of 29% of unique users on an annual basis - +120,000 unique users in 2020), to deepen digital channel penetration.• Managing the Operational Mass Communication Hub, providing information to customers on different operational issues, including Crisis Management.• Managing a team of 8 members and the global IATA CX budget.

Madrid Area, Spain

As Head, Operations Change Management, I was responsible for managing the changes required to enable the implementation of a customer-centric operating model in the front-/ and back-office FSDS’ departments.My specific responsibilities included:• Implementing a global transversal IATA Customer Service operating model (front-office) in all regions and across all IATA commercial products and services, impacting 130 people globally, with a team of 15 people and budget of US$6.5 million.• Managing the transformation and consolidation of the FSDS Operations’ function into the IATA Global Delivery Centre based in Beijing, Madrid, Montreal, and Singapore, impacting +290 people with +50% retention rate, with a budget of US$20 million. • Conceptualizing, defining, and implementing strategies that consider different dimensions (i.e., operational strategy, processes including KPIs and key controls, tools and systems/data, organization, knowledge transfer and integrated communication activities), to ensure a smooth transition into new operating models, while operational performance is maintained during the change process.• Communicating to and aligning global and regional stakeholders, and decision makers, to enable a smooth transition to the new operating models.• Managing a team of 7 members and coordination of regional and financial resources dedicated to these global programmes (40 to 50 people in each programme).

Munich Area, Germany

As Global Head Internal Communications, I led the team that developed programmes and internal communication initiatives for the Sandoz division globally. My specific responsibilities included:• Developing and implementing a global engagement / communication programme (messages, design, briefing documents, project plan, calendar of activities, KPIs) to improve Top Management and associates’ knowledge and understanding of Sandoz’s purpose, business strategy, operating environment, and enterprise culture.• Developing and executing large scale global internal communications campaigns, including the roll out of the Sandoz story, the implementation of the new operating model, the company re-structuring, the launch of the Employer Value Proposition, Values & Behaviours, culture evolution, D&I, etc.• Coaching and counselling Senior Management (from Division Head & CEO to n-3 level) on internal communications activities, providing counselling and support as business partner to key functions (i.e., Global HR, Development & Regulatory, Strategy, Compliance).• Developing and implementing a multi-channel communication strategy for global internal communications channels (i.e., intranet, e-Newsletters and other digital channels, employee printed magazine, Senior Leadership Meetings, global townhalls, etc.).• Developing and implementing of the Sandoz Making Access Happen blog on Sandoz.com, to build and develop Sandoz’s presence in key social media and digital channels.• Launching the Sandoz Making Access Happen publication to reinforce Sandoz’s thought leadership positioning globally.• Managing 5 direct reports and additional global resources (+20 people), with an annual budget close to €6 million.

Madrid Area, Spain

As Global Head Executive Communications, I was responsible for defining a global strategy for Amadeus’ worldwide public engagement programme at travel and technology industry events, including sponsorship investment, management of advocacy and speaking opportunities for Amadeus’ global Top Management (Chairman of the Board, CEO & and Vice Presidents), development of content and messages and liaison industry players and third party providers in line with the company’s positioning.My specific responsibilities included:• Definition of global public engagement, industry event and speaker opportunity strategies at a worldwide level in line with the company’s business objectives. This included amongst other projects the inception, development and coordination of The Economist Travel Conference in Madrid in March 2015 and acting as Amadeus’ main point of contact for World Travel and Tourism Summit 2015.• Definition and development of a government / Public Affairs engagement programme for the Global CEO, in line with the company’s business objectives.• Development of a speakers’ bureau to source speakers/subject matter experts for external industry events and trade shows.• Overall responsibility for the Amadeus’ global Executive Committee (CEO, EVP and VP levels) external communication activities (speaker opportunities, annual shareholder’s meetings, presentations and speeches) and internal communication activities (staff briefings, townhalls, internal conferences and events) at a worldwide level.

Madrid Area, Spain

As Head of the CEO and EVP Commercial Offices I was responsible for coordinating all activities from the Group’s CEO and the EVP Commercial at a global level, acting as the CEO and EVP Commercial main point of contact to the rest of the organisation.My specific responsibilities included:• Coordination and follow-up of the Group’s Executive Committee, the Group’s Commercial Committee and quarterly Business Reviews.• Design, development and follow-up to the Group Executive Committee Global Strategic Meeting and the company’s annual global Leadership Conference gathering approx. 400 people.• Overall responsibility for the public engagement and communication activities of the Chairman of the Board, of the CEO and the EVP Commercial at global level and their participation at industry/ trade association events; worldwide commercial customer events (retention, acquisition and loyalty programmes) and internal meetings (Board, Executive Committee, town-halls, staff briefings, etc.).• Support to the CEO and EVP Commercial in specific global corporate projects (i.e. IPO in 2010, re-organisation of the commercial and support functions, re-design and implementation of the corporate governance model, development and implementation of change management programme, etc.).

Madrid Area, Spain

As Head of Marketing and Communication at Atento España and the EMEA region, I was also a member of the Management Committee, managing a team of 8 people locally and ~120 people virtually.My specific responsibilities included:• Development and implementation of Atento’s MarCom strategy in the EMEA region with a focus on the Spanish market, to leverage the company’s brand and position as the leading provider of contact centre services in the region.• Planning and management of Senior Top Management (CEO and Directors) marketing and communication activities in EMEA (PR activities, advocacy, speaker opportunities, press and trade media, presentations and speeches to external audiences).• Definition and implementation of MarCom KPIs to ensure appropriate ROI of all MarCom activities in the EMEA region, in line with Atento’s commercial strategy.• Definition, development and implementation of a communication framework (messages, design, briefing documents, project plan, calendar of activities, etc.) to effectively communicate the company’s strategy to all employees in the EMEA region.• Development of the existing Internal Communication channels (clippings; bi-monthly newsletter; intranet; e-newsletter; internal communication network; etc...).• Managing the local and remote MarCom teams in Spain, Morocco, France and the Czech Republic.

Madrid Area, Spain

As Global Events Manager I was responsible for managing a team of 6 people locally and 1 person in remote. My responsibilities included:• Development and definition of the corporate story and global messages for external and internal audiences based on industry knowledge, industry reports, liaison with industry analysts, the Group Strategy and the Group Finance departments.• Definition of the agenda and content development, design and production of worldwide industry and customer events (retention, acquisition and loyalty programmes), with an average of +60 events per year.• Overall responsibility for Top Management (CEO, EVP and VP levels) public engagement activities (speaker opportunities, presentations and speeches) and internal communication activities (staff briefings, town-halls, internal events) at a worldwide level, with an average production of +100 presentations per year.• Definition, design, development and production of the company’s bi-annual global commercial conference, gathering +900 delegates.• Development of the first global change management programme (including the definition of a communication framework to communicate the company’s mission, strategy, brand, values), leading its implementation at a worldwide level.

Munich Area, Germany

As Communications Officer at the Amadeus’ data centre located in Munich (Germany), I was responsible for all communication activities (internal and external) related to the Global Operations organisation (located in Munich, Sydney and Miami).My responsibilities included:• Communication of the Amadeus’ strategy to the Global Operations staff.• Design, development and implementation of the Amadeus Data Centre success story to raise the internal and external profile of the Global Operations organisation at a global, regional and local levels.• Coordination of Global Operations Senior Management communication activities (horizontal and vertical / external and internal communication activities), acting as Communication Business Partner to the Head of Global Operations.• Definition of the usability strategy and content development for the Global Operations intranet.• In addition, as member of the Group Internal Communication department, I was also responsible for the content strategy and development of the corporate intranet.

Madrid Area, Spain

As Group Internal Communication Specialist I was responsible for the following:• Managing the Group internal communication channels, effectively delivering the company’s messages to all Amadeus’ employees.• Coordinating the activities of the global internal communication virtual network (6 people), including those implemented by the Amadeus’ local commercial organisation.• Designing and developing content for the Group’s intranet.• Providing support in the design, development and implementation of internal communication plans for acquisition/integration projects; the launch of the stock options / stock grant / employee stock purchase programmes.• Providing support in the preparation and co-ordination of the annual staff briefing organized at a corporate level and rolled-out to 40 different companies.• Supporting all HR Internal Communication activities.

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs

Bachelor´s Degree in Communications Science, specialized in Journalism

Master'S Degree, Multimedia Design

Master´s Degree in Multimedia Design

Bachelor Of Laws - Llb, 4Th Grade

Bachelor’s degree in Law (4th year), distance learning

Graduate Certificate In Change Management, Organizational Change: Advanced Models, Methodologies And Measurement

This course explores tools for facilitating planned changes and personal transitions. Viewing organizations and communities as systems.

Executive Education, Strategic Management, Enfocados - Strategy Implementation

3-day course on the implementation of the strategy