The EMBA alumnus Esteban Chemali has been recently appointed director of the new offices of the technological consulting firm from Barcelona Setesca in Quito, Ecuador. Esteban studied the postgraduate degree during the 2017/19 academic year at the University of Barcelona. Previously, he had worked as management assistant and financial and operations manager for the family business. He also co-founded and worked as manager of the start-up Natuart. Following his stay in Barcelona, Esteban was hired by a business intelligence consulting firm in Ecuador. In January 2019, he took office as director of the new Setesca offices.

How has your professional life changed after the EMBA?

My professional life has changed quite a lot. After the EMBA your mind perceives business differently. The understanding of how companies operate changes and allows you to see what is happening in a big screen. Thanks to this I have been able to build up comprehensive strategies in different business lines that do not just focus on what is urgent but also on what is important.

How did you experience the opening of a new office in Quito?

The opening process in a new country is challenging. Commitment and effort are needed to start a business and position oneself in the market. However, we have managed to build up a strong client network which already constitutes a good starting point. Currently we have clients in the four largest cities in Ecuador and in different industries. This is excellent, taking into account that our office has only been established recently.

Have the knowledge acquired at the EMBA contributed to this process?

I think that the knowledge acquired at the EMBA is part of this process and will always be. Each change comes out as a result of decisions. Thanks to the EMBA, the resources available to take these decisions are larger, meaning that better results are achieved.

What were your goals when you decided to study the EMBA? Did you achieve your goals?

The first goal was to take step forward in my approach to business. There is no doubt that I achieved this. I still have goals to achieve but I am still working on it and getting nearer every day.

Would you recommend the EMBA to your colleagues?

Yes, I would. In fact, I have already spoken to different persons in Ecuador and other countries about the programme and how it is designed in order to help professional to take the next step in the executive world.

What services will offer the new office in Latin-America?

Setesca’s lines of action are quite broad and are divided in five areas: Managed Services, Setesca Talent, Consulting, Solution Implementation and Training. Our goal is to be a strategic technological partner for our clients.

What are your personal goals as the director of the new office?

The personal goals at the time of taking up the position define our progress and the pressure that we put on ourselves. I want to highlight that our goal is to become the best technological partner that our clients can find and guide them along the improvement process of digital transformation.

Why Ecuador is a good market in which to open an office?

Ecuador is a market full of opportunities. Thinking locally we have a diverse and traditional industry in need of an update and transformation –digitally speaking– in order to improve their competitively. Thinking as a region, Ecuador is in a strategic place to fulfil the needs that will show up in the future.