Lead digital transformation through people

Vivian Acosta

Vivian Acosta joined Talengo in 1996 where she was in charge of setting up and leading the leadership consulting practice.

Her professional career has always been linked to Strategic HR Consultancy, leading projects in Management Evaluation and Development for major Spanish corporations in their international, business diversification, merger and acquisition processes. With over 25 years’ experience, Vivian Acosta is a benchmark in Spain in the design and implementation of talent programmes for organisations. In recent years, she has advised the senior management of a variety of corporations in the implementation of an inclusive leadership strategy as one of the key levers for the digital transformation of businesses.

She is a professor on the HR Master’s and Executive Programme at Garrigues, Centro Europeo de Estudios. She is co-author of the books: Diversidad y Coaching and En Clave de Talento. She is a regular speaker at forums and seminars in the sector and an active member in a variety of professional women’s forums. She is a regular writer for Motivación y Más magazine in her capacity as a leadership expert.

She holds a Degree in Psychology from Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, specialising in Industrial Psychology. She has a Master’s Degree in Evaluation Techniques and Behaviour Modification from CINTECO and a Master’s Degree in Executive Coaching from Newfield Consulting. She was trained by the ICA in its Good Corporate Governance Programme for Directors. In 2016, she completed a post-graduate course in digital transformation at the ISDI.

She is a founding member and a Senior Professional Coach of AECOP (The Spanish Coaching and Processes Association). From 2007 to 2011, she was a member of the Ethics Committee of the International Coach Federation, a member of the ICA, Institute of Counselors and Administrators, and in 2015 she received the “Mujer Inspira” Award granted by Intrama.

Gema Gómez Romero

Gema Gómez is a Principal of the Leadership Consulting area.

An expert in people management and development-related technological solutions, she boasts an extensive track record in the design and start-up of talent and management skill programmes, high-performance teams and the development of new team competencies in an ever-changing environment.

With over 15 years’ experience in HR, since she started out she has deployed digital methodology-related projects and, in a significant portion of her professional career, has been engaged in technology consulting. Gema has taken part in and led projects as a consultant involving the selection, design and start-up of technology-organisation-environment frameworks.

She has deployed projects that entailed coaching in environments such as: SuccessFactors, BlackBoard, Moodle and Cornerstone, as well as in other local and bespoke environments. She has an excellent command of digital tools linked to assessment and development processes.

As a consultant, she has participated in the design of integrated leadership development programmes, working with management teams and Executive Committee members.

She has acted as an in-house mentor in the different posts she has held.

She holds a degree in Psychology from the Complutense University of Madrid, a Master’s degree in Business Management and Creation from the Industrial Organisation School (EOI) and a Postgraduate degree in Sales and Commercial Management from ESIC Business and Marketing School.

Susana Pérez de Vries

Susana Pérez de Vries is a Principal of the leadership consulting area. Her specialty is the design and implementation of international programmes.

She began her career in leadership consulting more than 15 years ago. Before joining Talengo, she was the Head of Talent and Development for Spain, Italy and Portugal for professional services multinational EY (Ernst & Young).

Susana has wide-ranging experience in projects with an international scope and multicultural teams, with a focus on the incorporation of cultural, generational and gender dimensions that ensure the adaptation of key collectives. She has designed and coordinated transformation projects with high organisational impact, such as talent evaluation and identification systems, development programmes for high potential employees, leadership models, process revisions, culture change management and the design of career plans. Her business experience and people development focus have led her to accompany executives in the definition of human resource policies as well as processes involving their own professional development. In the latter field she is an expert in the development of high performance teams and relationship skills, in addition to being an executive coach for individuals or teams.

Susana holds a degree in Psychology from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and a Master’s in Human Resources. She is an ICF ACTP Coach certified at the Escuela Europea de Coaching, and an ICF Team Coach in Lider-Haz-Go. Susana is certified as Professional Scrum Master. She is accredited in Social Styles and Versatility by TRACOM ® Group and in 360º Feedback by the Center from Creative Leadership.

Rafael Sarandeses

Rafael Sarandeses se incorpora a Talengo en 2019 como Director para liderar la práctica de servicios financieros de la firma.

Su experiencia multicultural de 20 años como deportista profesional, banquero de inversión y emprendedor, y su pasión por el desarrollo de carreras profesionales le confieren un profundo conocimiento del alto rendimiento y la gestión del cambio.

Su carrera comenzó como piloto de automovilismo (Campeón de España de Fórmula 3 en 1998). En 2005 Rafael se incorporó al mundo de los servicios financieros en Londres, primero en Goldman Sachs y más tarde en Morgan Stanley, donde ocupó el cargo de responsable de ventas de divisa para el Sur de Europa hasta finales de 2013.

En 2014 co-fundó ThirdWay Africa, una firma de asesoramiento e inversión con foco en oportunidades socialmente responsables y de impacto, con oficinas en Londres, Maputo (Mozambique) y Harare (Zimbabwe). Desde su fundación ejerció el cargo de Socio Director de Operaciones de la firma (COO), colaborando actualmente como asesor y affiliate partner.

Rafael es coach ejecutivo (Columbia Coaching Certification Programme) y coach certificado en hábitos (BJ Fogg’s Behavioral Model). También es profesor asociado de IE Business School, donde colabora con la división de IE Talent & Careers en el desarrollo de habilidades profesionales y de autogestión, y como coach de carrera para estudiantes en sus programas de máster y MBA.

Es doble licenciado en derecho y administración y dirección de empresas por la Universidad Pontificia Comillas (ICADE E-3). Además del español, su lengua materna, habla fluidamente inglés, italiano y portugués tras haber trabajado y fundado negocios en 5 países de Europa y África.