Q: Where did you go to University, what did you study and why/
A: I studied Law at Universidad Anahuac del Sur in Mexico City. I studied law since I originally planned to be a prosecutor in the District Attorney’s office.
Q: Did you end up working in the District Attorney’s office?
A: No, I actually ended up working as a criminal defense attorney for 4 years, there was more job availability and higher pay, so I started doing that and then just stayed.
Q: Why did you stop being a defense attorney?
A: I wanted to work in something more stable. My brother in law works for the Mexican Insurance Bureau and at the time they were looking for lawyers. It offered me a stable career, getting paid a salary with bonuses instead of needing to look for defense cases in order to make a living.
Q: What did you do at the Mexican Insurance Bureau?
A: I was a litigator for insurance fraud cases as well as a manager for a fraud investigation team.
Q: Was that your first time being in a management position?
A: Yes, I was a junior partner at the firm I was at before that, I mainly just worked whatever cases the senior partners told me to work. So leading people was very different for me. I had a lot more freedom to do the work I wanted to do, but it was also very hard having to figure out who I could trust with what tasks. But once I figured it out and adjusted some of the people I had on my team it was a great experience. I actually brought many of the members from my team there to work with me at Deloitte.
Q: How did you end up leaving the Mexican Insurance Bureau and going to work at Deloitte?
A: While I was at the Mexican Insurance Bureau, I ended up working a case for one of the Managing partners at Deloitte Mexico. It just so happened that he was also the Cousin of my brother in laws wife. I became good friends with him and about 6 months later he asked me to come be a junior partner at Deloitte. I said no at first, I thought he was crazy. I had been a junior partner at my previous firm and I did not want to go back to being bossed around. But he insisted for weeks, and he promised me that in 3 years I would be a senior partner. So I took the risk, resigned at the Insurance Bureau and went to Deloitte. I ended up making senior partner in two and a half years.
Q: What do you do at Deloitte now?
A: I am the head of Management Consulting at Deloitte Mexico, I am also the lead manager for all affairs with Walmart in Mexico. I am also currently helping set up a new office here in San Antonio.
Q: How many people do you currently manage?
A: Right now I directly manage about 20 people, but each of those individuals has another 20 or so under them.
Q: What has been the most challenging part about being in a management role for you?
A: For me the hardest thing has been understanding that not everyone is going to see an issue in the same way I do, and they’re not going to tackle it in the same way I would. I’ve had to learn when I have to veto and make someone do things my way, as well as when I have to see things their way since I know they’re the best person for the job. I think its been really helpful to get to know my team well, the better I know them the better I can tailor the work I give to each person and how I expect the work to be done.
Q: What are your career plans going forward and what advice would you give to people starting out their careers now?
A: My ultimate goal is to become a managing partner at Deloitte, and I hope to retire there. For those who are starting out their careers now I would say to not be afraid to accept a job or position at the bottom of a company, and also don’t be afraid to leave a company and go to another. With how many companies work today, the easiest way to go into higher job positions is to go to new companies and many times to somewhat change the career field you are in.