Andrea Macarie. PHOTO: Manuel Castells

"The assistant manager must accept the technological change of business as an opportunity to assume responsibilities". This was stated by Andrea Macarie, former General Manager of operations at Telefónica Alpha, in Donostia-San Sebastián, in a meeting with alumni of ISSA School of Management Assistants of the University of Navarra.  

Macarie offered during the lecture his vision about the future of the assistant manager in the context of the changes taking place in organizations and technological advances. He recalled that "science fiction is no longer science fiction" and that technology has evolved exponentially by leaps and bounds, "Artificial Intelligence (AI) is very present in our daily lives and will become more and more so".

He emphasized that for years innovation has ceased to be a department within companies: "It is a way of thinking and a way of doing. Innovation starts with oneself". In this sense, he encouraged the alumni to continue training and to transfer that innovation staff to the organization in which they work and to society: "Assistant managers add real value in the digital era, they understand the context in which they operate, the strategic roadmap of the business and this allows them to get involved proactively".

A total of fifty graduates took part in the lecture "Siri and Alexa at business: opportunity or threat?" and in the subsequent New Year's toast, organized at the Jaizkibel, the former headquarters of the School in the capital of Donostia-San Sebastian. high school Mayor Jaizkibel in the capital of San Sebastian, the former headquarters of the School.