With a solid background that includes programs of study in psychology, a Master's Degree in Human Resources and a research scholarship at Harvard on ethics and leadership, Castillo has held core topic roles in companies such as Abbott, Deloitte and, currently, Alsea. His talk offered an internship view on how companies can generate value through talent, highlighting concrete strategies implemented at Alsea.
Talent as a strategic axis
Ignacio began by relating a core topic lesson from his time at Harvard: although he sought to demonstrate that ethical companies were more profitable, he discovered a less idealistic but enriching reality from learning. This experience marked his approach to talent development as a competitive advantage in business.
After almost two decades at Deloitte leading human capital projects, Castillo took on a new challenge at Alsea, where he currently leads the talent strategy in Europe. His approach to the company's value proposal as an employer focuses on three fundamental pillars:
- Cover the basics: The emphasis is on ensuring working conditions that promote the real well-being of employees, such as planning schedules in advance. Only by ensuring these aspects can we move on to other elements.
- Benchmarking: Create opportunities for professional development and internal mobility to build long-term careers.
- Digitize to humanize: Leveraging technology to streamline processes and prioritize meaningful interactions between leaders and teams.
Team building and ethical leadership
For Castillo, two principles are essential when managing teams: trust and perceived quality. Trust is the fundamental pillar for building solid working relationships, while perceived quality, defined as the impression we leave on others, is the core topic for inspiring and motivating teams.
Ignacio Castillo closed his speech by stressing the importance of aligning HR decisions with the strategic objectives of the business. He stressed that taking care of talent, beyond attracting it, is what makes the difference in any organization. In the final, companies that value their employees and offer them opportunities for growth achieve not only financial results, but also a positive and lasting impact.
We thank Ignacio for sharing his learning and perspectives, enriching the training of MDPO students.
