Coffee Break Q & A: Diana Diaz-Martinez

Following a month celebrating Mauve’s global network, this time on our Coffee Break Q&A series, we move our focus back to the LATAM region and welcome our Business Development Manager, Diana Diaz-Martinez. 

Diana splits her time between London, UK, and Bogota, Colombia, and is responsible for achieving financial growth and business development in the LATAM region. Her duties include sourcing prospective business, identifying opportunities within the region and building strong relationships across the globe. Diana often travels around Latin America for industry events and meetings, where she represents Mauve Group as a valuable member of the family.

We arranged a virtual chat with Diana to learn more about why she enjoys working with the Latin American market, what surprises people about doing business there and who has influenced her most in her career.

1. Tell us more about yourself and your role at Mauve Group. 

I am the Business Development Manager for Latin America. My role is to support Latin American organisations who wish to expand their business into other countries. I also support companies overseas who want to expand into the LATAM region.

2. What led you to start your career at Mauve Group?

A few years ago, I was very fortunate to meet Ann and John Ellis, the founders of Mauve Group. They saw a great opportunity to hire me as a representative in the LATAM region – I spoke the local language, and was very familiar with the culture and the people, so the offer was perfect!

3. What do you most enjoy about working in the LATAM region?

 I enjoy working in a region as large and diverse as Latin America. I get the opportunity to work with very talented and innovative people to develop organisations across the region. It also brings me great happiness knowing that I am contributing to the dream of many companies to become multilatinas (businesses that operate in multiple Latin American countries) and helping them expand into different markets.

4. Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work?

 My family. Since I was a child, I have always been taught that you have to work hard to get what you want.

5. What is one thing that would surprise people about doing business in LATAM?

 One thing that would surprise everyone is how talented and well prepared the Latin people are. The people of Latin America have brilliant, ambitious ideas – they have a lot of potential to turn LATAM into one of the world’s leading regions. 

6. What is one skill you would like to improve at work?

 I would love to improve on my organisational skills. I tend to get ahead of myself and skip from one task to another instead of taking one step at a time, which can sometimes impact the effectiveness of my work.

7. If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would you choose?

I would love to trade places with a professional diver or marine biologist – I have always been intrigued by life under the sea!

8. Out of Mauve’s 150+ locations worldwide, where is your favourite place to travel?

 Outside of my beautiful home country, Colombia, I love travelling to Singapore for its lovely culture. 

9. If you could only eat one food item for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

 I would have to say pasta – it is delicious!

10. What is the best advice you have ever received? 

 “When someone says you can´t do it, do it twice and take a picture” – I read about this somewhere and have never forgotten it.

Thank you to Diana for joining us on this month’s Coffee Break Q&A. For more information on our services in Latin America, please contact us here.