CEO Insights Magazine

With passion and determination, women really can have it all. Marta Diaz, CEO of Yole, is the example many young women need, demonstrating how it is possible to juggle higher education and business success. When it comes to entrepreneurship, she is daring and encourages herself to achieve the impossible.

Marta is a seasoned Entrepreneur and business developer with 15+ years of professional experience in diverse domains. She loves math and programming, so she decided to study Telecommunication engineering to later start her career as a Quantitative Trader. Though she spent six years in the profession of derivatives trading in various companies across Spain & Singapore, Marta never let go of her entrepreneurial mindset which allowed her to see business opportunities everywhere. In 2015, she founded a Wines & Spirits international trading company. With the hunger to gain international exposure and build her managerial and leadership abilities, she applied and got into the Executive MBA from The University of Hong Kong, London Business School, and Columbia Business School.

Currently, as the CEO of Yole, Marta is embarking on yet another entrepreneurial journey, determined to bring the company’s vision to fruition and fill a need they see in society. With the right motivation, inspiration, and game plan, she is all set to drive the brand to higher international levels. Let’s hear it from her.

What constantly inspires or motivates you to deliver positive outcomes?

Pursue something meaningful. Fall in love with the process. The results will follow. I am passionate about the YOLE brand. The excitement to build a stronger foundation keeps me excited and inspired to continue growing with this brand every single day. Learning from the best professionals, delivering outcomes, and executing strategic decisions are what inspire me the most. Benchmark companies (and their amazing history!) like 3G in Brazil, Unilever in the UK, and NOTCO in Chile have created great business paths to explore, learn, and study. I truly believe that customers’ behavior is constantly evolving, so my advice would be not to get comfortable if you are in the food industry. Keep expecting the unexpected, and be aware of the competition.

Could you tell us about the unique experiences the University of Hong Kong offers and what did you learn from the campus beyond academics?

The University of Hong Kong gave me a rich academic and personal experience. The diversity that the campus holds is spellbinding. I met so many different people from distinct cultures which helped me gain a sensitivity for the types of backgrounds and places people may come from. I think the more you are exposed to such environments, the more your mind opens and gives you the ability to take on unexpected challenges that may come your way in life.

How would you define Yole as an organization and its current position in the market?

Yole in uniqueness. YOLE is unconventional. YOLE is disrupting the ice cream industry. We are not simply ice cream makers or entrepreneurs. We are experienced, creators. Led by hospitality, it is our way of expression. YOLE empowers customers to embrace a new way of enjoying healthy AND tasty ice cream. We define ourselves by our product's double feature: zero dairy and zero sugar added. We want to break the rules: something healthy cannot be delicious. Why n ot? W hy n ot e ven b etter? Y OLE h as t he mission to disrupt that mantra. Innovation is at the core of our business. We realized that over six billion people suffer from lactose intolerance, struggle with diabetes, or are following a strictly vegan diet. There is no brand that focuses on all those issues for ice cream lovers, except for Yole. Our products cater to all people, especially concerning sweet cravings, health consciousness, and sustainable values. We believe that we can make the impossible, possible with research and hard work.

What is your leadership approach?

Clearly communicating the company strategy, strong determination, and trying to best understand our team (strengths and weaknesses). It is critical to share my concerns with the team for them to understand the struggle and the opportunities the company embraces in every phase. Running a young company comes with many challenges that people do not realize until they are in it, however, it also makes for a positive and close-knit group of people. Keeping your team inspired and happy is one of the most important tasks of being a good leader.

What is the future destination you are heading towards?

I don’t want to put myself in a box, I don’t want to have limits. Eagles are daring and fly alone. I will be whatever I want to be because I put my mind to it. I encourage myself to be my truest self and achieve the impossible. I am deeply connected to YOLE and aspire to not only make it an international product but make it listed among the top five ice cream brands in the world. For that, I am striving for excellence to receive maximum international exposure by partnering with leaders from the Middle East, Asia, Africa, America, and Europe, and learning how to grow the brand with them. I am analyzing, building, and optimizing my network as well as keeping an eye on the changing trends in the market.

In light of your strong experience within the industry, what advice would you give to budding industry leaders?

When you are courageous, fearless, and speak out, do not expect everyone to stand up and cheer up for you. Do not expect an easy and traditional journey. Encourage yourself to take risks. Success begins when you fail, take responsibility for your actions, learn from your mistakes, and despite it all, continue trying. Be a sponge, absorb, learn, and move fast. Discipline and hard work go hand and hand with success. These characteristics will help you build resilience that will ultimately allow you to overcome obstacles and discomfort.

Marta Diaz, CEO, Yole

Opportunistic, relationship builder, a persistent, strategic, and visionary leader, Marta has over 15 years of professional experience and as the CEO of Yole, she is leveraging her pipeline of leadership qualities and business acumen to empower the brand for making significant benchmarks in the global market.

• Hobbies: Tennis, kite surfing
• Favorite Cuisine: Mediterranean cuisine