Interview with María Cristóbal, Country Manager of MP Spain
My name is María Cristóbal and I am Country Manager of Spain at MIGSO-PCUBED. I joined the company more than 10 years ago as a consultant in the aerospace sector, and since then, I have developed my career through various positions of responsibility, contributing to the growth and strengthening of MP in the Spanish market.
In 2025, I assumed the role of Country Manager after leading the Madrid and Barcelona Business Units.
María, what motivated you to take on leadership responsibilities?
From the beginning of my career at MIGSO-PCUBED, I have always felt a strong connection to the impact our work has on both our clients and our team, and I have always believed that what we do is meaningful. What drove me the most to take the step into leadership was the desire to multiply that impact: not only to contribute to individual solutions, but also to create an environment where others can grow, innovate, and feel valued. So, what motivated me the most was the feeling of building something great as a team, where everyone feels important and valued.
Additionally, I have always been fortunate to have people around me, both personally and professionally, who have shown me that leadership is not just about making decisions, but above all, it's about listening, empowering, and building trust.
What advice would you give to women aspiring to international leadership positions?
There are three key pillars based on my experience:
Build your network with intention. Leadership requires understanding diverse cultures and being able to put yourself in others’ shoes. Seek allies inside and outside your organisation who know you for who you are and always leave room for dialogue.
Don’t wait to feel “100% ready”. Opportunities rarely come when we feel fully prepared. When the train passes, you have to jump on it and dive in. Learning from mistakes is crucial, and so is letting yourself be taught by the people who trust you.
Balance ambition with authenticity. Never lose your identity or the reasons why you got there in the first place. Defend your leadership style and use it as your competitive advantage, but be aware that you will need to adapt it to the situation and to the people in front of you.
In your experience, how has giving to others — whether through help, time, knowledge, or opportunities — contributed to your professional growth?
To me, it speaks to the essence of collaboration and teamwork. By rowing together, we are stronger and can generate more opportunities and overcome obstacles more effectively. It allows us to bring out the best in each person to contribute to the whole, and it is crucial for a good leader to identify and enhance this.
Can you share a concrete example where giving led to a shared success?
Yes, recently we had the opportunity to respond to a proposal we had been working hard to secure. It was the first time we had seen a project of such magnitude and strategic importance for our company. We put our team to work on the proposal, and we ultimately won the contract. The project kickoff was very tough—it required a lot of effort from many people, each with a different role in the organisation, and everyone gave 100% of themselves to make it work.
Today, we can say we are on the right track and reaping the rewards of that hard work and effort. However, we must learn from past mistakes, and the next time we face a similar challenge, we will likely approach it differently.
The team must be aware of collective success, but we must also value individual talent.
What is your vision for the development of MIGSO-PCUBED in Spain in the coming years?
At MIGSO-PCUBED Spain, our ambition is clear: to establish ourselves as the leading company in project management in key sectors such as defence and space, energy, automotive, transportation, and pharmaceuticals.
To achieve this, we are focusing on four fundamental pillars:
International positioning: Position Spain as a leader within MIGSO-PCUBED, with autonomy and tailored solutions aligned with the country’s culture.
Sustainable growth: Grow in a robust and sustainable way, strengthening our expertise. We aim to achieve it by driving transformation services to help Spanish companies improve project controls for better market positioning, leveraging digitalisation, AI, and data management.
Innovation and operational excellence: Promote innovation and excellence in all aspects of the business, from operations to talent management. We are implementing concrete plans to digitalise processes, improve talent retention, and ensure zero delivery failures. We are also fostering the creation of Communities of Practice (CoPs) in areas such as risk, digitalisation, and scheduling, as well as strengthening training through the MP Academy to prepare our teams for future challenges.
Core Values: Uphold and promote the values of rigor, excellence, and exemplarity in all activities and processes, as well as team spirit.
If you could send a message to the María who was just starting her career, what would you say?
I would say, “Never give up, fight for what you want, and trust yourself, because hard work always pays off. Don’t set aside your personality or change your way of thinkin, just adapt it to the situation without losing your nature and the values you were taught at home.”
