Ruth Díaz (50) started working at Amazon when the company was more of a dream than anything else. "The team consisted of less than 30 people, we didn't have warehouses or offices. E-commerce was barely developed," she says in her office on the 20th floor of the Castellana building in Madrid. Today, this disciplined woman from San Sebastian, with a shy smile and friendly demeanor, is the General Manager of the company for Spain and Portugal. The hook for the interview is the 15 years of Amazon in our country, a time in which the scenario has changed significantly, both professionally and personally, as she has also had her two daughters during this time.
For years, part of her job was "to explain to sellers and companies what e-commerce was and why we thought it would work in a country where it is always said: 'here we like to touch things'." And yes, we like to touch, but also to receive an order within hours. Keeping up with everything that artificial intelligence will bring us is one of the challenges she faces: "I always see the world full of opportunities." She has so much energy that she doesn't drink coffee, she loves gadgets, and optimizes her schedule to the second.
Three figures from Amazon to provide context for the anniversary... "We are 28,000 direct employees with over 100 nationalities on the team. We have invested over 25,000 million in Spain and, in addition, we have committed to adding almost 34,000 more in the next decade, in what will be the largest technological investment in Spain by far. And the other figure would be the number of small and medium Spanish companies that work with us, more than 17,000 sell in our store. Many people do not know, but more than 60% of the units sold by Amazon are from external sellers who are usually SMEs, which in turn employ 45,000 people and have exported 1,200 million euros with us. So many zeros are dizzying... Making it possible for a small company from León, which is real, in a town of 200 inhabitants, to be selling millions of euros worldwide was once unthinkable. This creates a great responsibility and excitement for me."
Your formula for leading teams?
I like to lead by listening and surrounding myself with very talented people. I also believe that empathy and excellence are compatible and equally important. I prefer teams that think big, set ambitious goals, and achieve 70%, to those who meet all their objectives. I believe that innovation comes when things cannot be achieved, leading to great transformations and successes, but also to learning and not meeting goals because it makes you think outside your comfort zone.
She talks a lot about curiosity, about "always wanting to go one step further." She says anecdotes often hold the key. "Every day I read and analyze reports, data, and memorandums, but stories, details, and intuition are what help you understand if what you are seeing and what you receive through that is the complete reality or just a part of it."
I like to be very close to customer service, listen to incoming calls, be very close to the warehouses because you see how the company's reality works from there, I love talking to people because it gives you different information. I think it is a privilege to work here because it allows me to know incredible stories.
Half of Amazon's warehouse employees are women, and this is because "all the technology and process robotization have made tasks that were once much more physical now not so much, and other talents are sought, and there are other needs in these positions." Among the many things she highlights about Amazon, and she is a good example, is the opportunity to advance within the company: "The average salary of a person who starts working in the warehouses is 1,700, 21% higher than the minimum wage."
What priority do you set when you take on this position?
My focus is clear: to improve people's lives and make them easier every day. We still have a long way to go; online commerce still represents a very small part of traditional business, and customers are becoming increasingly demanding... and they should be.
How has the perception of time changed...
When we started 15 years ago, we delivered orders in four or five days and it seemed wonderful; last year we delivered 190 million products the same day or the next day.
When you were young, you wanted to study Medicine, how did that change come about?
I have many passions, and it is true that for a long time I wanted to study Medicine, but at the last moment, I decided on Business Administration. I like to build, create impact, think about where we will be in 15 years... And look back and say wow! This career has allowed me to do it all.
Have you had to prove your worth more as a woman?
I don't think so. I have always been clear in my career that I would not limit myself. For me, it was important to have a family and a successful professional career. I often heard that it was not compatible and that there came a time when you had to choose. I never intended to choose. Much of it is in the conviction, in how you approach things.
Well, I am happy. And for me, being happy means having a full life, which involves a combination of personal and professional aspects. I have my priorities clear.
What is your strength as a leader?
I believe I have vision, I surround myself with very talented people who are comfortable taking risks and innovating.
In many things. I am very demanding of myself. In this company, we are very self-critical, which is great. In any campaign, we write a memorandum to know what we did wrong, even if it was a sales success, and the following year, we start from there.
On a scale of one to ten, how addicted are you to your phone?
I have very good discipline with my phone. I work with tremendous intensity, but from a certain hour, I leave it and do not pick it up until the morning.