Amidst "continuous disruptions causing a paradigm shift" in corporate leadership, Belén Frau, the director of communication for Ikea and a native of Bilbao, advocates for addressing the personal challenges faced by executives. “This is raising the bar for human leadership, demanding greater judgment and emotional intelligence, and managing uncertainty with courage. We are postponing decisions, and perhaps this is the biggest challenge. In the current disruptive context, it's better to err and pivot than to remain stagnant,” she stated.
Frau participated in Los Viernes de la Cámara (Fridays at the Chamber), an event organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Bilbao in collaboration with Neinor Homes. The session's theme was "Leading in a New Era." She also engaged in a dialogue with José Ignacio Zudaire, the president of the Chamber of Commerce of Bilbao.
The recently appointed Consul of Bilbao expressed that “this recognition moves you deeply, and being able to receive it with your family is a privilege. It is an honor, but it carries the responsibility of continuing to carry the name of Bilbao around the world.” “I didn't leave Bilbao; I took Bilbao with me around the world – she said – I carried the values my homeland and family gave me: the honesty to say things as we see them; the humility to let work speak for you, but with the pride of having done it well; effort and discretion; and our word, the way we Basques are capable of closing a deal with a handshake, where there's no difference between what is said and what is done.”
Reflecting on her time as an auditor, Frau confessed that “it was a good school for leadership. Working at Deloitte taught me operational excellence without my realizing I was learning it, to have financial rigor, to see different business models, and to distinguish the important from the noise.”
For those beginning their leadership journey now, Frau advises: “First, start with self-awareness and self-analysis, know yourself and work on emotional intelligence; second, be curious, curiosity is the engine of everything, you must be in continuous training; third, have the courage to dare to do things you might not be prepared for; and finally, be resilient and make an effort.”
Regarding the economic fabric of the Basque Country (CAV), Frau also has her recipe. “The world will not wait. Basque companies have an extraordinary reputation built over decades: rigor, quality, commitment, professionalism. We must have the courage to keep reinventing, modernizing, digitizing, and going abroad. Internationalization is not a growth option; it is a condition for survival, and we must not wait for the local market to weaken,” she stated.
In conclusion, Frau stated that “Bilbao and Euskadi have everything they need to be a European benchmark. We must commit to it with the same courage that the city transformed itself urbanely and culturally. A collective decision to commit to a vision and execute a plan with coherence and constancy. And that plan starts with each one of us.”
