A Passion for Work in Ecuador

Carlos Samayoa has been at Beiersdorf for almost five years. He began his career as Sales Manager for Central America at Walmart in Guatemala and has been responsible for Beiersdorf's local business as Country Commercial Manager in Ecuador for over a year. We talked with him about the local market, his biggest challenges and what inspires him in life.

Carlos, what do you like most about Beiersdorf?

Carlos: I have worked in large FMCG companies such as P&G, Henkel and Nestlé - mainly in sales and marketing. In direct comparison, I was most impressed by one thing: the level of empowerment and ownership you get at Beiersdorf right from the start. From day one I had a lot of responsibility and freedom to manage and impact the business, e.g. in negotiations with one of our major client. I appreciated this challenge as much as the support and guidance on my professional and personal path.

What makes the market in Ecuador so special?

Carlos: Two things are characteristics for the Ecuador market for me. On the one hand Ecuador has an interesting mix of channels. One of the most important is the pharmacy sector. That's why in particular our derma brands have a good chance of developing very well.

The second aspect is the complexity of the market. We have limited market data, strict government regulations, demanding customers and strong competition from global and local brands. The market is quite challenging, but we see many opportunities for us that we want to take advantage of.

Is there something that really surprised you in Ecuador?

Carlos: Yes! How cold the City Quito is! You would expect - as it is literally at the equator – for it to be warm sometime during the year but being a city at 2.800m above sea level, it’s cold most of the year. 

What have been your biggest challenges in the last few months?

Carlos: Certainly the adaptation to the conditions here. Professionally, privately and culturally. I used to have a team of five people, here in Ecuador there are 63 team members. I used to have only one customer to look after, but now I have a whole country. The biggest challenge for me was the three-dimensional perspective: to manage myself, to lead a team and to manage the business.  

You've already made a difference during your career. What drives you on? What inspires you?

Carlos: Tell me I cannot do, be or have something – and that is the surest way to inspire me to action. To tackle problems and never give up - no matter how challenging a situation may be. Solving difficult situations together with colleagues I admire and love to work with is my source of inspiration. 

Do you have an advice for young people starting their careers?

Carlos: I have three tips:

1. Make the corporate values of a company your daily decision-making compass. Nothing is just black or white, but values help to find the right way.
2. Realign your daily actions with the expectations you have for your future. Always ask yourself if what you are doing today is in line with your long-term priorities and the bigger picture.
3. Have fun at work! If you're not happy, you have to change something!

Thank you, Carlos, for this interview!

Stefanie is Global Country Brands PR Consultant and has been working for Beiersdorf for six years. She has started in global Marketing for NIVEA and afterwards has worked in the Chilean Beiersdorf affiliate. Now she is responsible for the global NIVEA PR communication - developing global PR strategies and the global PR support for product launches.