Belen Garrigues Calderon first joined TMF Group more than 18 years ago, beginning as an Account Manager in the Netherlands. Today, Belen is the General Manager of TMF Spain.
Belen’s career journey with TMF Group is testament to the company’s commitment to empower and recognise great talent. She assumed the role of Account Manager – Legal based in Spain, in 2002, where she specialised in liaising with law firms and banks for the financing, structuring and implementation of transnational investments. Belen progressed to her current leadership role in 2010, and says there has never been a dull moment in her TMF Group career journey.
Recently Belen was involved in the Promociona Project presented by Spain’s Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality together with the CEOE (Confederation of Employers and Industries of Spain) and the ESADE - an academic institution in Spain - which is aimed at promoting women to top managerial positions. Project participants undertake a short, three-week course focusing on upskilling female leaders, building a supportive network and examining the obstacles women face in the workplace. The exclusive program attracted more than 600 applications but only 150 participants were selected for the recent intake.
“Being part of this program really brought me out of my shell and changed my perspective on leadership and the feminine approach to management,” says Belen. “While we touched on subjects such as strategic decision-making and change management, the program was especially insightful in tackling topics such as self-discovery for better personal branding and breaking the glass ceiling at work, especially for women in leadership.”
“This program also helped with networking; I got to meet and work with many talented and knowledgeable female leaders from other organisations across different industries. This is the kind of experience that helps you stay abreast of evolving trends and learn from others.” Belen continued, “part of the program is also focused on cross-mentoring, where my counterpart from TMF Group would act as a mentor for a candidate, allowing us to have a broader and more immersive exchange.”
Belen credits her employer’s commitment to support and empower career development for this learning opportunity. “TMF Group played an integral part in my participation in this program. The company sponsored my enrolment and supported me in taking some time off to focus on the course, despite the critical role I hold as General Manager of our Madrid office.”
Inspired by the experience and knowledge she’s gained, Belen hopes to replicate a similar experience for the team she leads at TMF Spain. “Some of the things I have in mind to implement would be measures to achieve better work/life balance, especially for female parents, and encouraging women to be part of the internal women’s network we have at TMF Group. It’s important for them to be part of the conversation and have their voices heard so we can truly progress gender parity in the workplace.”
At TMF Group, we are firm believers in empowering our people - regardless of their roles - to have a fulfilling career experience.
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