VIEW FROM THE TOP
DEVELOPING DIGITAL OPPORTUNITIES IN MEXICO MARÍA TERESA ARNAL 18
CEO of Google Mexico
Q: What opportunities does the Mexican market offer to
productive. We see opportunities in helping companies
the development of Google’s business?
improve its internal business processes and in the generation
A: The word that defines my administration in Google is
of intelligence from all their data.
“opportunity.” Mexico is the 15 -largest economy in the world, th
meaning that there are great opportunities in many different
Q: How does Google contribute to the expansion of digital
sectors, including digital transformation, an area into which
skills in Mexico?
many companies are now venturing. Digital transformation
A: It is an interesting challenge. We work alongside different
does not only entail reaching consumers through the internet
players in Mexico to push and see through the country’s
but also through every process within the company. The way
connectivity and digital skills education agenda. We engage
companies think, understand and approach consumers is
on projects that seek to reduce the country’s digital gap
changing and Google can play a central role in this process.
and empower those who seek to use technology to find
We can help companies change the way in which they develop
solutions to everyday problems. We must play a significant
products to allow them to reach more consumers. This is
role and help ensure that as many people as possible have
the opportunity we see with big companies. An interesting
internet access and the possibility to make the most out
example is Nestlé México. Together, we developed a project to
of these tools.
analyze the searches related to baby food and what parents search for. With this data, they were able to revamp and
Google products are developed with billions of people in
launch a new product in just nine months, shortening the
mind. We want our products to be as universal and inclusive
process by over half the time.
as possible; however, this does not mean that we neglect characteristics inherent to particular groups. We take in
We also see many opportunities with SMEs. The internet
consideration the most important particularities of each
has no borders and Google allows SMEs to do business
group and then try to compile those up in a single product.
all around the world. There are many stories of Mexican
Mexico is part of an initiative called Next Billion Users (NBU).
SMEs working alongside Google that have managed to do
Technology empowers people to solve problems, but
business abroad. We estimate that Google has contributed
problems are completely different in developing countries
MX$24 billion to the Mexican economy.
like Mexico, India, Brazil and some others that are part of NBU. This initiative analyzes the problems we share and are inherent
The education ecosystem has a big opportunity for renewal
to our developing nature.
in Mexico. In general, education is an area in which we will see great technological disruption. We want to bring
Q: What does the country need to do to develop more
technology closer to the people and for technology to
gender parity in the technology sector?
become an enabler for new learning and collaboration tools.
A: The problem in the technology world is the pipeline,
Knowledge per se will not be the main driver, since the
something that does not happen in other fields. Part of it is
data is available in Google; being able to learn and work
that when girls reach a certain age they start losing interest
collaboratively will be the main drivers. Another important
in science-related subjects. This is the first hurdle we must
segment is related to empowering companies to be more
overcome: we must find a way to show girls that science, technology, engineering, and math are fun. At Google, we partner with organizations such as Epic Queen and offer
Google is a global technology leader, which focuses on
camps where girls can encounter fun ways to approach math
improving the way people connect with information. Its
and coding. This way you start generating an interest that
innovations on internet search and online advertising have
leads to less desertion rates. We also need role models, and
made its website a top internet product
show them that the technology world includes us all.
