Marcelo De Santis

The Ascent

CEO and Founder

HITEC (Hispanic IT Executive Council)

It is a pleasure to serve at the Board of HITEC and contribute to advance its mission and grow its leadership impact. HITEC is a premier global executive leadership organization of senior business and technology executives who have built outstanding careers in technology. HITEC’s premiere network spans the Americas and is focused on building stronger technology and executive leaders, leadership teams, corporations, and role models in a rapidly changing, flatter, and technology centric world. These global leaders include executives leading Global 1000 corporations while others lead some of the largest Hispanic-owned technology firms across the Americas.

Board Director

Nextdata

Nextdata OS is a data-mesh-native toolset built to meet the challenge of decentralizing data at scale.

Advisory Board Member

Angeles Investors

Angeles Investors Is Dedicated to Finding, Funding, and Growing the Most Promising Hispanic and Latino Ventures. Join Us to Make a Real Impact and Benefit From Unparalleled Opportunities.

Co-founder and Board Director

ThoughtWorks

I work with C-suite executives to invent, launch, and scale digital business models that leverage and amplify their company’s core capabilities.

Chief Digital Officer

UNICEF

I am honored to serve as a board member of UNICEF for the Midwest region alongside many other amazing colleagues that are wholeheartedly dedicated to building a better world #foreverychild

Board Member

Pirelli

I had the opportunity to build an innovative, agile, digital capable technology team along with a modern technology architecture to enable the company IPO and evolve Pirelli's digital transformation.  
Pirelli's digital transformation encompassed:  redesign and automation of core business processes , establishment of omni-channel consumer experiences - e-commerce, digital marketing and CRM-  development of digital consumer products - IoT enabled tires - and reinvention of Pirelli's employee experience through a combination of modern workplace design, agile ways of working and digital collaboration tools.

Group Chief Digital & Information Officer

Mondelēz International

I had the opportunity to lead the development of the digital transformation program for the enterprise in collaboration with a cross-functional team. We established the "Millennial Alliance" - an employee resource group representing the millennial generation - to act as digital change agents transforming the culture and workplace into an agile, innovative working environment. My team successfully defined and implemented the technology  and big data stacks to support the global e-commerce agenda including the enablement of a series of B2C and B2B digital business models. In my role of CIO for North America - a $7 billion business - became a champion of diversity and employee engagement at the workplace.

CIO North America

Provided leadership to an ambitious, multi-year transformation program driving the integration of two large companies: Cadbury and Kraft Foods. We built a strong global team that implemented common business processes - enabled by our global SAP implementation - across 10+ markets in Asia Pacific. We transformed our cost structure through establishing global shared services centers in the areas of IS, Finance and HR. We enabled sales and marketing agendas while deploying innovative digital business models in partnership with our retailers in China, South East Asia and Australia. I learned about the diversity of the Asian markets and consumers and how to design products and digital marketing strategies to win in the local markets while leveraging the power of our global brands.

CIO Asia Pacific & Head Enterprise Business Services

Kraft Foods Group

As part of our global implementation of harmonized business processes and systems - enabled by SAP- I led the establishment of standard data management practices to facilitate the provision of global business insights. I experienced the importance of having a strong C-level sponsor to accelerate the adoption of new business practices globally. The program enabled important business benefits and my team received a Gartner Group Excellence Award in 2010.

Director, Global Technology Transformation

After finishing my MBA program I was given the opportunity to lead enterprise applications for Latin America region. In that role I established a program to drive business process and systems standardisation across Latin America in close partnership with region business leaders. During this time I learned the art of navigating a matrix organization while aligning the expectations of global, regional and country stakeholders. We established a high performance, highly motivated team that delivered extraordinary results for the company.

Director, Information Systems Latin America

Chief Digital Officer I Board Director I Executive Coach

Marcelo De Santis is a global C-suite executive with experience in Consumer Packaged Goods, Automotive and Professional Services with solid proficiency on digital strategy, AI, M&A and IPO transactions for Fortune 500 companies ($5B-$25B). He has a track record of driving business growth, enhancing shareholder value, and advancing ESG goals. 

Marcelo is former Chief Digital Officer at Thoughtworks, Group Chief Information Officer at Pirelli, and Chief Information Officer, North America at Mondelez.

In addition to his executive career, Marcelo is Co-founder of Angeles Investors, a venture capital organization dedicated to funding minority-owned technology startups. As an ICF certified executive coach, he has successfully empowered over 200 emerging leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs, helping them achieve remarkable milestones in their personal and professional journeys.

Marcelo has been featured by HITEC as one of the top 100 most influential and notable Hispanic Professionals in technology in 2019, 2020 and 2022. In 2019 he was nominated by Crain’s as one of Top 50 CEOs, entrepreneurs and technologists. 

Marcelo earned his Executive MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and a B.S. in Computer Sciences from Universidad Argentina de la Empresa.

Kingfisher plc decision to reject SAP costly upgrade showcases that #CTOs are no longer paying for “innovation” that doesn’t translate into outcomes. 

Under tighter budgets and faster cycles, leaders want impact, not inflated price lists or forced migrations.

The lesson is: anchor every technology service or product in measurable business value. Focus on clear outcomes that matter to CTO and their boards: 

-Improvements in cost, speed, automation.
-Rapid proof-of-value before scale.
-Optionality to avoid lock-in.
-Co-creation with vendors, instead of feature-led upsells.

In this market, if technology can’t prove value fast, it won’t survive the conversation.

Change the playbook, because the mindset has changed while ago…

Kudos Christopher B. for leading toward value. 

HITEC 
Angeles Investors 
The Tech Series 
TechCrunch 
Hernan Tabah

Marcelo De Santis is a seasoned C-suite executive with over 25 years of global experience in Consumer Packaged Goods, Automotive and Professional Services with solid proficiency on digital strategy, M&A and IPO transactions for Fortune 500 companies ($5B-$25B). He has a track record of driving business growth, enhancing shareholder value, and advancing ESG goals. 

Marcelo currently serves as Chief Digital Officer at Thoughtworks and was former Group Chief Information Officer at Pirelli, and Chief Information Officer, North America at Mondelez.

In addition to his executive career, Marcelo is a Board Member at UNICEF and Co-founder of Angeles Investors, a venture capital organization dedicated to funding minority-owned technology startups. A devoted champion of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Marcelo has established Employee Resource Groups at Kraft Foods, Thoughtworks, and Mondelez, demonstrating his dedication to fostering an open and inclusive workplace culture. As an ICF certified executive coach, he has successfully empowered over 130 emerging leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs, helping them achieve remarkable milestones in their personal and professional journeys.

Marcelo has been featured by HITEC as one of the top 100 most influential and notable Hispanic Professionals in technology in 2019, 2020 and 2022. In 2019 he was nominated by Crain’s as one of Top 50 CEOs, entrepreneurs and technologists. 

Marcelo earned his Executive MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and a B.S. in Computer Sciences from Universidad Argentina de la Empresa. 

Originally from Argentina, Marcelo possesses extensive international experience, having lived and worked across Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. Fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, he offers a unique and diverse perspective to organizations seeking growth, innovation, and a robust commitment to social responsibility

Kingfisher plc

Kingfisher Group CTO (B&Q, Screwfix, Castorama, Bricodepot), member of the Group Executive Board.

HITEC

The Tech Series

TechCrunch

CDO | CIO | CTO | Advisory Board | Speaker | Diversity Advocate

Fortune 500 C-suite | AI Strategist | Board Director | ICF® Executive Coach l Author | Host @The Tech Series

Asad Mahmood

What an energizing Q4 Summit with Ángeles Investors, and a great conversation with Adela Cepeda, Maite Cáceres and Rafael Martinez . We talked about motorsports as a real business engine, where teams operate like lean startups and drivers manage their own brands, data and commercial strategy.

Maite shared what it really means to climb the ladder as a female driver. Her story shows that talent is everywhere, but access and funding still set the pace. Her determination is opening doors for the next generation.

Adela and Rafael reminded us that capital shapes the sport. When investment reaches diverse drivers, teams and new platforms, the entire ecosystem grows.

A meaningful discussion on passion, business and opportunity. 

Grateful to everyone who joined us at the Angeles Investors Q4 Summit sponsored by Wells Fargo.

HITEC 
Maximo Capital 
The Tech Series 
RAFA Racing Club  
Ariel Investments

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If the authors of the original Agile Manifesto came back today, twenty-five years later, staring at a world about to run on AI models, agents, and data instead, they might write something like this:

The AI Manifesto (for the Intelligent Era)

“We are uncovering better ways to build, deploy, and govern AI, by doing it and helping others do it.

Through this work, we have come to value:

	•	Human progress over vanity performance benchmarks
	•	Ethical speed over reckless scale
	•	Transparency over black-box efficiency
	•	Open interoperability over vendor lock-in
	•	Augmentation of people over people replaced by machines 

Because the items on the right create far less value, we prioritize those on the left.”

Think about it …and stay tuned 😎

#AI #Leadership #Innovation #EthicalAI

Rhonda Kaleta

One of the things I enjoy most about The Tech Series is learning directly from leaders who are truly making it happen. And yesterday in Chile was one of those moments.

I had the privilege of filming with Juliana Rios Chief Digital & Information Officer at LATAM Airlines, the largest airline in Latin America.

Juliana’s leadership is centered on improving the experience of their customers and employees, using technology, data, and AI to elevate how millions of people travel. She is curious, courageous, and an #empowering force who lifts teams and organizations to new altitudes.

Standing beside the engine of the beautifully redesigned LATAM plane, I kept thinking about her impact. She creates the kind of lift that takes teams and companies higher. Juliana elevates people with clarity, purpose, and humanity.

The episode is coming later this year, and I can’t wait to share it. Don’t miss it!

In the meantime, you can watch all previous episodes, link in the comments.

The Tech Series where innovation meets humanity.

Executive House  
The CEO Series

Somewhere in the south of Latin America, yesterday…getting ready to interview a business and tech leader who is “elevating” AI and digital transformation, for many of us.

I know, you’re curious… do you know curiosity almost killed the cat 😉

Be patient, this one is going to be an epic conversation.

And yes, in a digital world I still rely on my “paper notes”. I can’t survive without this ritual!

Catch up on all the episodes already live, link in the comments, and stay tuned for what’s coming next.

#TheTechSeries, where innovation meets humanity.

Executive House 
The CEO Series 
TechCrunch

What a cocktail of wisdom!

After filming The Tech Series Roundtable, we gathered for a cocktail, and the conversation was just as good off-camera as it was on set.

Leaders from tech, energy, HR, consulting, motorsport, media, and AI… all in one room.
Different worlds, one great conversation.

It’s refreshing to see how naturally innovation and humanity meet when you bring the right people together.

Grateful for the energy, the insights, and the honesty.

More moments like this ahead.

Thanks to
Dr. Deborah Berebichez Max Rivera Nancy Sloane Alexander Murzaku Martha Ruiz Rafael Martinez Samantha Sachs William Salvi Drew Reidy Antoine Tessier  

#TheTechSeries #Leadership #AI #Innovation

HITEC 
Angeles Investors 
The Tech Series 
The CEO Series 
Gap International  
Executive House 
TechCrunch

Pay attention when you see charts showing “explosive token growth,” I know it’s tempting to read them as proof that AI adoption is exploding. 

But more tokens do not automatically mean more real usage…or more money.

A big share of those tokens comes from AI being woven quietly into existing products: recommendation engines, search summaries, background copilots. They may improve experience, but they don’t always create new revenue streams, somehow became a commodity feature to stay competitive.

At the same time, newer models are simply more verbose. They explain their “reasoning,”generate longer outputs, and run more steps in the background. That inflates token counts without necessarily adding business value.

So as leaders, we shouldn’t be hypnotized by token charts. 

In a few years (maybe sooner, given the unprecedented speed of AI), boards will review token usage just like they review COGS or Salary, Wage & Benefits because AI will be embedded in your agents, products, services, and customer experiences.

So keep these two questions in your back pocket:

Are these tokens tied to better decisions, faster cycles, or new revenue?

Can we trace them to clear ROI, or are we just paying for more “words”?

In the AI era, not all tokens are created equal…some bring you money back, some bring you more “words” back :)

Couldn’t find the name of the author who went deep on this topic, so thank you to The Economist , happy subscriber me! 🙂

HITEC 
Angeles Investors 
The Tech Series 
The New York Times 
TechCrunch

taplio

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