Victoria Vásquez

In her 40-year career Victoria Vásquez has made a considerable impact on various Chilean companies and ministries. She has held high-level positions such as director, counselor, advisor, executive vice president, and general manager in renowned companies—public and private, national and international. Considering Chile’s history as a male-dominated society, the widespread recognition Vásquez has achieved among her peers as an outstanding executive and role model is even more impressive.

Vásquez was nominated in 2008 by El Mercurio, one of Chile’s major newspapers, as one of the 100 most influential women leaders. Her collaborators emphasize her great capacity for training leaders, always giving confidence to her teams—encouraging them to give their best effort, generate change, and move ahead with integrity and tenacity. In the beginning, as director of a company in the port industry and with no other women in similar high-level positions, she had to break with many existing paradigms. She is considered an expert in her field, and many of the people she trained have had highly careers.

Throughout her career Vásquez has demonstrated her skills as a superb manager, team leader, and professional mentor in a wide variety of positions—from corporate vice president of planning and strategic development to economic advisor to four ministers of education. In addition, she has represented Chile at the world conference of the International Labor Organization and sits on the boards of six companies.

The knowledge acquired in the school of business administration at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile has given Vásquez great confidence to analyze and address the many challenges she has faced. Her training in business led her to appreciate teamwork, develop the ability to listen to collaborators who have different opinions, and say things head-on. She is also known for being able to make difficult decisions and for effectively leading teams with members who might be more skilled than she is. Vásquez enables her teams to reach their goals, and she always looks for excellence and full commitment from them to be more productive and efficient and to exceed expectations.

Vásquez’s collaborators say, “Without her drive, dedication, perseverance, and follow-through, the same result would not have been achieved.” In addition, the head of investor relations and management control at SAAM S.A., Paula Raventos, says, “I was fortunate to start my working life with Victoria, who trained and guided me in my professional development. We worked together for 13 years at SAAM, and in that time I experienced just how great a trainer of future leaders she is.”

From a young age, Vásquez assumed positions of great responsibility. For her, work is not an obligation; rather, she works for pleasure. She would say it is her only hobby. Coupled with that drive is her concern about those who need her the most, and these qualities together have led her to collaborate with and support social organizations, as well.