Teresa Puzo

Teresa Puzo (Business Administration, 2011) is National Sales Director for the Pharmacy Channel at ISDIN and has a solid track record of over 14 years in companies such as Unilever and ISDIN, leading marketing and sales teams in highly competitive and constantly evolving sectors. She currently works with UIC Barcelona as an external advisor, providing mentorship to final-year undergraduate students. In this interview, she shares her vision on leadership, the lessons she has learned throughout her career and the importance of sustainability and personal values in professional development.

• Who is Teresa Puzo? How would you describe yourself and what motivates you in your daily life?

I am a mother from Huesca with two wonderful children, aged 7 and 4, and have been living in Barcelona for 19 years. I smile a lot and am positive, inspiring and curious, approachable and full of enthusiasm. In my daily life, I seek out and share learning moments through meaningful conversations with my team and children, while also savouring the little things that restore balance and harmony, such as reading crime novels, meditating or a good cardio session.

• What has your professional journey been like up to your current position?

In year four of my degree in Business Administration at UIC Barcelona, I did a work placement at Unilever in April 2011, which led to the opportunity to continue in a junior role in the Marketing Department. Unilever was both my professional home and classroom for 13 years, during which I held six different roles and worked with more than five wonderful leaders who gave me a broad perspective on the FMCG sector and shared their passion for consumers and clients. I gained experience in retail and out-of-home channels, leading brands such as Magnum, Carte D’Or and Hellmann’s; I performed marketing, trade and sales functions, while honing my leadership of high-performing teams.

A year ago, I made a career move that brought me to a new sector: pharmaceuticals. I am now Sales Director at ISDIN, leading the Pharmacy team, and I have learned an immense amount.

Both companies share two qualities that resonate with me: iconic brands with a strong market presence and legacy, and a clear purpose to make the world a better place.

• You are currently National Sales Director for the Pharmacy Channel at ISDIN. What are your main responsibilities in this role?

ISDIN embodies innovation in every sense: outstanding products developed through science, transformative ways of working and quick decision-making.

In this role, I am leading a fantastic team of 100 people through a consultative sales transformation. Together, we are working to expand the Pharmacy Channel further and more effectively, developing commercial strategies that, combined with trust-based relationships and support, deliver great value to both pharmacists and the ISDIN brand.

• What challenges and opportunities does the pharmaceutical sector face in such a dynamic environment?

Starting with opportunities, they have one factor that sets them apart from everyone else: consumer trust, the result of their strong recommendation power. Convenience also plays a key role due to their proximity to people’s homes.

The biggest challenge is to stand apart in an environment in which consumers are increasingly demanding.

• Throughout your career, you have led large commercial teams. How would you define your leadership style?

I would define my leadership as service-oriented: guiding change, enabling action and inspiring through practical, day-to-day ways of working. I motivate my teams through a positive attitude, by highlighting good practices, fostering trust and autonomy and rewarding the right mindset, which, as the great Victor Kuppers says, multiplies.

• Which skills would you say are key to being a good executive?

In my opinion, a good executive must have a balanced personal life, as it is the foundation for everything else. Listening to diverse opinions, applying analytical rigour in decision-making and fostering trust in teams – along with the courage I have developed in this most recent stage – are for me the three most important aspects.

Let’s talk about sustainability: how can sustainability be integrated into a company’s commercial strategy, such as ISDIN? Can you share an example of a project that had a positive impact in terms of sustainability or social commitment?

ISDIN has two major purposes: fighting skin cancer and rejuvenating the Mediterranean Sea.

The fight against skin cancer is crucial, as one in three cancer diagnoses is skin cancer. Through research and awareness, we can help reduce it and move towards a world without skin cancer.

One programme that is closely connected with our channel is the school campaign, which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary. Together with internal teams and pharmacists, we aim to reach over 1,000 schools in 2025 to educate and raise awareness among students.

Regarding the rejuvenation of the Mediterranean, it is not only our home but also a major source of inspiration, resources and research. Our goal is to help preserve and regenerate it. Each year, for every Fusion Water Magic product sold, we remove an equivalent weight in plastic from the Mediterranean Sea.

• Favourite food: a good pasta or rice dish made by the best chef in the world, my husband Jaime.
• Book: for management, I recommend Stephen Covey and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. For leisure reading, any novel by Dolores Redondo.
• Favourite music: Spotify playlists with energising songs; I’m currently hooked on the DOPAMINE playlist. Highly recommended!
• Inspirational phrase or motto: “Communicate and people will move; connect and people will run.”
• Favourite place: the mountains in the Aragon Pyrenees, especially when covered with snow.
• Hobbies: I’m passionate about skiing!