Luis Pardo Céspedes

EVP and CEO of SAGE Iberia since 2014, Luis Pardo stands out as one of the TOP 10 influencers for business and digital transformation in Spain. He is a firm believer in the importance of SMEs in the business network, as well as being a leading exponent of Digital Humanism. In his presentations Luis Pardo promotes an optimistic yet grounded version of digitalization. He strongly believes that, through will power and ethics, technology is bound to be our best ally in building a more prosperous world without losing what defines us: our human essence.

His international experience provides him with valuable insights in to the challenges of digitalization and strategic innovation, which companies must tackle to be successful in business development, digital adaptation, as well as the management of teams, corporate culture, leadership and internationalization. Not only does he speak from a tech development standpoint, but also from the human perspective, asserting the role of humanity as the crucial backbone of any digital transformation process.

As a great advocate for the importance of SMEs in the business network, Luis Pardo explains in a simple and concise way both complex processes, which affect global economy, and the challenges SMEs face day to day. He is a speaker who enjoys engaging with the audience, listening to their concerns and answering their questions.

Luis Pardo has a solid theoretical training to back his practical skills and executive management. In 2015 he was named Leader of the Year by the European Business School. In addition, he was appointed the best global CEO by SAGE in 2016. Moreover, in 2017 the institute for Professional Excellence awarded him with the prestigious “Gold Star for Excellence" award. That same year, he also received the award for “CEO of the Year” at the First Edition of the Technology and Innovation Awards hosted by the Spanish newspaper “La Razón”. Furthermore, in November 2018, the European Association of Economy and Competitiveness awarded him the Gold Medal for Merit in the Workplace, rewarding his application of the best practices for business growth, giving greater visibility to business people and professionals throughout the corporate network and inspiring professionals and businesses in the use of new technologies.

Luis holds a Master’s Degree in General Management from IESE, as well as an MBA from the EADA business school in Barcelona, among his many qualifications. In his pursuit to keep up with the academic field, in 2017 he joined the Senior Executive Program on Internet Business (PADIB) by ISDI. He is alos the author of “Journey to the Center of Digital Humanism” (Verssus, 2019), a book in which he provides an optimistic perspective of the many advantages of digital transformation, whilst explaining how technology can make us all better human beings.