Danone Waters’ Arancha Cordero Credits Success to Curiosity and Asking for Help

For Arancha Cordero, curiosity has run through her veins from a very young age. Growing up in a small rural town in the South of Spain, Arancha would learn new languages as an “excuse” to leave for the summer and explore the world. What she found was the value and thrill of discovery. This curious spirit laid the foundation for a successful career driving impact at major brands. During her 24-year tenure at Unilever, Arancha worked her way up from Assistant Trade Marketing Manager to Global VP of Family Oral Care brands and today leads the sustainability and social impact initiatives as the Chief Growth Officer for Danone Waters and Beverages. In this role, Arancha oversees everything from marketing to sales to sustainability efforts. Along with being a member of Adweek’s Sustainability Council, she is focused on delivering a vision and a strategy for sustainable and profitable growth with positive impact and increased functional excellence. Find out how Arancha views work-life integration and what it means to “have it all,” and why needing help is not a sign of weakness but rather a gift you can give to yourself. Brandweek Masterclass: Sustainability with Arancha Cordero How did you get to where you are today? From a very young age I learned the value of difference and the thrill that comes from discovering new things. I was very lucky to start my career in Unilever which allowed me to explore people and the world through jobs that I loved in a company very aligned with my own values. How do you foster strong professional relationships as you grow in your career? The person who has given me the biggest support is, without a doubt, my husband. I have no doubt that I am where I am today thanks to his constant support. For me, professional relationships are not very different from personal ones. Whatever the context is in which you meet someone, relationships are about putting the other at the center generously, empathizing with them and truly listening. When you have this kind of engagement and you focus on giving, connecting becomes natural and informal. What’s one way you’ve invested in yourself that’s had the most impact over the course of your career? What about within the past year? My biggest investment has been learning–allowing myself to take every opportunity at hand to learn and explore, sometimes through formal education and sometimes by taking up projects that were new and exciting even if they felt scary. This past year my two biggest investments have been to prioritize my physical wellbeing no matter what was going on around me, and reconnecting and nurturing friendships. Ironically, having to do everything virtually, helped me be closer to good friends who are far physically and that otherwise I would have struggled to connect with. How do you view work-life integration, especially now, and what advice can you share with others who may be struggling with it? Someone once told me that you can truly have it all, just not all at the same time. Understanding that has released a lot of pressure–it means understanding that in each stage of your life, different aspects will have different levels of importance, and that’s ok. There will other times when that mix is different. You can truly have it all, just not all at the same time. For me, it’s about learning to enjoy what I have now in the knowledge that I will enjoy other things at other times, rather than trying to have it all now. But it took me a long time to get to this understanding. Of course, it’s also important to draw your red lines and stick to them. No one will do that on your behalf–you have to own it and, at least for me, it’s a daily struggle. Some days are not great, but there is always a new day ready to give you a new opportunity. Can you recall a situation where you've dealt with typecasting in the workplace? And what advice do you have for other women on how to overcome typecasting at work? I remember being told once at a performance review that I was a bit too passionate at work. This is normal being Latin (I am Spanish). I remember being very upset and thinking that I was going to prove them wrong and show that I was not passionate. That was, of course, naïve and fundamentally impossible. It took me time to realize that the best way to deal with it is to plainly ignore it and just focus on being who you are, results, and driving maximum impact. What’s one tip you can share or something you’ve learned on how to handle salary negotiations or raises? I find it much tougher to negotiate for myself than for people in my team or for the business. And that is the trick–do it “as if” you were negotiating for someone in your team, removing yourself emotionally from the conversation and pushing through in a detached fact-based way. Who has helped you in your journey and how did they help shape your career? I have been lucky to have had many people who helped me just by being huge sources of inspiration, and others by truly mentoring and cheering for me. What I have learned with time though, is that everyone needs help. Needing help is not a sign of weakness and reaching out for help is the best gift you can give yourself. Needing help is not a sign of weakness. I wish I had realized that earlier in my life. When you learn to feel free to show your vulnerabilities and reach out for help, it’s hugely liberating. What’s the single best piece of advice you’ve ever received? It’s never too late to do the right thing. What does success mean for you? For me, success is about balance and impact, living a life aligned with my values every day, and making sure I have a positive impact with the people and the world I interact with and love. How Yumi Co-Founder Found a Way to Spotlight Real Parent Pandemic Stories

Women Trailblazers

Danone Waters’ Arancha Cordero Credits Success to Curiosity and Asking for Help

The Chief Growth Officer shares her appreciation for discovery and career advice on how to “have it all”

Luz Corona

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

Luz Corona