María Garaña President Microsoft Spain Madrid

Wharton Speaker >> Biography

María Garaña Corces is the President of Microsoft Spain since July 1^st 2008. Previously she was the South Cone Regional Director for Microsoft and directly responsible for business operations in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay y Uruguay.

She has a wide international experience, having lived in Brazil, Turkey, USA, UK, Mexico, Argentina and Europe. She has a MBA from Harvard Business School, an International Trade Diploma by Berkeley University and a Bachelor degree in Law and Business Administration from San Pablo University.

María joined Microsoft in 2002 as Business and Marketing Officer for Microsoft Mexico, being responsible for revenue and P&L of the five business groups within the company. At the time she had to structure the general coordination of marketing and sales groups for Mexico´s subsidiary.

Before joining Microsoft, María Garaña was the CEO of Zoom Media Group, a communication company with headquarters in Miami and VP Business Development in Todito.com, online services website for Television Azteca Group. Before that, she also worked at Merrill Lynch International in London and at Andersen Consulting and Citibank in Madrid and Turkey.

Ms. Garaña is a member of the Young Presidents´ Organization Group (YPO) and of the International Women Forum (IWF). She serves in the Board of Directors of “Fundacion Equidad”, Fundación Bip-Bip and Fundación Junior Achievement, non-profit organizations that promotes social equity through Information Technology. She is also member of the ESADE Professional Board and the American Chamber of Commerce Board in Spain. In 2009, María Garaña was appointed as Businesswoman of the Year by the Spanish Association of Businesswomen (FEDEPE)