“The success of technology depends on the people”: Luis Enrique de la Vega Madrigal

Totalplay Empresarial recognizes Luis Enrique de la Vega Madrigal, Corporate Director of Technology and Systems of Grupo Financiero Monex for obtaining one more recognition in his career, as part of “CIOs: Geniuses of Digital Transformation 2021”, which recognizes digital transformation projects , awarded by the magazine specialized in the world of finance and business, Forbes México.

The Corporate Director of Technology and Systems of Grupo Financiero Monex ensures that his team is oriented towards supporting users so that they use technology in their favor.

With more than 42 years of experience, 11 of which have been as Corporate Director of Technology and Systems of Grupo Financiero Monex, Luis Enrique de la Vega Madrigal is pleased to obtain another recognition in his career, as part of “CIOs: Genios of Digital Transformation 2021 ”, which recognizes digital transformation projects, awarded by the magazine specialized in the world of finance and business, Forbes México.

Regarding this topic and his career, we spoke with Luis Enrique, who in an interview for El Economista, mentioned part of his secrets, how he has managed to stay in an industry in constant change, as well as some of the main challenges that he has had to face. in his carrer.

In principle, the manager mentioned regarding the recognition “I am very pleased, my career in the Systems sector is long, more than 42 years of experience”. He added that during this time he has been able to be accompanied by brilliant people “and particularly during the last 11 years by a large area of ​​systems that accompanies me within Monex.”

He affirmed that within his objectives he has always proposed to “do things well”, and an example of this is represented by the digital transformation of Monex, on which de la Vega Madrigal himself considered that one day they could be recognized for it .

A graduate of the Universidad Iberoamericana where he studied for a degree in Electronic and Communications Engineering, Luis Enrique de la Vega Madrigal did not initially think of dedicating himself to the systems area. However, he recognizes that his training gave him the foundations that today allow him to make better decisions, since he knows communications in depth.

“I went through all the systems departments”, “my alma mater was at IBM, the position was called PSR, Program Support Representative” whose first job was to support clients who had large IBM machines when they had difficulties, he explained.

“I was like the Red Cross, I had to come running to see why things weren’t working, and to be able to help them.”

A lesser-known aspect of Luis Enrique is that of an entrepreneur, in which he, along with some colleagues from the master’s degree in Systems, Planning and Informatics, started as consultants in systems, and later developed a computer services company. “Unfortunately there was a need to close it, and then I returned again as an employee to the financial sector.”

Another professional facet of the Corporate Director is that of the public sector, in which he spent around 8 years in institutions such as Valuation and Sale of Assets -which was later absorbed by FOBAPROA-, IPAB and BANSEFI.

The biggest challenge of his career

“In this career I have been fortunate to train Systems areas from scratch,” said de la Vega Madrigal, who also explained that this involves both obstacles and learning.

Another challenge is the evolution of the position since, while in the past the Director of Systems was limited to “keeping the lights on for the business to operate”, currently he has to help, “being a business partner of the company” .

A challenge that brought him satisfaction was having been invited by the World Bank to be an advisor in the development of a national strategy for Bangladesh, and to be able to bring financial services closer to the population with fewer resources, which could have been possible through a technology strategy .

Asked about what has been the biggest change he has seen in the industry, Luis Enrique mentioned that currently “all developments, the entire company, all our work is focused on the customer”; whereas in the past, companies considered that when the customer arrived at a bank, they would no longer leave.

As for what is his secret to remain -more than a decade- as Corporate Director of Systems and Technological Development at Monex, he revealed that “anticipating the needs of users and the business”, “I do not like to be caught with fingers on the door, the Systems area must be able to predict what the user will require of us, what the business will require of us ”.

He added that “we have a whole digital transformation strategy within Monex between now and 2025, and the infrastructure that we already implement will allow Monex to do it much faster than we imagined.”

He also added that he likes to be close to the user, since he considers that the systems area is due to them, so his team is oriented to give a better service, “we are aware that we have to support him (the users) to that users use technology to their advantage ”.

If he could give himself some advice when he started his career, Luis Enrique de la Vega Madrigal would remind himself “that not everything is technology”, since along the way he has had to learn from areas such as administration, management, leadership and marketing. .

That is why he considers that if someone knows companies, that someone is the systems area, “because we are involved in all departments, in all processes and we know what they have.”

He added that “the success of technology depends on the people, not just the iron, so trying to understand people is very useful.”

Finally, regarding the advice he would give to those who want to follow his path, the manager stated that the first thing would be to be persistent, “we are in a career in which the only constant is change”; second, that you know that this career requires a lot of sacrifice, because the changes have to be made naturally outside of work hours (on breaks, weekends, vacations, etc.).

He added that a lot of tolerance is also required, “they will hardly remember you to give you recognition”, “they will always remember you, the day something doesn’t work”, and ease of adaptation, “we have to be fine. ready to complete changes “,” if you fit into something that you already know you do, you will never be, “he concluded.