Spotlight on…. Marta Ruiz
We love spotlighting members of the AlphaBio Team, each time exploring their position in the company, their motivation and a quick peep into their lives outside working hours. All in four questions!
Nearly two years ago, we spotlighted Marta Ruiz and given much has changed since then, we decided to catch up with her again:
Q1 How would you introduce yourself?
Hello, my name is Marta Ruiz; I live in Valencia in Spain and I have recently been made General Manager for AlphaBio Control. I was the Portfolio Marketing Manager for the company in the Mediterranean region for my two years and then Market and Technical Development Head for the last two years.
Q2 What does your role in AlphaBio entail?
My role in the company is to lead and guide the team through a period of change for the company. The AlphaBio team work closely with our partners to ensure our exciting products, such as our bioinsecticide and acaricide, FLiPPER® and bioherbicide, MiSSiTO®, reach as many end users, the farmers, as possible.
In my previous roles in the company, I had to understand many facets of technical, business and marketing development of our products, as well as providing technical support to help transfer our technology to our distribution partners, such as Bayer Crop Science and De Sangosse, ensuring our products are used in the best way possible. This has given me many of the skills and experience that I need for this new role.
Q3 What do you like about working for AlphaBio?
I come from a family of agronomists dedicated to plant protection and so agronomy is definitely part of my DNA. I have spent 19 years of my career in biocontrol and biostimulant companies, but I love the way that AlphaBio is trying to change the mindsets of partners, farmers and growers but also big businesses, that biocontrol products have a place on conventional farms in a balanced way. Biocontrol is not easy but it is the right way to go as a potential solution to be integrated in a wider strategy with other crop protection tools (pheromones, conventional pesticides, beneficial insects and fungi, digital tools, etc) available to farmers.
I also love the sense of teamwork in the company – we are spread all over Europe and yet there is great communication and a feeling that we are doing something exciting.
Q4 Finally, what do you like to do outside of work?
I love my skiing and normally at this time of year, it is only a one-and-a-half hour drive from the coast to the ski-slopes! Unfortunately because of the recent unusually warm weather (climate change?), I have skied very little this year. I love my job, I love travelling, but I will admit to being a city girl and love living in Valencia; it is a beautiful city and was recently voted the third best city for expat living!!
Marta was interviewed by Julian Little. Want to know more about Marta and the AlphaBio Team?
