Fernando Campos (Madrid, 49 years old) is the top executive of the insurance company DKV, a subsidiary of the German giant Munich Re. The manager, who took office a year and a half ago, has spent his entire working life working for multinationals (Aon, Cigna, BUPA-Sanitas, Principal Financial Group, PwC…). From his office on Avenida de Concha Espina in Madrid, he manages a team of 900 people, trying to balance work with caring for his four children, aged between nine and 14.
Ask. How do you balance your managerial responsibilities with caring for your family?
Answer. Walking the tightrope. Always looking for balance. Especially with managing my agenda, teams and self-management. You have to constantly decide what to prioritize. And learn to say no.
Q. When will you see your four children?
R. I try to see them at least once a day. Almost always in the evening, at dinner. If I can’t make it one day, I try to see them in the morning.
Q. Some examples of these balances…
R. My eldest daughter studies in London and will be coming to Madrid to spend a few days. I have to go to an event with managers in Zaragoza on Thursday. So I found time in my schedule to have lunch with her and a friend on Thursday. You have to compensate.
Q. And on weekends?
R. I try to always keep them clear, for the family. But sometimes I go on trips. To Dusseldorf, to Thailand, to San Francisco… and I have to travel on Sunday. Or they offer me a dinner with the group’s managers on a Friday in Munich.
Q. What else did you have to give up?
R. It’s been years since I had a few beers with friends during the week. From Monday to Friday I work or with my family.
Q. will have some hobby…
R. I am very sporty. My father died young, of a heart attack, and I am very aware of the importance of taking care of my health.
Q. When do you find the time?
R. I get up at six in the morning, or even earlier. And at seven I’m in the gym doing functional training. I try to do this between four and five days a week. I also like playing tennis.
Q. Do you find time to read or watch series?
R. I always read various books on business management. I also watch some series, but mostly when I travel. Almost never on a daily basis, because they are very addictive. Like social networks.
Q. Can a CEO give his opinion on politics?
R. It shouldn’t. Inside a multinational this is something unthinkable. I have my ideology and my criteria, logically. But, as a manager, I owe it to my company. I can’t be right or left.
Q. A manager is also a citizen…
R. In this regard, I think it is better not to highlight it, to avoid misunderstandings. In my life I have voted for practically all parties. I’m sure many would make a mistake trying to guess who I voted for last time. It’s easy to have prejudices. In general, I am very critical of politicians. I think the majority are not up to par.
Q. Health insurers are often at the center of the political fray. As in the case of Muface.
R. What I stand for is that we have a fantastic healthcare system as a whole and that private healthcare complements public healthcare perfectly. When we say that the two models are incompatible it is to provoke and compare.
Q. Why did you decide to switch from Aon to DKV?
R. One of the things that attracted me the most was that they were looking for someone under 50. On the one hand, it is a sign that they have loved a person for many years. Furthermore, it indicates that they are engaged in generational change.
Q. Do you miss that relief in other companies?
R. YES. In Spain there is a clear tendency to perpetuate oneself in power. This prevents the arrival of new generations in leadership positions. I want to help change this dynamic. We must learn to give opportunities to young people and we must also learn to leave places on time.
Q. Some will complain about age…
R. Senior talent is very valuable and we cannot waste it. There is much to be done in developing mentoring programs for senior leaders. But it is not reasonable that some sectors are dominated by managers who are 65, 70 years old. Or even older. In my group (Munich Re) they have just appointed a CEO who is only 52 years old.
Q. How do the managers of the other subsidiaries of the group see Spain?
R. They love the country. For the climate, the gastronomy, the quality of life… Furthermore, the level of Spanish managers is highly appreciated. We are a country that exports talent. Naturally they are surprised that so little importance is given here to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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