Nearly two decades ago, Plácido Fajardo, Managing Partner at Leaderland S.L / AltoPartners Spain, left a comfortable and prestigious corporate job with Spanish telecoms giant Telefónica de España to reinvent himself as an entrepreneur. The founder of Leaderland, one of Spain’s leading independent executive search and leadership consultancies, Plácido is a well-known voice on talent matters and an eloquent champion of authentic leadership.

“Authentic leaders are more than just decision-makers; they are catalysts for transformation, inspiring meaningful change by aligning their values with the collective good.”

Where were you born, and where do you live now?

I was born in Málaga, in the South of Spain. I lived there until I went to university in Granada and later worked in Santander. I have lived in Madrid with my wife and three daughters since 1991.

What did you study and why?

Like my older brother, I studied law but found my vocational drive in the corporate environment, particularly the legal aspects of the business.

First job?

Deputy to the Purchasing Manager at Puleva in Granada, a milk company that is today part of the French group Lactalis. It was the perfect first job – very interesting, and I learned a lot.

First car?

A Seat Ronda - a graduation gift from my father.

Current car?

BMW X5

What’s the biggest surprise about your job?

The number of companies who don’t have a talent acquisition strategy in place!

What is the biggest risk you ever took?

Leaving a senior executive position in Telefónica to join an executive search consultancy firm, reinventing myself as an entrepreneur at 45 with three young children to support.

What makes you feel better on a bad day?

Many things… listening to my favourite music, dining with my family, enjoying a glass of good wine, and watching Real Madrid win.

My most redeeming quality is…

My optimism.

I have learned to come to terms with…

The ups and downs of this business. It can be a roller coaster at times.

What’s the thing that people are most surprised to learn about you?

For 18 years, I wrote a regular column on organisational and leadership matters for Expansión, El Confidencial and several other Spanish business and finance newspapers.

In the last month, what was the most interesting conversation you had?

Discussing the future of mobility in cities with the CEO of Crisalion, an innovative aerospace company developing mobility solutions for passenger and cargo transport through eVTOL aircraft (electric vertical take-off and landing).

Last (or most loved) holiday?

We recently spent some time in Santander, on the northern coast of Spain. It is a wonderful place by the sea, surrounded by mountains and green valleys. It also brought back great memories of when I lived and worked there early on in my career.

Best book you’ve read in the past year?

The Usefulness of the Useless, by Nuccio Ordine, the renowned Italian literary critic and professor of Italian literature, makes a powerful and entertaining case for curiosity-driven research and learning. It defends the so-called useless knowledge embodied in the arts, such as literature and philosophy, claiming they are a necessary hedge against an obsession with utilitarianism and monetisation.

What have you binge-watched recently?

I enjoy a good crime series like Fargo or True Detective, but I’m very disciplined – just one episode a day after dinner.

Best gadget?

My iPad and I are inseparable. And then, of course, my motorcycle, a trail BMW GS 1250, provides endless enjoyment.

How do you relax and unwind?

Music, riding my motorcycle, and travelling, especially if it involves great food and wine.

Charity / cause closest to your heart?

Fundación Máshumano is an independent foundation that aims to create humane, sustainable, people-centred workplaces. It focuses particularly on gender and generational diversity and social innovation.

I have a collection of… of old-school mechanical watches (no quartz).

In my fridge, you will always find… Iberian ham, beer, and a variety of cheeses and wines.