Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence in
Government of Spain.
Spaniard Executive, Entrepreneur and Expert in Big Data and Artificial
Intelligence
Co-founder and former CEO of Synergic Partners (now Telefónica)
WIDS Ambassador Madrid (Stanford University) 2017-2019
Member of the Think-Tank “Data innovation Network” - Columbia University NYC (Data Science
Institute).
Carme Artigas is a Spaniard Executive and Entrepreneur as well as a recognized Expert in Big Data, Artificial
Intelligence and Technology Innovation. In 2006, she co-founded and was the CEO of Synergic Partners, a
pioneer European Big Data company, which in 2015 was recognized as one of the top 15 leading companies in
Big Data at the international level by the analyst firm 451 Research.
As Founder&CEO of Synergic Partners, Artigas created and led a team of 150 data scientists, with operations
in more than 15 countries. From his company she launched the Synergic Academy division to help develop new
profiles and digital talent both within the Telefónica group and for customers. Also, since 2016 she launched the
initiative Data Science Awards Spain to recognize the best analytical talent in Spain.
In 2016, Carme was recognized by the American business magazine Insight Success as the one among the 30
most influential executives with an international projection. Likewise, the publishing house specialized in
technology O'Reilly Media places her among the top women in the world in the data business (Women in Data
2015). In Spain she has appeared in several rankings among the Top 25 Women in Technology in Spain.
In addition to her work as an executive, Carme is a member of the Data Innovation Network and a member of
the Industry Partners´ Council of the Data Science Institute of Columbia University in New York since 2013.
The company was acquired by the Telefónica group in November 2015 to accelerate the adoption of Big Data
internally and expand the company internationally. Carme continued serving as company CEO until the
company's full integration into the Telefónica Group at the end of 2018.
As of January 2019, she provided high-level strategic advice and served as Board Advisor in several
international companies and institutions, contributing with her knowledge on issues related to digital
transformation, artificial intelligence, big data, robotization, cultural change, industry 4.0, etc. She was
appointed Member of the Advisory Board of the Public Affairs firm LLYC in Spain and also Member of the
Advisory Board of the international group LEONISA based in Colombia.
Carme Artigas Brugal Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence in
Government of Spain.
Spaniard Executive, Entrepreneur and Expert in Big Data and Artificial
Intelligence
Co-founder and former CEO of Synergic Partners (now Telefónica)
WIDS Ambassador Madrid (Stanford University) 2017-2019
Profile CA March 2022
She has also was appointed by the University of Stanford (California) as Ambassador in Madrid of the
Conference "Women in Data Science (WIDS)", which organized for 3 years with the aim of making women
visible in the STEM field. She is also a member of the Board of Directors in the Spanish Executives Association
(AED) , has participated as expert in writing the “White Paper on Digitization” of Círculo de Empresarios
association Business Circle and is a collaborator in the Elcano Royal Institute.
She is a renowned speaker and lecturer in various national and international Big Data/AI forums, such as Strata
Hadoop World (London, New York, Singapore), SWIFT Banking Latam (Panama) FW50 Canada, etc.
Artigas also exercises an important teaching role in several Master programs in new technologies , Big Data
and innovation (Esade, IESE, UPC, Universitas Telefónica, Inter-American Development Bank, etc.). She
currently collaborates as a teacher of the MIB and DIBEX masters at ISDI. As of October 2019, she joined the
Instituto de Empresa, IE, as co-chair of his International Academic Council in the area of executive training,
IE Exponential Learning until her appointment as Secretary of State.
With more than 25 years of experience in the technology and telecommunications industry, prior to the founding
of Synergic Partners, Artigas was CEO of Ericsson Innova, Ericsson's first venture capital fund in Europe, and
co-founder and chairman of WIVA (International Wireless Internet Venture Association). In this role she held
Board of Directors positions in 9 unlisted technology companies.
In January 2020 she was approved as Board Member in two IBEX35 listed Spanish companies, but she
resigned to accept the appointment as the first Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial
Intelligence in the Government of Spain.
In her current role she is responsible for designing and implementing the Spain’s Digital Agenda, in particular
the National Strategy on Artificial Intelligence, the Modernization Plan for e-government, the National Plan for
Cybersecurity, the Digitalization Plan for SMBs, the National Plan for Digital Skills, the Data Economy Strategy,
the Spain Charter of Digital Rights, among other responsibilities that include running the Chief Data Office ,
representing Spain in OCDE, D9, G20 and in the Telecom Ministerial meetings of the European Commission .
She is responsible for managing and executing a yearly direct public budget of 3 Billion Euro but coordinating
the execution of 25Billion Euro of the European Recovery Funds for the period 2020-2025.
She is also holding additional responsibilities in different public bodies:
- Chairman of the Public entity RED.ES (www.red.es)
- Chairman of INCIBE ( National Institute for Cybersecurity - www.incibe.es)
- Board member of Barcelona Mobile World Capital Foundation (www.mobileworldcapital.com)
- Board member of the ancient Spanish Cultural and Research Institution RESIDENCIA DE ESTUDIANTES
(www.residencia.csic.es/en)
- Board member of the Royal Patronage of BIBLIOTECA NACIONAL DE ESPAÑA (Spain National Librarywww.
bne.es )
- Board member of the Patronage of ESCUELA SUPERIOR de MUSICA REINA SOFIA (Reina Sofía School of
Music - www.escuelasuperiordemusicareinasofia.es)
Profile CA March 2022
Carme began his professional career in 1992 at Procter & Gamble where he spent 5 years occupying different
management positions in areas from production to logistics and marketing. Subsequently, she was the Director
of Barcelona City Council Business Incubators, where she pioneered in 1995 the support to start-up
technology-based companies and in the development of new internet-based business models.
Carme is a MSc in Chemical Engineer from IQS, (Instituto Químico de Sarriá) completing her thesis at the Max
Plank Institute in Germany as a researcher on "Photodynamic Therapy of Cancer." Postgraduate in Industrial
Business Management from IQS, MSc in Chemical Sciences from Ramón Llull University . She also owns a
Executive degree on Venture Capital from Berkeley University-Haas School in California.
Within her associative activity, she is a member in the Spanish chapter of the International Women Forum
(IWF).
Carme is an advocate of Ethics in the field of Artificial Intelligence and in future technologies and her interests
revolve around how to guarantee Citizen’s Rights in the Digital world with a special focus on Artificial
Intelligence and Neurotechnologies, as well as Impact Investment as a new way of capitalism.
Profile CA March 2022