MARIANA QUINTANILLA
“I truly believe in the power of sport and the key role it plays in the development of society.”
Meet Mariana Quintanilla, an executive with over 15 years of leadership experience in international sports, both with Organising Committees of mega multi-sports events, including Panamerican Games, Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup; as well as National Federations. She brings a holistic perspective to her work, shaped by experiences as an athlete, organiser, and team administrator, as well as through diverse roles and functions.
“I started my journey in sports at a very young age, as an international tennis player. I was able to get a scholarship to university by playing in the tennis team in the United States and Mexico. Following my retirement from tennis, I continued to compete in shooting, which is my current sport.”
“My family played a key role throughout my journey. From the moment I started practising sport, through my competitions, and as I began working in the industry, they were always present. They instilled in me the values of sport and showed me how those values shaped my personality and work ethic.
Sport not only gave me access to top-level education, but also marked the beginning of my professional journey in the sports industry.
I started working at the Peruvian Olympic Committee, where I was responsible for development and educational programmes. It was an incredibly rewarding role, as it gave me the opportunity to share Olympic values across Peru. From that moment, I knew I wanted to continue working in this industry.”
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION IN SPORT ORGANISATIONS
“For more diverse representation in decision making positions, we need to make sure organisations include representatives of different sectors and realities, for example former athletes, coaches, representatives of diverse federations (small, big countries).
I have worked across different continents, cultures, and types of organisations, and this taught me to be flexible, to take the time to understand mechanisms, work culture, and key stakeholders, to never take anything personally, and to be kind to everyone. When we work in an international environment, we as experts need to be very humble and remember that we all started somewhere, and to pass on our experience while learning from other cultures.
I would say that kindness and finding a common goal across cultures is key to successful project governance.”
MARIANA’S MESSAGE
“Believe in yourself and take every opportunity that crosses your path, doing the best you can. When I look back at where I am now, I can see those moments in which I took an opportunity and did my best. At the time, they didn’t seem relevant, but one thing led to another and later opened up other opportunities to continue growing and contributing to the development of sport.”
“When you see an opportunity in front of you, take it and work hard. Do not underestimate your capacity, especially when you put a lot of passion into your work.”
