Mindata is a comprehensive technological development consultancy and factory specialized in the design, development and implementation of custom digital and software solutions, as well as IT services and telecommunications infrastructure. With the CEO of Mindata, Cristina Hernández, we talked about the role of the Balearic Islands as a global technological hub, the practical landing of artificial intelligence and the challenges of female leadership in the IT sector.
Mindata has managed to expand to more than 30 countries in a very short time. What foundations support such an accelerated rate of penetration?
The key lies in never losing focus on quality and response agility. We grew up solving complex, large-scale problems with a homogeneous standard. Although our origin was closely linked to the tourism industry, we knew how to quickly transfer that learning to other highly demanding segments. Now we consolidate our presence in the Ibero-American market and in the United States, where we already operate, keeping that philosophy intact.
Cristina Hernández places the Balearic Islands as a true international test bed where availability requirements are extraordinarily high.
Their motto is ‘Complex made Simple’. In a scenario where digital talent is scarce, how do you structure your teams to provide that service?
We seek to give companies back their time so that they can dedicate it to their core business. It is true that the competition to recruit programmers and engineers has skyrocketed with the relocation of work: today a senior profile in Palma can sign for any company on the planet without leaving their home. Far from seeing it as an obstacle, we decided to open development factories strategically distributed in Spain (Mallorca, Galicia, Barcelona and Madrid) and in Latin America, with headquarters in Argentina, Mexico and Colombia. We prioritize local roots, but we expand the radar to ensure cutting-edge capabilities that accelerate the digital transformation of our clients.
Why place the epicenter of your technological operations in the Balearic Islands and with tourism as the spearhead?
Because of my Canarian roots I have always felt tourism as something of my own. It is the great economic engine of Spain, but the Balearic archipelago has also established itself as a pole of global technological decision. Hotel and travel giants such as Riu, Ávoris or W2M direct their global digitalization roadmaps from Mallorca. Accompanying these groups in their internationalization has made us natural strategic partners from a unique ecosystem.
The directive highlights the corporate urgency to abandon theoretical artificial intelligence pilots and look for use cases with tangible returns.
Compared to other conventional suppliers, how does Mindata understand its contribution to the hotel business?
Traditional accommodation has been left behind; Today the establishments are factories of memories and experiences. The traveler invests his vacations, trusts his free time and demands unrepeatable moments. Our job is to ensure that all the technology behind it, from the booking engine and the e-commerce platform to the Wi-Fi network of a resort, works perfectly and invisibly 24 hours a day in any corner of the world. When you respond, the hotelier can focus on what is essential: taking care of his guest.
The Balearic Islands are frequently spoken of as a unique territory in digital matters. What differentiates it from other urban or industrial centers?
The Balearic Islands act as a true laboratory of technological stress. Hotel chains based here operate on a global scale, which means traffic never stops and availability requirements are extraordinarily high. This demand forces us to deploy resilient infrastructures with automatic scalability in the cloud. In other parts of the country, the requirements move through specific branches: the Internet of Things in logistics, customization in commerce or compliance in the Administration. The exciting thing is that many of the critical solutions that we test and perfect on the islands end up being exported to other industries.
Artificial intelligence dominates any management debate. What do companies demand today beyond initial expectations?
Artificial intelligence is already permeating the activity of companies transversally and is becoming an essential asset for their daily management. For this reason, the market has left behind the fascination with novelty to demand profitability. Companies demand to take pilot projects to real production environments with speed, cybersecurity and a very defined return on investment. To integrate conversational assistants, semantic engines or process automations, it is necessary to first organize the data and have observability frameworks that control computational costs. Technology is no longer purchased for the mere sake of showing it off, but rather practical solutions that provide tangible improvements in the short term.
The gender gap persists in the areas of engineering and computing. What horizon do you see for women in the sector?
Innovation does not understand gender, but rather determination, talent and the ability to solve problems. Although historically it has been an environment with a large majority of men, the visibility of women at the head of large organizations, such as Mercedes Oblanca at Accenture, Carmen González at Huawei or Inés Bermejo at HP, confirms that the path is set. With Carmen and Inés I share a table at DigitalES, the association that represents the digital and technological industry in Spain. Even so, we need a greater presence of women entrepreneurs and leaders of technological projects. I would tell young women not to impose ceilings or limits on themselves. With a consistent idea, effort and method, this industry is the most powerful tool that exists to transform society.
Looking forward, what will be the company’s strategic priorities?
Our roadmap involves two major vectors: diversification and geographic expansion. We want to continue consolidating our position in the tourism field, but redoubling our commitment to key sectors such as banking, insurance, industry and public administration. All of this always guided by innovation and sustainability. On an international level, after strengthening the Ibero-American market, our main strategic objective is to consolidate our presence in the United States, a market in which we already operate and which will allow us to continue generating global value without losing sight of the quality of service as a hallmark.
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