Interview With María del Mar Raventós, FORMER PRESIDENT OF CODORNÍU

"Humility is the best remedy for women to gain confidence."

Maria Del Mar Raventos, the 15th-generation head of Codorniu, is recognized as one of ‘The 50 Most Powerful Spanish Women’. As the former president of the esteemed winery ‘Codorniu’, which boasts 450 years of history as the oldest winery in Spain, she shares the unwavering principles that empowered her to conquer self-doubt and achieve remarkable success in her role as a woman.

She calls her principles ‘CEPA’, like the grape plants her famous wines are made from. The C stands for confidence, “the confidence we must have in ourselves, in our partners, and in the projects we embark on”. The E stands for effort, “the little things, arriving at work on time, tidying up, doing presentations well, and continually training ourselves”. The P stands for passion, seen sparkling in her eyes when she talks about her beloved vineyards. Lastly, the A stands for openness (apertura), for being open to new technologies, new markets, and new products. 

Maria started working at Codorniu at the age of 24 and then continued to complete her degree in economics and psychology. 

Did you have any doubts about your ability when you were offered the position of President?

I thought of it quite simply and I believed that if they have offered it to me, it says that they trust me, so I am capable of it. I had never dreamed of being president of Codorniu, but when they offered, I said, ‘What a great responsibility’ and trusted I could play a good role and went ahead. These fears that we as women hold sometimes of not being able to do it, of not knowing how, have a lot to do with humility. I personally do not like to speak in public, but when I find myself in front of an audience, and I think they have come to listen to me, I do not think about what I’m wearing, but what I am going to convey today. Then these fears disappear, because most times, the fear is to embarrass ourselves, and it is irrational. There are days when you would be phenomenal and there are days when you won’t reach up to your usual work, but it doesn’t matter. Humility is very good for all women to lose that fear, to tell yourselves to still make an effort and prepare things well. 

This is because we are perfectionists and that paralyses us at times. Perfectionism is good without being exaggerated or tormenting ourselves with it, I think the most important thing is humility or transparency.

When working, how did you manage to do well in both places as a mother of six children and working?

Everyone says, 'you’ll perform poorly in one place', and that's true. But that doesn’t have to make you back down. I know that there were times when I left a sick child behind and went to the office crying. But I had to do it at the time. It didn’t keep me up at night, nor did it worry me. Given that circumstance, I decided what was best. There have been other times when I was at home with my children and I would have left something unfinished in the office, but it was my best decision at the time.

What about the guilt?

We women tend to over-criticize ourselves, ‘Oh how bad I’ve done here, how bad I’ve done there.’ But no, you did it because it was the best decision at that moment with the resources you had. You do not have to blame yourselves for it, because I, for example, make a list of the things I had failed to do at home, and the list of things I had failed to do in the office, it would be long. We have all done wrong with others at some point in our lives. But it was right at the time and that’s it.

For women who want to reach their full potential, what do you advise to do or read?

Reading is good, but the most important thing is to dream. To see where you want to go, and what you want from your life and then fight for those little things that will open the way to achieve what you want. Everyone has to know what they want as a person, be happy as a person, and be calm. I have had friends who were doctors and had left their jobs for their children and they are happy, and this is the most important thing because a job is not always going to give you happiness.

What do you recommend to women who already have a dream?

Do it, set goals. ‘Next year, I want to achieve this’ and see how you do it. Decide whom you should address and what you have to ask for, asking for help nowadays costs a lot and people are willing to give it. Train yourself. You have to keep learning and you have to keep training. People teach you a lot and sometimes we waste it, so listen well. Your attitude also matters as a positive attitude helps you create a good environment; you work better, and you feel happier with yourselves.

Is there a difference between female and male leadership? Are women less focused?

I think you have to be focused on where you’re going on a path you choose, not on something, and that the path is not so narrow. Maybe men focus on it and only see that, but you see a little bit of that tree here, and that bush there and you get distracted, but you are on the same path. I think that’s the difference because women are a little more flexible. After all, we have no choice and men sometimes don’t see the sides. 




Maria formed her principles and reached her goals and beyond as a working mother, defying every stereotype set for a woman like her.
What principles will you set to accomplish your goals?

By:                                                           
Carla De La Vega and Revathi Sreejith

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