Rafael Fernandez

Rafael Fernandez is a seasoned professional currently serving as the Innovation & Processes Director at Ferrovial, a leading infrastructure and services company.1 With over 20 years of experience, he is known as a results-driven and people-oriented transformational leader.2

Career at Ferrovial

Rafael joined Ferrovial in September 2013.1 His journey within the company has been marked by several key positions:

• In 2014, he was transferred to the Competence Centre for Cities.1
• In 2016, he joined the Innovation Area as Coordinator, focusing on structuring innovation activities in Ferrovial Servicios.1
• Later, he moved to the Innovation and Change Management department before joining the corporate level under Federico Flórez.1
• Currently, he holds the position of Innovation & Processes Director, also referred to as Innovation Director in some sources.134

Vision and Approach to Innovation

Rafael Fernandez has a clear vision for innovation at Ferrovial:

1. Focus on Ferrovial's strengths: He believes that "Ferrovial has to be more Ferrovial, it doesn't need to be Google," emphasizing the importance of leveraging the company's core competencies.1

2. Value generation through collaboration: He advocates for cross-cutting programs and knowledge sharing within the organization.1

3. Balancing short-term and long-term innovation: Fernandez emphasizes the need to focus on mature technologies for immediate business impact while also exploring disruptive technologies that will shape the company's future.1

4. Global and local innovation ecosystems: He stresses the importance of strengthening relationships with powerful innovation hubs like Israel and Silicon Valley, while also developing local ecosystems in key markets like Texas and Sydney.1

Professional Background

Before joining Ferrovial, Rafael Fernandez worked as a Project Manager for various payment systems in metro projects.1 He has a strong educational background, having studied at IESE Business School - University of Navarra.2

Rafael Fernandez is active in industry events, having participated in NASA's Cross-Industry Innovation Summit at the Houston Space Center in Texas4 and moderating panels at events like South Summit.5