Sener culture

How did you become CTE at Sener?
Becoming a CTE was the result of many years of working with passion in the railway sector and learning from outstanding professionals within Sener. I joined Sener in 1989 and, from that point onwards, I was gradually given increasing responsibilities, always in railway projects. But above all, I believe I became a CTE because I have always understood the role not only as providing technical expertise in projects, but also as an act of service: sharing knowledge, connecting disciplines and helping others to grow, just as others have always helped me.

What has been the most challenging project of your career?

Every project has brought a unique challenge, but the Figueres–Perpignan high-speed line marked a real turning point. It was technically extremely complex and involved a cross‑border context requiring the integration of regulations, disciplines, engineering cultures, and highly demanding clients and partners from different backgrounds.
I also have very fond memories of the Tenerife tram, a project I’ve been involved with since the 1990s and which I’ve seen evolve from an idea into a mature system that has transformed mobility on the island. And the Abu Dhabi Light Rail project was another extraordinary challenge: delivering a full system design in a country with a very different culture and a demanding client in an environment with high expectations. Each of these projects allowed me to grow, innovate and always, always keep learning.

What value do you think the role of CTE brings to Sener?

The CTE role brings technical coherence, rigour and a holistic vision. In a world that is increasingly specialised, someone needs to ensure that all the pieces fit together, that decisions are made with the whole life cycle in mind, and that technical excellence is maintained at every stage of a project. It also brings sound judgement at key moments. But, above all, I think it strengthens our culture: Sener’s way of understanding engineering, built on shared knowledge, curiosity, and a deep sense of responsibility for doing things properly.

How do you drive innovation and talent development?

I firmly believe that innovation only makes sense when it responds to a real business need and delivers tangible value. We don’t innovate for the sake of innovation—we innovate to tackle our clients’ challenges, sometimes because they express them and other times because we can identify them before they emerge. That requires active listening, interpreting signals, and always looking one step ahead.
I complement this with continuous technology scanning, identifying trends that may reshape our sector.

How do you support teams in mentoring?

For me, mentoring is built on trust. It isn’t only about answering questions or teaching—although those are important—it’s about teaching people how to think, how to structure a problem, how to anticipate consequences. I accompany them by listening, guiding, and providing perspective, because the value is often not in giving an answer but in helping the person find their own. I also try to share my own experience to help them avoid mistakes that I might have made in similar situations—fundamental in a sector where technical decisions have long‑term impacts. The greatest satisfaction is seeing how they grow and, in turn, begin to support others.

What skill do you consider key to convey or enhance?

The key skill is having a systemic, cross‑cutting perspective. In railways, nothing works in isolation: rolling stock conditions operations, operations affect alignment, alignment influences costs, and so on. Strengthening the ability to connect disciplines, understand interfaces, and anticipate impacts is crucial to shaping well‑rounded engineers.
I also consider technical precision and continuous curiosity essential—the desire to keep learning.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to grow in the technical field?
My first piece of advice is to nurture curiosity: read, ask questions, observe. The second is to develop sound judgement, something that only comes from combining study, practice and reflection. And the third is learning to work with others—engineering’s best solutions rarely come from working alone. I would also stress the importance of not rushing. A solid technical career is built on firm foundations and an open mindset towards continuous learning.

What trends will shape the future in your field?
We’re entering a fascinating stage. Full digitalisation of the railway life cycle and large‑scale data analytics will optimise operations and maintenance. We will see increasingly automated, sustainable systems that are far more focused on passengers. There will also be deeper integration between rolling stock and infrastructure, with the boundaries becoming increasingly blurred. This will require more transversal technical profiles combining classical engineering with new technologies.

What motivates you most about your work as a CTE?
What motivates me most is seeing how the experience accumulated over so many years can become something alive—something that is shared and expanded. Engineering moves forward when each generation leaves behind a little more knowledge than it received, and my work as a CTE allows me to help ensure that this technical heritage is not lost, but continues to grow. And it motivates me to know that, by supporting others, we are making sure that Sener’s future continues to be built on a strong, rich and increasingly solid foundation.

How do you imagine the role will evolve in the coming years?
I believe the CTE role will become increasingly strategic. Growing technological complexity will require profiles capable of integrating disciplines, anticipating risks and guiding key decisions for both clients and projects. Technical representation in international environments will become more relevant, as will the ability to connect solutions with real business needs.
In addition, with the rise of artificial intelligence, expert judgement will be more necessary than ever to interpret results, contextualise technologies, and ensure that proposed solutions are robust, viable and effective. In this sense, the CTE will remain an essential point of reference to ensure Sener’s technical excellence in an increasingly demanding environment.