Telefónica Fulmina from her team to Chema Alonso, the best known ‘hacker’ in Spain

This Thursday Telefónica has renewed its direct dome and with the change it has fulminated the ‘hacker’ Chema Alonso of the Company: «The Board of Directors thanked Chema Alonso, to date Chief Digital Officer, its great impulse to the digital transformation of Telefónica during the last 13 years, as well as its leadership in the execution of the Data-Centric platforms of the company and the creation of the new ecosystem of the company With the industry and Opengateway in its last stage, ”said Telefónica, who has indicated that Alonso« will support Sebas Muriel with his technological advice in the transition ».

Sebas Muriel, former director of Red.es, signed in 2011 for Tuenti and then moved to Groupm Spain, where he has remained as CEO since 2022. With this change the ‘hacker’ turned into a senior executive leaves behind a trail of achievements as peculiar as his authendo.

In 1990, Chema Alonso began his professional career as a fellow at the Startup Victur Rorath and later in Dysoft Computer. That same year, he founded with a couple of computer friends 64, a small Móstoles company specialized in computer security, where he served as an instructor and consultant until Telefónica knocked on his door.

In 2012, Telefónica acquired computer science 64 and renamed it as Elevenpaths, integrating Alonso into his team. Happy with the results of Alonso, in 2016 he was appointed Chief Data Officer (CDO) of Telefónica and, since November 2019, he held the position of Chief Digital Consumer Offer (CDCO). During his management, he led projects such as Aura, Telefónica’s artificial intelligence (AI), and Movistar Home, a virtual assistant device that integrates Aura and Funicona as a control center for digital households.

The Hacker ‘of the hat

Recognized for its peculiar style, characterized by always accompanied with a blue hat, jeans and long-sleeved t-shirts under pop-commun music groups, Chema Alonso has been a key figure in Telefónica’s digital transformation. He has always been recognized for being able to communicate complex issues, such as cybersecurity, to the general public that has led him to participate in programs such as ‘El Hormiguero’ or ‘saved’ and shoot his fame.

Throughout his career, he has received multiple awards, including the Merit Cross with a white badge granted by the Civil Guard in 2017 for his collaborations with the institution. In 2020, he was appointed Doctor Honoris Causa by the Rey Juan Carlos University. He was appointed Dr. Honoris Causa from the Rey Juan Carlos University. In an interview for ABC, he stated that for him enter Telefónica “it was a great and pleasant surprise.”