Making global collaboration feel easy

Goya Tuñon

Trade Marketing Executive
Madrid

Goya joined Imperial Brands after Business School and now supports the Global Travel, Rizla & Nordics team from Madrid. With colleagues spread across multiple markets and a line manager based in another country, she has quickly learned how genuine connection, open communication and shared purpose make collaboration work across borders.

What makes collaboration such an important part of your role?
Nothing in my role can be done alone. I work with people from sales, consumer marketing, legal, external agencies and brand ambassadors and each team brings a different set of needs and perspectives. When you work across countries, collaboration becomes the thread that holds everything together. People need to trust you, feel supported and understand that we are all working towards the same goal.

How do you collaborate smoothly between multiple teams with different priorities?
Keeping communication open and making sure everyone understands the bigger picture helps a lot. Sales focuses on the client, consumer marketing on the brand and legal on compliance, but we all want to deliver the right work. I have learned to trust others to play their part and not try to control everything. Weekly check‑ins help us balance what each market needs with what Imperial Brands needs globally. When people feel heard, trusted and supported, we come up with better solutions together.

What does Trade Marketing mean in your day‑to‑day work?
Trade Marketing is about taking what the brand stands for and making it real at the point of sale. That includes preparing materials, visuals, promotions, and ensuring everything complies with local regulations. It also means staying close to the teams on the ground so what we deliver genuinely fits the needs of each market.


When people feel heard, trusted and supported, we come up with better solutions together.


How does being part of the Global Travel, Rizla & Nordics team shape your experience?
It exposes me to very different markets. Each country has its own laws, ways of working and consumer behaviours. I am based in Madrid, but my work takes me to airports and retailers across Europe. Travelling and seeing things myself helps me understand each market better and support teams in a realistic, meaningful way.

How does data support collaboration?
Data keeps us aligned. We use tools like Power BI to track brand ambassador performance and other key indicators, which helps us focus on facts rather than assumptions. When something needs attention, we discuss it together and decide how to address it. Data makes conversations clearer and keeps us working as one team.

You joined during a challenging moment. What did you learn from that experience?
I started when we were changing agencies and hiring around 100 brand ambassadors. It required a lot of coordination and trust between teams. I learned the importance of listening before acting and trusting others to bring their expertise. I did not need to control every detail; I needed to guide, connect and support. Collaboration becomes easier when you let people contribute fully.

What experiences prepared you for working this way?
Before Imperial, I launched a women’s accessories brand with my sister in Chile. We worked with suppliers, agencies and retailers across the world. That experience taught me how to communicate clearly, ask the right questions and work closely with different partners. It also taught me how to stay open to others’ ideas and how every step affects the final product.

What do you enjoy most about the role?
The travel and the people. Every market is different and every visit teaches me something new. I love meeting teams, seeing how things actually work in airports and stores, and understanding the culture of each place. It helps me grow personally and professionally.

How would you describe your team culture?
Supportive and multicultural. We have people from different countries, and everyone brings something unique. We share ideas openly, give feedback and help each other. The diversity in our team makes collaboration richer and more creative.

How does your work contribute to the wider business?
We bring insights from the point of sale back to the rest of the organisation. Whether it is sharing what we see in airports, what brand ambassadors experience or what customers ask for, we pass this information to teams in the relevant markets. Sharing knowledge helps everyone stay aligned and ensures we balance local needs with Imperial Brands’ overall direction.

What have you learned about yourself since joining?
I have learned to slow down and listen. I am naturally very social, but being in this role has taught me how important it is to give space to others and understand different perspectives. Collaboration works best when you take time to understand people.

What advice would you give someone new to Imperial Brands?
Be curious and open. Get to know people and ask questions. Collaboration starts with relationships and when you take time to understand the people you work with, everything becomes easier and the results become stronger.

 


Goya is flying out for work.


Spotlight on Global Travel, Rizla & Nordics

Learn more from colleagues across our Global Travel, Rizla & Nordics Cluster and explore more profiles and articles.


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