Builder of Progress Martha Cordova: Driving digital innovation in Ecuador

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AI is a strategic accelerator of incremental value for Holcim, improving performance and driving customer-centric services. We are targeting benefits of CHF 200 million in recurring EBIT from AI by 2028 and connecting over 280+ AI Champions like Martha across Holcim is key to generating this value.

Holcim is unlocking the potential of AI across core business functions and Commercial is one of them. By leading key commercial digital initiatives, Martha has helped to drive a self-sustaining business solution that empowers Disensa franchisees across more than 600 retail stores and over 3 000 active users, delivering agile, customer-centric commercial solutions that create value.

“In Commercial, we’re creating fast, smart, and simple experiences for our customers. We aim to provide timely information and services whenever they are needed. For example, we’ve offered WhatsApp e-ordering for customers for six years, achieving an 85% self-service rate and over 44 000 annual interactions in 2025. We continue to improve this experience using AI with integrated natural language processing,” she says.

“In our WhatsApp channel for bulk and bagged cement—which has reached an 85% adoption and preference rate—we achieved sales of 56 million USD via WhatsApp in 2025. As Holcim, we have the scale and platform to pioneer digital solutions that transform how we support our customers and franchise partners,” Martha adds.

To foster collaboration and upskill local talent, Martha helped establish the Digital Innovation Committee in Ecuador, which defined a framework and an annual training plan to share knowledge through self-led workshops or the "Datathon."  Through this initiative, over 150 colleagues have been upskilled in digital methodologies and AI tools, embedding commercial digital solutions across teams and building a strong foundation for NextGen growth.

Ensuring a culture of performance and value creation
 

Martha believes that technology is most effective when paired with continuous team enablement and strong human connections.

“My focus is on providing teams with the tools, ownership, and mindset needed to embrace AI and digital growth in their daily work. We drive measurable business impact by embedding commercial digital solutions and AI into key customer touchpoints, accelerating sustainable value creation in alignment with NextGen Growth,” she says.

Exploration and perspective beyond the workplace
 

Outside of her work with digital systems and AI, Martha has always enjoyed creative pursuits and exploring nature. As a teenager, she painted a shark, and her fascination with marine life later inspired her to earn a diving license.

One of Martha’s most memorable personal adventures was exploring Gordon Rocks in the Galapagos Islands, diving alongside marine life in one of the world's most unique ecosystems.

“It’s a great reminder that curiosity, focus, and adaptability are key whether you’re underwater or navigating complex digital transformations,” she says.

For Martha, success lies in creating long-term value through technology while uplifting the people around her.

“I’m convinced that incorporating AI into our work is an opportunity to reinvent how we work as a team. By maximizing learning and experimentation among the teams, we will ensure that AI becomes a powerful driver of efficiency and a significant competitive advantage for Holcim,” she says.