Carlos Saldarriaga

As part of the strategic platform of WORKINN, I lead the executive direction of Polar in Colombia, structuring and consolidating the local operation under principles of sustainable growth, financial discipline, and strategic expansion. My role integrates strategic leadership, commercial development, brand positioning, and operational structuring, ensuring alignment between global vision and local execution. I have led portfolio expansion, financial optimization, channel development, and the strengthening of strategic partnerships within the sports ecosystem. In this capacity, I drive the brand’s structured growth in the country by integrating technology, data analytics, and strategic intelligence to maximize profitability and market positioning.

I lead the strategic architecture of small and medium-sized enterprises and business ventures, focusing on structuring, scaling, and sustainable evolution. My work is grounded in disciplined execution, financial intelligence, and long-term growth direction.

To lead the company's strategy by conceptualizing, defining, and implementing its development path and consolidating long-term alliances with stakeholders, achieving sustainable and differentiated growth. To guarantee the profitable and efficient expansion of the business by monitoring and controlling critical indicators, executing short and medium-term actions and meeting business goals and shareholder expectations. To develop the company team by linking their individual purposes with the collective and company ones, enhancing their skills through executive coaching for the steering committee and organizational development programs seeking to consolidate efficient and flexible workflows. Achievements: • Defined and applied the company's 3-year strategic route with support in new ERP software. • Increased annual sales by 40%, represented in 2+ USD millions thanks to the development of commercial strategies and the management of the sales team. • Led the opening of a new store in Colombia with annual sales of 200K+ USD. • Promoted the entry into the Spanish market, through a local distributor. • Through my management, the company obtained the DHL exporter award for 10K USD in freights. • Managed all accounting books conciliation accessing bank loans for 3K+ USD.

To conceptualize and design the diversity and inclusion company model, referencing best global practices at an academic and business level and defining its framework. Lead diversity and inclusion strategies, consolidating the needs in various areas of the company, implementing improvements in customer service for external clients, materializing the model from the business and leveraging results and fulfillment of its objectives. Achievements: • Approvement of the model and work plan by presidency, with a budget allocation of 100K USD. • Designed the strategy for engaging people with disabilities for the technology area. • Intervened in the healthcare company service model with focus on disability and gender.

To lead the project for the design and implementation of the company's risk model, supported in new software, management, and financing methodologies. Manage the strategic and business risks, understanding the dynamics of internal processes and external clients, to design and develop new insurance solutions in non-life segment. Define the equity allocation for the labor risk company and Life solution, aligned with the internal risk-based capital methodology and solvency margins under "solvency II Europe, QIS5" technical guidelines. Achievements: • Led the evaluation and selection process of a technological tool, with allocated budget of 50 USD millions for 5 years. • Accompanied the design of a new Human Talent insurance solution. • Equity allocation for the life insurance solution and labor risk company with approval from the Board of Directors.

To develop and consolidate the Asia Pacific account, through market analysis, sales, customer relationship management with current and potential clients. Portfolio and strategic business plan building, to comply with the sales budget and financial sustainability indicators. Lead a supply chain company project, developing national and international allies, for the development of new products. Analysis of companies with investment prospects, from the mergers and acquisitions methodology, for the development of local productive platforms in potential international markets. Achievements: • Met the objective in annual sales of 10+ USD millions, representing 10% of the company's total exports and a growth of 100% of the account in five years. • Leveraged the increase in annual operating income by 1.6+ USD millions through launching new product project. • Completed the evaluation and selection process of two new production platforms in the Asian region.

To support the key account manager in the monitoring and analysis of market variables, for the consolidation and commercial growth of the Asia Pacific account. To develop new commercial accounts, through market research, contributing to sales growth of the region. Lead internal projects associated with the Asia Pacific account, following the methodology of the Research and Development area, to satisfy new customer needs. Achievements: • Contributed to meeting the sales budget for 4 consecutive years. • Developed two new business accounts with annual sales of 300K USD. • Launch of new private label product for the New Zealand market.

A specialized program in finance that combines applied knowledge and academic rigor with a quantitative and comprehensive approach.

Skills development to analyze and manage the various investment and financing opportunities available in Colombia, as well as to define strategies to achieve the basic financial objective.

Analysis of organizational dynamics and their political, economic, historical, and cultural contexts, with respect for people and the environment, to develop managerial skills in the areas of marketing, finance, international business, human talent management, operations, and processes.