Jesus Caballero will be one of the INnovators at the Economic.bg business forum – ALL IN – taking place on September 19. He is the CEO of SOF Connect, the operator of Sofia Airport. Before taking over the management of the Bulgaria’s largest air travel hub, Mr. Caballero was the CEO of Seville and Melilla airports, and was also involved in the management of Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga airports.
Jesus Caballero manages investment projects for over 600 million euros that have the goal of improving infrastructure, passenger experience and services, digitalization, renovation of Terminal 2 and construction of Terminal 3.
Mr. Caballero works actively in the field of sustainable development of the aviation industry as a member of the Council of the ACI WORLD FUND and a member of the Board of the European Airports Association ACI EUROPE.
Jesus Caballero is an aeronautical engineer specializing in airports, air navigation systems and air traffic management. He holds an Executive Master’s degree in Business Administration (EMBA) from the Chamber of Business, Commerce and Industry of Malaga and has completed the Executive Development Program at the IESE Business School of the University of Navarre.
Mr. Caballero, imagine that Elon Musk has achieved a big breakthrough in space travel and now you are going on a year-long trip to Mars. Which three celebrities (living or dead) would you like to accompany you?
Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Alexander the Great.
You are entitled to spend one working day with a company executive (dead or alive). Who would you choose and why?
Steve Jobs because he followed his passion and vision. He exercised creativity in hiring and aimed to create a better world.
Imagine you are shipwrecked on a lonely island with all your basic human needs (food, water, shelter) met. What two things would you like to have with you and why?
A boat and a laptop with an internet connection.
If you could only give one book as a present for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
Balthasar Gracian’s The Art of Worldly Wisdom.
Now you are a time traveler. You have the option of moving forward into the future or going back into the past. Where would you like to go and why?
I would travel to the future in order to find out if there was any threat to my family so I could protect them.
You can get a superpower (any skill you can think of), but only for a day. What would you choose and why?
The intelligence to understand what we don’t yet know about the universe.
Can you identify the biggest threat or challenge for your company in the next five years?
Global political and economic instability.
In what area does Bulgaria have the greatest potential to become a European leader?
Sofia has the potential to become the largest HUB (in terms of maintenance, repair and operation of aircraft) and to have the first 5-star regional airport in Europe.
AI is a hot topic these days, but what is the most neglected issue about it?
What will happen to the vast and expanding use of energy, water and other resources? The emerging monopolists will lead to wealth inequality associated with mass unemployment.
What activity of yours would you never want to outsource to a robot?
My passion.
Which is more important: talent or hard work?
Hard work.
Which is more important: education or experience?
Education.
What are the three things without which success is impossible?
Faith, passion and perseverance.
What fascinates you nowadays?
The new space race launched by Space X and nuclear fusion – a new source of clean and unlimited energy that will change everything.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Whatever you do, give it your 100%.
What is the hardest lesson learned?
That we can’t control everything in life, but we can control how we handle our lives.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome?
Raising my daughters in the best possible way.
When was the last time you said to yourself: “This was my best day at work”? What was the occasion?
I tell myself that every day.
What is your biggest passion – something that you are ALL IN?
My family.
