Marisa is available for hire
Hire MarisaMarisa Isabel Huaynalaya Peralta
Verified Expert in Product Management
Product Manager
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Toptal member since August 26, 2019
Bio
Marisa successfully drives change and leads the discovery, development, and launch of new products and services. Specialized in data and artificial intelligence, she has been focused on defining and developing conversational/GenAI-powered applications in the last five years, performing as an AI solutions product manager. Having managed teams in mid-size to large corporate companies in the travel, pharma, and FMCG sectors, Marisa is an experienced consultant in new tech adoption processes.
Project Highlights
Launched a B2C Tours and Activities Website Globally in Six Months
Implemented agile methodologies and led the launch of a new distribution channel in record time.
Launched B2B Website in UK Retail
Launched a tours and activities website for travel agents that achieved record sales three years in a row.
Yed.ai
Conversational artificial Intelligence framework to manage FAQs.
Expertise
- Agile Coaching
- Agile Product Management
- Microsoft Excel
- Natural Language Processing (NLP)
- OpenAI
- Prompt Engineering
- Senior Executive Management
- Travel & Leisure
Work Experience
AI Strategy Director
2023 - PRESENT
Nagarro
- Led the Travel and Hospitality Nagarro Practice Innovation Lab activities, encompassing the definition of backlog for 2024, budget requirements, and talent allocation.
- Delivered client projects based on data science and GenAI framework and determined internal research and development tasks.
- Developed AI concierge accelerator leading an "AI Cell" agile team. Served as a senior product manager overseeing communications and business development activities related to this project.
Chief Strategy Officer
2020 - 2023
APSL
- Led company portfolio definition and pricing, built the data science and artificial intelligence research and development capabilities, and set up a team. Developed AI solutions strategies and accelerators.
- Defined use cases for chatbots, image recognition, algorithm optimization, and prediction modeling.
- Coached a growing team of data scientists, SREs, cloud architects, back- and front-end developers, as well as project managers.
- Drove profits growth and internationalization strategy in a company where talent grew 45%, and cash flow and profits increased in 2020 and 2021.
Business Development Director
2019 - 2020
Quicktext
- Spearheaded the AI tech for the hotel industry, identifying insights from both sun and beach and city hotels.
- Managed a meetup community of developers and big data experts.
- Met customers to teach them how to get more profit from the product.
- Created demos of new product features for potential customers.
- Researched the chatbots market and competition and interviewed customers to identify top user stories for the geography.
Agile Lead
2018 - 2019
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
- Coached a team of product managers new to the role in charge of digital channels and analytics capabilities (web, CRM, and webinars).
- Implemented scrum methods and scaled the agile practice using the VFQ approach.
- Determined the MVP for a marketing automation initiative.
- Identified key metrics of success (leading and lagging indicators).
- Provided comprehensive monthly updates to senior stakeholders regarding the organized multifunctional story mapping sessions and big room planning pre-work.
- Led the adoption of a new, value-based prioritization of initiatives.
- Collaborated with the project management office in budget approval, control, and team allocation activities.
Head of Digital Solutions
2017 - 2018
TUI Group
- Designed the proof of concepts (POCs) and execution of pilots for new applications (CMS and the use of SaaS tools).
- Launched a new CMS and managed data migration from the old one with improvements.
- Established an architecture board and governance definition.
- Implemented Agile at scale, leading four teams in three locations and collaborating in a new API development based on Cloud and microservices.
- Recruited solutions architects, front and back-end developers, as well as product owners to build up a new team within the IT area.
- Assessed startups as per investment and transformation strategy.
- Managed senior stakeholders and new vendor RFP processes.
Head of Online Distribution and Channel Management
2015 - 2017
TUI Group
- Launched a global website in six months despite legacy systems and operational restrictions.
- Oversaw the senior stakeholders' alignment through six source markets.
- Ensured product availability and special commercial conditions through the regional offices' collaboration.
- Achieved record sales for three years in a row in UK retail branches managing a commercial team remotely.
Head of Product Development
2012 - 2015
Hotelbeds
- Managed the B2B channels backlog as the product owner.
- Launched a new B2B distribution solution and implemented it in the first three countries.
- Determined product features to be prioritized for development based on market insights.
- Researched the market and competition to generate a compelling message.
- Collaborated with the legal team to create alternative business models to acquire new clients.
Project History
Implementation of Agile at Scale in Pharma
Led transition of the digital channels and analytics distributed product team into agile ways of working.
In close collaboration with tech and commercial senior management in the UK and the US, I implemented the first cross-functional Agile team within pharma while working remotely. I supported the digital channels transformation and analytics pharma commercial team into a new product management area. I collaborated with Agile enterprise leads within the digital, branding, and tech areas to scale the agile framework.
I led product owners to sync meetings, coached new product owners to start in their roles, and provided practical advice to eight product directors and managers and their respective agile teams during their transition to agile principles and Scrum implementation. I also led the design and internal communication of the digital channels and analytics agile enterprise ecosystem and the work behind the big room planning quarterly meeting.
I led product owners to sync meetings, coached new product owners to start in their roles, and provided practical advice to eight product directors and managers and their respective agile teams during their transition to agile principles and Scrum implementation. I also led the design and internal communication of the digital channels and analytics agile enterprise ecosystem and the work behind the big room planning quarterly meeting.
Launched a B2C Tours and Activities Website Globally in Six Months
Implemented agile methodologies and led the launch of a new distribution channel in record time.
I led the internal team recruitment and new vendor RFP process setting up an agile team to deliver at pace. Applied Scrum and Kanban in different areas, including IT, legal, finance, marketing, content, and operations. All stakeholders were aligned with the development team to make possible an MVP launch on time and budget. The website was launched in six languages simultaneously and linked with up to eight different websites within the group, benefiting from organic traffic from day one with zero SEM budget.
Launched B2B Website in UK Retail
Launched a tours and activities website for travel agents that achieved record sales three years in a row.
As the product owner of the team in charge of delivering a new B2B website, I launched a completely renewed site for the UK market on time for high season. I coordinated the training of 1500 travel agencies and was able to overcome a monolithic database and operational constraints.
API Roadmap and Requirements Definition for Mobile App
Established features roadmap for mobile app development and related API specifications.
Working together with the app development team and being responsible for its API feed, I reviewed the mobile customer requirements, rewrote user stories, and established the priorities for native app development while taking into account the limits of the API team.
Yed.ai
http://yed.aiConversational artificial Intelligence framework to manage FAQs.
Yed.ai framework initiated back in 2020 has been relevant to deliver different projects:
• A customized platform for specialist labour law professionals to use OpenAI to process current legislation and produce answers' drafts.
• A chatbot for a destination management company willing to answer travelers' queries on its website.
• A conversational assistant for employees to solve HR-related doubts.
• A regional health administration dealing with COVID-19 questions.
Adding generative AI capabilities during 2023 was a real change maker.
• A customized platform for specialist labour law professionals to use OpenAI to process current legislation and produce answers' drafts.
• A chatbot for a destination management company willing to answer travelers' queries on its website.
• A conversational assistant for employees to solve HR-related doubts.
• A regional health administration dealing with COVID-19 questions.
Adding generative AI capabilities during 2023 was a real change maker.
Education
2009 - 2010
Advanced Management Program in Business Administration
IE Business School - Spain
2003 - 2004
Master's Degree in Tourism Business Administration
Universidad de les Illes Balears - Spain
1998 - 2002
Bachelor's Degree in Marketing
Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas - Peru
1997 - 2001
Bachelor's Degree in Finance
Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas - Peru
Certifications
MAY 2019 - PRESENT
Venture Capital Academy
University of California Berkeley Law / ICADE
APRIL 2019 - APRIL 2020
Certified SAFe 4 Agilist
Scaled Agile, Inc.
APRIL 2019 - PRESENT
Growth Hacking
Growth Tribe
OCTOBER 2017 - PRESENT
Expert Scrum Foundations
European Scrum
DECEMBER 2016 - DECEMBER 2018
Certified Scrum Master
Scrum Alliance
APRIL 2016 - PRESENT
Coaching expert - Personal and Executive
EFIC
MAY 2015 - MAY 2019
CSPO
Scrum Alliance
APRIL 2008 - PRESENT
Project Management
IE Business School
Skills
Tools
Zoom
Paradigms
Scrum, Agile Product Management, Agile
Platforms
Django CMS
Industry Expertise
Pharmaceuticals
Other
Travel & Leisure, Agile Coaching, Agile Sprints, Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), Design Sprints, Commercial Strategy, New Business Development, Senior Executive Management, Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), FMCG, Growth Marketing, Microsoft Excel, VFQ, Microsoft Teams, OpenAI, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Google Meet, New Products, Distribution, Negotiation, Scrum Master, Product Owner, OpenAI GPT-4 API, Consulting, Prompt Engineering
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