When Alejandra Lona decided to step into the tech industry, it didn’t just alter her career path — it redefined her perspective.
She’d already spent a significant portion of her career as a quality professional, mastering the art of ensuring products meet customer expectations and compliance requirements. But transitioning into the tech industry made Lona’s role feel a bit different.
“I was used to working in manufacturing, where I could ‘see and touch’ the defects produced,” she told Built In. “But working in a technology company has helped me think differently and, with that, has increased my out-of-the-box mindset.”
In her current role as vice president of quality and business planning at HERE Technologies, thinking creatively is par for the course. She held several different roles at the company before stepping into this one, and throughout that time, she learned how following processes, right practices, and understanding root causes can prevent repetitive issues and are central to understanding quality.
Lona’s career journey has been defined by continuous evolution, shaped by hands-on experience and hard-earned degrees and certifications, including a master’s in business administration from Imperial College in London and a Six Sigma Black Belt certification. In her current role, she leverages her experience and expertise to help shape business planning efforts and define the company’s long-term vision.
For Lona, joining HERE Technologies hasn’t just been pivotal for her career; it has also allowed her to experience personal milestones, such as moving to the United States, which she said has “strengthened her resilience” and more. And as the company continues to grow, she’s eager to play a key role in shaping the future.
“I’ve had the privilege of being a part of this journey for the past 14 years, and now I’m even more thrilled to be part of the decade ahead — one that will be pivotal in bringing our vision to life,” Lona said.
Below, Lona shares more about her career journey as a whole, the impact she has made on HERE Technologies and what she’s most excited to accomplish next.
About HERE Technologies
HERE Technologies’ unified live map provides location data that helps automakers and enterprises build reliable automated driving systems, improve electric vehicle battery consumption and more.
Give us a snapshot of your career so far.
I started my career more than 25 years ago as an industrial engineer. Across the years, I’ve worked in multiple industries, from metallurgic to automotive and, of course, technology. I have a strong foundation in quality, as my first roles were related to it. During those days, I held multiple positions leading quality management systems, quality assurance and also lean manufacturing and continuous improvement teams. For this purpose, I have complemented my on-hands learning and experience with multiple related certifications, including Six Sigma Black Belt, Lead ISO/TS Auditor for Automotive and Technology, Certified Functional Safety Engineer, Certified ASPICE Provisional Assessor and Certified Manager for Operational Excellence, among others.
Throughout my career, I have held all kinds of roles, starting as an individual contributor of course, and over the years, I moved to more management and senior leadership roles. During the last 15 years, I’ve led global teams across the Americas, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. I currently oversee quality and business planning and serve as chief of staff to Executive Vice President Damandeep Kochhar for the platform and technologies team.
How does working for HERE help you make progress toward your career goals?
Working for HERE has definitely impacted my career development and helped me reach my goals, starting with understanding the diversity of applying quality practices in a very different environment. I was used to working in manufacturing, where I could “see and touch” the defects produced. But working in a technology company has helped me think differently and, with that, has increased my out-of-the-box mindset. Once you understand quality is influenced by following processes, right practices, understanding root causes and preventing repetitive issues, all of which can be applied to metallurgy, or to a car manufacturing or software-related process, then you evolve the way you understand and apply quality and continuous improvement.
Another thing is that I have been in multiple roles at HERE, starting as a quality manager in León, Mexico, before moving to corporate quality and providing support to multiple teams from operations, finance, legal, engineering and more, all across multiple cultures and nationalities. That has enriched my professional and personal development.
What makes HERE a unique place to work from a professional development perspective?
One basic thing is that the company cares about your development. There are multiple opportunities that the company offers, from tools to programs to a development plan, which is a part of the goal-setting framework we do at the start of the year. We just need to dedicate time and effort into making the most of these opportunities. Based on my experience, we don’t see that at every company around the world. Another thing is that all the leaders that I have worked with care about my development, providing encouragement as well as challenges to help me continue developing as a professional.
How have you grown professionally at HERE? What skills have you learned?
One of the first skills I needed to develop was how to apply my quality-related knowledge to a technology environment. For example, I needed to learn how to evolve from being a regular ISO 9000 lead auditor to a ASPICE provisional assessor and/or functional safety engineer, which are skills that are needed in this environment. Secondly, as I had been growing professionally and had to move to more managerial and leadership positions, I had to learn a range of skills crucial for business success, including leadership, communication, analytical thinking and strategic decision-making. For this, I completed my master’s of business administration at Imperial College in London, which also offered a very diverse and global environment throughout the courses with a strong focus on innovation.
What professional development tools and resources, informal or formal, have you utilized?
As mentioned before, I’ve obtained multiple quality-related certifications from globally recognized institutes like the American Society for Quality, the International Organization for Standardization and the German Association of the Automotive Industry as well as a MBA from Imperial College in London and a certificate in persuasive communication from MIT, among others. But I’ve also leveraged multiple internal training sessions provided by our company through e-learning courses, webinars and onsite presentations. And of course, hands-on learning, which comes from day-to-day work and learning from my team, peers and stakeholders.
How are managers involved in the career development of direct reports?
The role of a manager in shaping and supporting the career development of their team members is absolutely critical. Personally, I consider myself fortunate to have a manager who places a strong emphasis on professional growth. In every performance review and feedback conversation, he not only supports my development efforts but also actively encourages me to pursue them and thoughtfully challenges me to reflect on what I’m doing to grow in this area.
As managers, it’s essential that we foster a culture where career development is not only acknowledged but prioritized. We need to proactively support our teams by recognizing the value of the time and effort they invest in growing professionally. This support can take many forms — ranging from making space in their schedules for learning activities to, when feasible, offering financial assistance for courses, certifications or conferences.
How has joining HERE positively impacted your professional and personal journey?
My experience at HERE has been overwhelmingly positive. Joining this company opened up a wide range of opportunities that have significantly enriched both my professional and personal journey. Professionally, HERE has been a transformative space where I’ve grown not only as a quality expert but also as a leader in a truly global, multicultural environment. I began by leading a small team focused on quality processes. Over time, I transitioned into a more strategic role, where I’ve had the opportunity to influence an organization of over 2,000 people — not just in terms of quality strategy, but also by contributing to broader companywide initiatives. This includes shaping business planning efforts and helping define the company’s long-term vision.
“Professionally, HERE has been a transformative space where I’ve grown not only as a quality expert but also as a leader in a truly global, multicultural environment.”
On a personal level, my journey with HERE took a pivotal turn when I relocated to another country. This move has brought immense growth through new experiences and challenges, along with deeply rewarding personal achievements. It has broadened my perspective, strengthened my resilience and added a rich layer of meaning to my overall journey.
What are you excited to accomplish next?
I’m truly excited to contribute to our company’s journey toward realizing our ambitious vision — where by 2035, our live maps will become the standard in every moving vehicle. It’s a bold goal and one I deeply believe in. HERE has a remarkable legacy, with over 40 years of innovation and impact in the industry. I’ve had the privilege of being a part of this journey for the past 14 years, and now I’m even more thrilled to be part of the decade ahead — one that will be pivotal in bringing our vision to life. I’m confident that along the way, we’ll experience both meaningful growth and significant milestones. More than just participating, I’m motivated to be an active driver of the changes, innovations and accomplishments — both big and small — that will shape our future and move us closer to making that vision a reality and reveal the promise in every path!
