C-Suite Conversations: Jesús Martínez Calls for Values-Driven Leadership and AI Transformation Without Losing the Human Focus
By JOSÉ ÁNGEL DE LA PAZ | EGADE BUSINESS SCHOOL
Integrity as a compass, delegation as a daily practice, and the discipline required to transform processes—beyond simply “buying technology”—were among the key takeaways shared by Jesús Martínez, CEO of GNP Seguros, during a new edition of C-Suite Conversations at EGADE Business School.
The session, held on January 23 in Monterrey, featured a conversation with Eva Guerra, Associate Academic Dean of EGADE Business School at Tecnológico de Monterrey, and was attended by students from the EGADE Full-Time MBA and the Master in Business Management.
Martínez argued that leadership begins with values and is confirmed through example. “I do not conceive of leadership without values,” he said, emphasizing that principles such as integrity, honesty, and loyalty must guide decision-making.
Along the same lines, he highlighted the importance of developing people through listening and support, as well as delegating responsibly—even when this involves accepting mistakes as part of the learning process. “Mistakes are allowed. What is not allowed is not acting,” he stated.
REAL TRANSFORMATION: BEYOND INVESTING IN TECHNOLOGY
On transformation, the executive warned that adopting artificial intelligence and new digital tools does not, by itself, guarantee better results.
In his experience, the real breakthrough occurs when organizations change the way they operate. He recalled an analysis of companies already using AI at scale, in which “only 5%” believed they were capturing value—largely because they had redesigned processes and ways of working.
In this context, Martínez explained that investing in technology is necessary, but insufficient if it is not accompanied by operational reengineering. He shared that, despite an uncertain environment, GNP will increase its technology investment by 60% this year to accelerate projects and strengthen capabilities.
He noted that the challenge is greater for organizations with decades of history and legacy systems, but stressed that investment must be aligned with process transformation in order to generate efficiency and value.
THE INSURANCE CHALLENGE IN MEXICO: GAPS AND OPPORTUNITIES
During his participation, Martínez also provided an overview of the role of insurance in social resilience and economic development, outlining the main challenges facing the sector in Mexico.
He pointed out that insurance penetration—measured as premiums relative to GDP—stands at 2.7%, below the Latin American average (3.2%) and far from the OECD average (9.3%) and the global average (7.4%).
In healthcare, he explained, the protection gap becomes more critical considering that, according to the World Health Organization, public health spending should reach at least 6% of GDP, while in Mexico it remains at 2.7%.
Regarding climate risks, Martínez warned that recent impacts do not necessarily stem from major catastrophes but from more frequent water-related events. He noted that in 2025, claims related to flooding and hydrometeorological risks increased significantly compared to previous years, reinforcing the need to protect assets, ensure business continuity, and strengthen recovery capacity.
In the case of SMEs, Martínez said that low insurance coverage is closely linked to their vulnerability and short average lifespan. He cited that globally, the average age of a company is 19 years, while in Mexico, it is 8 years.
In this context, he estimated that only 25% of SMEs have some form of insurance coverage, and stressed that expanding protection is essential to strengthening business continuity and decision-making in uncertain environments.
C-Suite Conversations is a series of events organized by EGADE Business School that brings students together with business leaders to share insights on leadership, transformation, and key management trends in Mexico and around the world.
