The second edition of Conexión 21 took place on July 3rd, consolidating itself as a meeting space for the different generations that have been part of the 21 Young People of Grupo T21 , an initiative that brings together professionals who, through their talent, vision and leadership, have contributed to the transformation of the transport and logistics sector.
During the evening, more than 50 young people from this community participated in an exchange of experiences with industry leaders, who shared personal stories, professional challenges, and key moments that shaped their careers. The goal was to foster a close dialogue with the new generations beginning their development within these strategic sectors of the economy .
The day began with the participation of Patricia Pérez Salazar, general director for Mexico and Central America of AP Moller-Maersk , who recounted part of her professional journey and the challenges she faced to reach the position she currently holds within one of the most important companies in maritime transport and logistics globally.
Through her experience, the executive highlighted the importance of perseverance, continuous learning, and adaptability in building a solid career in an increasingly dynamic and competitive environment. Her presentation served as a starting point for a conversation focused on leadership, professional growth, and the opportunities the industry offers to new generations.
She recalled her professional beginnings, especially when her time in China was her first “humbling experience.” Four languages, proper credentials, proper universities. I’m ready for many doors to open for me, and I wanted the doors of a company that, living in Colima, I saw the containers of a star, but I didn’t even get to the application process.
During her presentation, “The Value of Rewriting the Script ,” she stated that those doors opened in Mexico, where she began another great dream: building a family. However, a mentor of Danish origin challenged her to push beyond her comfort zone, “and my profile began to be redefined.”
“My profile began to grow and brought me closer to that goal I had set a few years prior, and for the last four years I’ve had the responsibility of leading Maersk Mexico. Getting there isn’t the point; it’s about leading and knowing that the version you arrive at is one that still makes mistakes, that is evolving, learning, looking for ways to face different market realities, looking for different ways to lead an organization, and that’s where the learning lies. There were a thousand decisions and experiences that were made every day to push forward and to recreate, rewrite, and edit that script to reflect reality or the type of responsibility I wanted to have in the future,” he expressed.
In that sense, he told the new generations of young people in the industry that “they can reinvent themselves as many times as they want, start over and redirect the car ,” adding that during the process of redefining their career path, “it’s not the title but what you are reaping because you are reaffirming your identity.”
The conversation continued with Romualdo Tellería Gómez, CEO of Grupo Industrial Tellería , who recalled the beginnings of the family company that was founded in 1968 by his grandfather, marking the start of an “amazing story. My grandfather founded more than 20 companies throughout his life, some of which were publicly traded, one of them being in charge of cement distribution.”
He emphasized that even though they were one of the main cement transporters, they moved on to moving oversized cargo and that’s how the logistics firm was born.
“It arose from a need, from a problem that wasn’t my grandfather’s but his client’s. One of the first lessons is that many times we see problems outside and we have two options: to say that it’s not my problem or to put ourselves in our clients’ shoes and make them our challenges; that’s how new companies and new businesses can be consolidated in a group where they didn’t exist before,” he pointed out.
Similarly, he maintained that behind a canceled contract that appears to be the end, “it can actually be the beginning , if you decide to see what lies behind this catastrophe that seems to cloud our judgment. The lesson is that behind a lost contract, you shouldn’t ask or lament why things happen to you, but rather what good might come after. Great opportunities arise from problems as serious as this.”
Meanwhile, Paola Núñez, Supply Chain Director at OfficeMax , highlighted her 27-year career, where she has worked in large companies until reaching the transportation and logistics sector.
He emphasized that sports and his family have been the driving force behind his professional achievements, although curiosity was an essential part of what “opened doors for me. I went down to the offices where customer orders were taken, where all the logistics operations took place, and I asked what they did, and that was the door that opened for me to spend 11 years at Cemex, with five positions in growth.”
Therefore, he maintained that limits “are in the mind ,” and that one must also have a service-oriented attitude, a willingness to learn. “Balance has been essential, balancing the circles.”
“All the challenges you set for yourself can be achieved as long as you have discipline and perseverance, as well as calmness. Follow your dreams, everything is possible, everything you believe and think,” he assured.
In this way, Conexión 21 reaffirmed its purpose of strengthening the bonds between those who have been part of this community , promoting learning, collaboration and the exchange of knowledge between established leaders and young talents who seek to make their mark in transportation and logistics.
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