Eight years building expertise in automotive brands, now leading communications for Kia
Across Latin America, three seasoned marketing professionals have stepped into expanded leadership roles, each carrying years of cross-industry experience into positions that demand broader regional vision. From automotive showrooms in Lima to energy corridors in Mexico City and technology hubs spanning Buenos Aires and Santiago, these appointments trace the quiet but deliberate restructuring of how multinational companies speak to their markets. In an era when brand identity and digital fluency have become inseparable, the movement of these executives reflects a deeper reckoning with how organizations build communications capacity from within.
- Multinational companies in automotive, energy, and technology are actively reshaping their Latin American communications structures, signaling that regional strategy is no longer an afterthought.
- Three senior professionals have moved simultaneously into expanded roles, suggesting a coordinated wave of talent repositioning rather than isolated hirings.
- Rocío Grillo Gálvez carries eight years of hands-on automotive brand management into Kia Perú's communications leadership, bridging operational depth with strategic reach.
- Daniela Castelli's transition at Exxon Mobil México from global brand marketing into regional digital communications director reflects the growing primacy of digital channels in energy sector outreach.
- Federico Golpe's arrival at ABB to cover Argentina and Chile points to a deliberate effort to unify marketing and communications under professionals who have navigated multi-brand, multi-market complexity.
- The pattern emerging across these appointments suggests Latin American marketing leadership is consolidating around executives who can manage increasingly complex portfolios as companies expand and integrate regionally.
Rocío Grillo Gálvez has assumed the role of head of communications at Kia Perú, drawing on eight years at Gildemeister Perú where she rose from marketing supervisor to marketing director for Motormundo and managed Hyundai's commercial vehicle lines as brand manager. Before that, she accumulated experience at Sodimac and Perú Champs. She holds a degree in public relations and applied communications from Universidad de San Martín de Porres.
At Exxon Mobil México, Daniela Castelli has moved from a global brand marketing and communications role into leadership of the company's digital and communications division for the entire region. With five years at Exxon Mobil and earlier stints at Petronas Lubricants International and Globallogic Latinoamérica, she brings a layered understanding of both corporate and commercial communications. She studied public relations and corporate communications at Universidad Argentina de la Empresa.
Federico Golpe has joined ABB as a marketing and communications specialist for Argentina and Chile, arriving from BGH Tech Partner where he led senior digital marketing across Latin America. His background also includes a chief marketing officer role at Balum and marketing work at Santander and Radio Sapienza. He holds a degree in social communication from Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales.
Taken together, the three appointments reflect a broader pattern: Latin American marketing talent is advancing from specialized brand and digital roles into wider regional leadership, as multinationals in automotive, energy, and technology restructure how they organize and communicate across an increasingly complex regional landscape.
Rocío Grillo Gálvez has taken on the role of head of communications at Kia Perú, bringing with her a substantial track record in automotive marketing across the region. For the past eight years, she worked at Gildemeister Perú, where she held several positions managing two major automotive brands. She served as marketing supervisor and later marketing director for Motormundo, and as brand manager overseeing Hyundai's truck and collective vehicle lines. Before that stretch at Gildemeister, she spent five years at Sodimac and three years at Perú Champs. Her formal training came through a degree in public relations and applied communications from Universidad de San Martín de Porres.
The appointment is one of three significant leadership moves announced across Latin America's marketing and communications landscape. At Exxon Mobil México, Daniela Castelli has shifted from her role in global brand marketing and communications into a new position directing the digital and communications division for the entire region. She spent more than two years in her previous post and has been with Exxon Mobil for five years total, having started as a commercial marketing advisor. Her earlier career included four years at Petronas Lubricants International and eight years at Globallogic Latinoamérica. Castelli studied public relations and corporate communications at Universidad Argentina de la Empresa.
Meanwhile, Federico Golpe has joined ABB as a marketing and communications specialist covering both Argentina and Chile. He arrives after spending more than two and a half years at BGH Tech Partner, where he led senior digital marketing efforts across Latin America. His résumé includes a stint as chief marketing officer at Balum, digital marketing work for Santander, and a marketing leadership position at Radio Sapienza. He holds a degree in social communication from Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales.
These three appointments signal a pattern of movement within Latin America's marketing and communications sectors, with professionals advancing from specialized brand management and digital roles into broader regional and communications leadership positions. The shifts span automotive, energy, and technology industries, suggesting ongoing restructuring of how multinational companies are organizing their marketing strategies across the region. Each executive brings years of experience navigating multiple brands and markets, positioning them to manage increasingly complex communications portfolios as companies consolidate and expand their regional operations.
Notable Quotes
Grillo Gálvez held multiple positions at Gildemeister including marketing supervisor and brand manager for Hyundai trucks and collective vehicles— Career history, Kia Perú announcement
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does a communications appointment at a car company in Peru warrant attention across the region?
Because it shows how talent moves through Latin America's marketing ecosystem. Grillo Gálvez spent eight years building expertise in automotive brands—not just one, but managing Hyundai and Motormundo simultaneously. That depth matters when you're stepping into communications leadership.
But isn't this just a job announcement?
On the surface, yes. But look at the pattern: three executives moving up at the same moment, each stepping from specialized roles into broader regional or communications leadership. That's not random. It reflects how companies are restructuring their marketing operations.
What does Grillo Gálvez bring that's different from someone hired externally?
Eight years inside the automotive sector in Peru. She knows the regulatory environment, the dealer networks, the consumer expectations. She's managed multiple brands, which means she understands how to balance different positioning strategies under one corporate umbrella.
Is there risk in promoting from within?
Always. But Kia is betting that institutional knowledge and proven track record outweigh fresh external perspective. She's worked at Sodimac and Perú Champs too, so she's not siloed—she's seen different industries.
What about Castelli's move at Exxon Mobil?
That's a vertical leap. She went from managing global brand work to directing digital and communications for an entire region. That suggests Exxon sees digital as central to how they communicate now, and they wanted someone who understands both brand strategy and digital execution.
So these moves are about digital transformation?
Partly. But more broadly, they're about companies consolidating communications functions and pushing decision-making closer to regional markets. These executives are being positioned to manage that shift.