At just 26 years old and Universidad ORT Uruguay of Universidad ORT Uruguay with a bachelor’s degree in Communication, Amalia Navarrete took on the immense challenge of advising Marta Jara—president of the state-owned giant known as the National Administration of Fuels, Alcohol, and Portland Cement, or ANCAP—on corporate communications.
Not only because it is one of the largest companies in the country, but also because she took on this role during a very turbulent period for the company, the ORT graduate had to put all her knowledge into practice and develop a strategy to improve ANCAP’s internal and external communication.
In this context, Navarrete spoke about her experience as a communications advisor at ANCAP, the challenges she faced, and how her time at the university influenced her professional performance.
How would you describe your work as a freelance communications consultant?
Working as a freelance communications consultant is incredibly challenging. You might find yourself working for large corporations, small startups, one-off projects, or public figures, so you have to be very versatile to adapt to different needs and goals. I think that’s the biggest challenge: understanding the context well enough and having the strategic vision to be able to work effectively and add value for each of the people or clients you engage with.
In your experience as a communications consultant at ANCAP, what were the main challenges you faced?
My experience as a communications consultant at ANCAP was truly wonderful and enriching, both personally and professionally. It was a great challenge.
I joined the company a year after the new board took office, and ANCAP was going through a major crisis that everyone is aware of. There were two main areas that required immediate attention when I arrived: external communications and internal communications.
When it came to external communications, public opinion was a major challenge because every day the situation was the same: we’d open the newspaper or turn on the radio to see what was being said about ANCAP and what was happening. We didn’t really have control over that information; we weren’t managing it strategically, and it was very difficult to do so.
On top of that, there was the internal climate—which perhaps wasn’t widely known, but the impact that the company’s crisis had on the teams was significant. As the country’s largest company, ANCAP has a huge number of employees, and all of them, in one way or another, were affected by what had happened. There was a significant loss of trust, so it was both crucial and challenging to start addressing that issue from day one.
Normally, when you start a new job, you take the time to get to know everything little by little. In this case, however, things were different: when I joined the company, I had to take immediate action, because that’s what the company demanded and what public opinion—which was putting a lot of pressure on us—expected.
What is it like to manage communications for a company that has, on several occasions, been under public scrutiny?
For me, it meant a great deal of responsibility, not only because it is a state-owned company—which belongs to all Uruguayans—but also because it was closely tied to the image of its president at the time. Whatever I decided or recommended had significant repercussions, not only for ANCAP but also for its president.
When I joined the company, I had to act immediately, because that was what the company and public opinion demanded, and the pressure was intense
How did the work with the media go?
I believe that, in this regard, the role of the corporate communicator is essential. In the case of ANCAP, the impact was very positive.
Since I joined, we’ve been working hard on transparency and media relations. We focused on the website, press releases, press conferences, and workshops. We tried to ensure that the media had access to topics that can sometimes be complex but need to be covered because of their importance to the country—and, above all, that they had access to information.
As for that project, I think that after a while, the results were very positive and our relationship improved significantly.
Given the crises you had to deal with, what were the key factors in your communication efforts?
During my tenure, there were several instances of quite severe crises. I believe that the key to navigating them lies in proactive work, transparency, and the use of accurate, high-quality information. That way, our communications are well-grounded. In that regard, once again, the relationships we had already established with the media were very helpful, and that exchange was very positive. It’s also important to note that the president’s vision and the importance she placed on communication were key factors, as they allowed us to work professionally and across the entire company. I believe that was a key factor in building teams and moving forward professionally.
Personally, what kind of mark would you like to leave through your work?
I would like to make communication the means to achieve better solutions that enhance the value of every person, company, or idea.
To weather crises, the key lies in proactive efforts, transparency, and the use of accurate, high-quality information
How do you remember choosing the Bachelor’s degree in Communication and your time at ORT?
Personally, I really enjoyed studying at ORT, and those were some wonderful years. I really enjoyed going to class and learning about the ideas, trends, concepts, and case studies. I also found it very rewarding to challenge myself to think a little more deeply. It was a wonderful time.
Which of the skills you gained from ORT’s Bachelor’s Degree in Communication do you think have had the greatest impact on your professional career?
I think I’ve used everything I learned in college in one way or another, especially in my most recent role as a consultant at ANCAP.
The tasks we undertook—such as managing a crisis, working on internal communications, designing a survey, or presenting an annual report—helped us develop a strategic vision, which is the most important thing, and enabled us to approach every challenge that arises with that mindset.
Today, it’s almost impossible to be an expert on every single issue you’ll face at work, but it’s very important to have a strategic vision and a general understanding of each area—and if you need to focus on a specific issue, do so in a professional manner.
The activities we undertook at university—such as managing a crisis, working on internal communications, designing a survey, or presenting an annual report—helped us develop a strategic vision, which is the most important thing, and enabled us to approach every challenge that arises with that mindset