Community Spotlight: Maria Soriano De Lassen
Maria Soriano De Lassen
Having built a career across six countries on four continents, Maria Soriano De Lassen has always embraced change. Being exposed to diverse cultures, she says, taught her the importance of staying open-minded and willing to learn from different perspectives. “They also showed me that there is rarely just one right way of doing things,” she told us in an interview.
Today, as Digital Business Developer at Weekday (H&M Group), she helps bridge the gap between business goals, technical implementation, and seamless customer experiences across e-commerce and omnichannel touchpoints. Rather than viewing technology as something abstract or separate, she sees it as deeply intertwined with people's lives.
Read on as Maria opens up about the importance of saying "yes" to opportunities before feeling 100% ready, and why staying curious is the most important skill in digital transformation.
Tell us about yourself and your current role.
I was born in Venezuela and grew up swimming in the Caribbean Sea. Since then, life has taken me across several countries and continents, from South Florida and Barcelona to London, Hong Kong, and eventually Gothenburg, where I've put down roots, built a home, and continue to enjoy life by the sea, even if the water is a little colder.
I currently work as a Digital Business Developer at Weekday, part of the H&M Group, where I work across business, customer experience, and technology. I work closely with product teams, developers, designers, and external partners to identify opportunities, solve customer problems, and continuously improve both our e-commerce experience and omnichannel services.
What first sparked your interest in tech?
I didn't set out with the goal of working in tech. I got here through being curious.
I started my career in research and consulting, working with some of the world’s biggest brands across Europe and Asia. That experience gave me exposure to a wide range of business challenges, from customer experience and brand strategy to operations and organisational change.
Through that work, I became increasingly interested in understanding customer behaviour and how businesses use insights to create better experiences. Over time, that curiosity pulled me closer to the customer and closer to the products and services that customers interact with every day. Moving from agency-side to an in-house role gave me the opportunity to take a bigger role in helping to solve them.
What keeps me interested in tech today is that it's ultimately about people. We often talk about technology as something separate from everyday life, but it's become deeply intertwined with how we live, work, communicate, and make decisions.
What challenges have you faced in your journey so far, and how have you navigated them?
I've been incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to live and work in six countries across four continents. While it's been hugely rewarding, every move came with a learning curve, from understanding cultural nuances to adapting to different ways of collaborating, communicating, and working.
These experiences taught me early in my career the importance of staying open-minded, adaptable, and willing to learn from different perspectives. They also showed me that there is rarely just one right way of doing things.
Looking back, I think those experiences have made me a more adaptable person, both professionally and personally. They've taught me how to navigate uncertainty, embrace change, and build meaningful relationships with people from all kinds of backgrounds and perspectives.
Looking back at your career so far, what is the one thing you are most unapologetically proud of?
I'm most proud of trusting my instincts and saying yes to opportunities, even when I haven't felt fully ready for them. Throughout my career, I've found myself in situations that pushed me well outside my comfort zone, whether taking on new responsibilities, leading initiatives, or stepping into unfamiliar areas.
It hasn't always felt comfortable in the moment, but I've learned that confidence often comes from doing rather than waiting until you feel ready. Skills take practice, and growth usually happens when you're willing to take that first step. Looking back, trusting that instinct has shaped my career far more than any five-year plan ever could.
What best sums up your outlook towards work or perspective in tech?
Technology moves fast, but that's what keeps it interesting. The work I'll be doing a few years from now may look completely different from today, and I find that exciting.
What advice would you give to others building a long-term career in tech?
My advice wouldn't be that different from what I'd give someone in any other industry. Stay curious. Be willing to learn from people around you. Seek out different perspectives, especially from people who don't think like you.
Technology changes incredibly fast, but the ability to collaborate, build relationships, and work well with others remains just as important, regardless of how the industry evolves. The best work I've been part of has never been the result of one brilliant individual. It happened when a group of people came together, challenged each other, and cared about creating something great.