Driving a future-facing people agenda with Cupra and SEAT

SEAT and CUPRA are car brands under the umbrella of SEAT S.A., the only company that designs, develops, manufactures and markets cars in Spain. SEAT S.A. exports more than 80% of its vehicles and is present in more than 70 countries. VP of People and Organisation, Laura Carnicero explains how the company is looking to the future.

Words by Jenny Holliday

Laura Carnicero

VP, People and Organisation

SEAT (Sociedad Española de Automóviles de Turismo) is a Spanish car manufacturer that was founded on May 9, 1950, by the Instituto Nacional de Industria (INI), a state-owned industrial holding company in Spain. SEAT was established with the goal of promoting the development of the Spanish automotive industry.

The company employs over 14,000 professionals and has three production centres – Martorell, El Prat de Llobregat and Barcelona. In 2018, SEAT launched CUPRA as a separate brand focused on high-performance vehicles. CUPRA models are derived from existing SEAT models but feature more powerful engines, sportier designs, and a distinct brand identity. The CUPRA Ateca was the first model introduced under the new brand.

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Fast forward to 2023, and SEAT S.A and CUPRA are focusing on initiatives with staff at their heart, including rolling out several initiatives to ensure staff feel heard and supported, which include leadership training sessions on e-mobility, industry 4.0, digital tech, 300 hours in L&D, and a one-day electrification experience for each employee with test drives and immersive workshops.