For applying project management expertise to safeguard sensitive data and critical systems

Director of PMO at Datasys Group, S.A. | San Jose, Costa Rica

Coca-Cola’s proprietary soda recipe is safe from competitors’ prying eyes, thanks to Costa Rica–based project manager María Gabriela Urdaneta Ocando. As project management office (PMO) director for Datasys Group, S.A., she led the team responsible for ensuring the digital security of the global brand as it established a factory in Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, in 2022. “The electronic security of the plant was our responsibility, and it was very serious because, as you know, you have to protect the secret formula of Coca-Cola,” Gabriela says.

Gabriela is not a novice when it comes to complex projects that involve protecting sensitive assets, from securing bank transactions and hospital records to overseeing vaults, cameras, anti-fire protocols, and fingerprint capture for Costa Rica’s Central Bank. She also led the company’s Covid response in Costa Rican hospitals and managed the delivery of tablets to students through the country’s Department of Education.

Projects like these are “a huge responsibility,” Gabriela says, but two guiding principles shape how she approaches every project.

The first is her role as an orchestrator. “A project manager is the conductor of the orchestra,” she says. “They have a general vision of everything.” Her role is to make sure everyone plays together harmoniously, giving each player a moment to shine.

The second principle is maintaining a big-picture focus while staying on top of the granular daily details. Gabriela emphasizes that her projects’ influence extends beyond the client to the broader community The Coca-Cola project, for example, had social impacts and a ripple effect on the local economy. "The jobs it generated … it was so relevant,” she says.

Gabriela’s academic and professional background as an industrial engineer, combined with multiple project management certifications, have all prepared her for the work she does now. The latter, she says, “marks a before and after in my life. There was a María Gabriela before the certifications and a María Gabriela after them. I’ve learned how to confront and overcome challenges. As an immigrant to Costa Rica from Venezuela, I had to start all over again, and the certifications helped open doors for me. And, of course, professionally, they help me generate value for our clients.”

Despite her ample experience, Gabriela says she still finds plenty of opportunities to learn more about project management on a daily basis. Working in the technology sector motivates her to continually sharpen her skills because, as she explains, “the technology changes and updates every single day. There’s new information and new applications all the time, and your clients and their end users expect you to keep up with all of it.”

While Gabriela is interested in how these technologies offer new ways of managing projects, she emphasizes that it’s important to balance excitement and curiosity about new tools with the know-how about when and how to apply them. “Every project’s management is based on its necessities, not necessarily on your tried-and true methods,” she explains. “Artificial intelligence and other technologies might not be appropriate for every single project.”

Gabriela’s journey has taught her lessons she’s eager to share with younger project managers. “My advice for them,” she says, “is to always tell the truth. Don’t ever lose sight of your ethics and your professionalism. Keep your eye on your North Star.”

Finally, she shares the secret that motivates everything she does as a project manager: “Everything turns out better when you’re on a team. That’s true in projects and in life,” she says. “Talk—and listen. Everyone has a point of view that’s important.”

The camaraderie and the outcomes her teams achieve are what light her up and keep her passionate about project management. Gabriela hopes new professionals entering the field will share her enthusiasm: “It’s the best job in the world!”