Leader’s Corner: Isabelle Duarte, Soldo

Meet Isabelle Duarte, the “accidental” marketing leader whose journey through the dynamic landscape of marketing has been nothing short of a “series of happy accidents”. 

As the CMO of Soldo, Isabelle Duarte’s career trajectory has been shaped by the spontaneous choices she embraced along the way. Describing her career development as "accidental" and fueled by "happy accidents," Isabelle reflects on pivotal decisions that unfolded unexpectedly, steering her towards unforeseen opportunities. 

Discover more about Isabelle’s role and extensive marketing career in this exclusive leader’s corner interview at The Studio.

Watch the full Leader's Corner interview with Isabelle Duarte:

Leader’s Corner insights with Isabelle Duarte

“I have found over the years that most of my big decisions have been because accidentally I was given a set of choices that I either decided to take or not to take.”

From improving her English to unexpectedly securing a rewarding job in the industry, Isabel's career is a testament to the power of “seizing the chance” and taking what has been offered to you.

Inspired to join the marketing profession by the desire for creative expression, she acknowledged the creativity that often draws individuals into the marketing realm. “I think a lot of marketers, intentionally or not, do come into this profession because there's quite a bit of creativity in us and I'm no different.”

Isabelle’s professional challenges have often centered around the struggle to be taken seriously. Reflecting on her journey, she highlights the initial language barriers she faced upon arriving in England:

“They would laugh at how I spoke and the expressions I used and the mistakes I made. That then makes it really difficult for you to be taken seriously at work.”

In the broader context, Isabel candidly addresses the persistent challenge faced by women in business—earning equal respect as their male counterparts, a hurdle she believes women still navigate today.

Despite these challenges, Isabel shares her method of overcoming obstacles: embracing the need to be better and leveraging her affinity for data to find her voice. 

As an operational CMO, Isabel positions herself as a thoughtful and introverted leader, dedicating time to listen and learn before embarking on solutions. 

Discover more and join us at the Technology Leaders Studio.

About Leaders Profiles:

The Leaders Profiles series offers exclusive insights and strategies from the industry’s top executives. As the ultimate hub for leadership excellence, we connect and inspire today’s top C-suite professionals—CIOs, CISOs, CFOs, CDOs, CMOs and CXOs—through in-depth interviews, quick video segments and strategic deep dives. Whether it's through Leaders Profiles or Leader’s Corner, our goal is to equip you with actionable insights and innovative strategies, directly from the minds shaping the future of business. Explore more on leadership trends and strategies at our Leaders Profiles hub.