In an era of rising environmental regulation, supply-chain disruptions, and increasing pressures for sustainability, growth in the packaging and plastics industry is anything but straightforward. Naiara Loroño Zabala, Chief Commercial Officer at Cabka, stands at the intersection of commercial development and environmental responsibility, helping the company deliver innovative transport packaging solutions made from recycled plastics while meeting demanding performance, durability, and regulatory standards.
In her first C-suite role, Naiara’s remit encompasses navigating global market shifts, driving circularity in product design, and building a resilient team that balances cost, quality, and sustainability. In this interview with Margaret Jaouadi, Naiara shares how she’s tackling the sector’s most pressing challenges, what she’s learned about leadership in times of change, and her advice for future commercial leaders.
Special thanks go to Rafael Alvarado, Sector Lead for Packaging and Consumer Goods (FMCG), EMEA at Pacific International Executive Search, for introducing Naiara Loroño to Margaret Jaouadi.
Margaret Jaouadi
What led you to your current role as Chief Commercial Officer at Cabka?
Naiara Loroño
Well, I have been working in sales and marketing for almost twenty-two years now. My career has always focused on commercial strategy and international business. I actually started as an export area manager, and from the beginning, I developed a very customer-centric approach to innovation. I quickly realised that sales cannot exist in isolation from marketing and other parts of the company, so I have always tried to bring everything together to create something more than just sales.
Over the years, I have held several leadership roles across different sectors, but I have spent more than 18 years in injection plastics. I have worked in consumer goods, from garden furniture and household products to toys, and later moved into material handling in 2012. In between, I also gained experience in services, banking, and finance. But plastics have always been the main thread throughout my career.
What really drives me is growth, both in the business and in people. When I started leading teams, I discovered how rewarding it is to help others grow and build high-performing sales organisations.
Joining Cabka felt like a natural next step. I came from a company in the same industry, so when the opportunity arose in 2018, I saw it as a chance to continue growing in a larger, more global organisation. What truly drew me to Cabka, though, was not only the alignment with my professional background but also its commitment to the circular economy. I was inspired by the idea of contributing to something bigger than business growth, something that connects with my personal purpose of helping reduce our environmental footprint and creating a better planet for the future.
Margaret Jaouadi
That sounds wonderful. Can you tell us what the role encompasses day to day, and was there anything that surprised you when you stepped into the C Suite? And finally, what would you consider your most significant achievement so far?
Naiara Loroño
Day to day, I oversee global sales, marketing, customer service, and product management. My focus is to ensure our commercial strategy is fully aligned with the company’s operational capabilities and market developments.
What surprised me most when I took on the role was the depth of cross-functional integration required. I was already leading sales within the company, but taking full commercial responsibility showed me how interconnected everything truly is —from the supply chain and materials to innovation. In this role, beyond managing sales and customer relationships, I spend a lot of time working internally to define what we should bring to market. That means staying ahead of market trends while ensuring the rest of the organisation is ready to deliver on that vision. It involves close collaboration with departments that design, produce, and develop our products, so alignment is absolutely key.
My most significant achievement so far has been leading the transformation of our commercial organisation to become more data-driven and agile. We operate in a business-to-business environment, which has traditionally been more conservative than business-to-consumer. That meant we had to evolve our way of working, moving from a traditional model to one that reflects how modern buyers think and behave.
Just like in our personal lives, the way we make purchasing decisions has changed dramatically. Companies now expect faster responses, greater transparency, and more tailored solutions. Adapting to that reality while managing our global footprint — since we deliver to more than eighty countries — has been both the most significant challenge and the achievement I am most proud of.
Margaret Jaouadi
Can you explain why you say it is no longer business-to-business but more business-to-consumer?
Naiara Loroño
It is still business-to-business, but the way we do business has changed completely. We serve different industries, yet our customer interactions have evolved significantly. In the past, business-to-business was more about having a good product, producing it in large quantities, and then pushing it into the market.
Today, it is no longer about pushing products. It is about helping customers. That is why I say the customer, or in our case, the company we serve, is now in the driving seat. When I started twenty years ago, the focus was more on what the company had to offer, its products and value, and the goal was to sell. Now it is not about going out and selling. It is about understanding the customer’s challenges, figuring out how we can improve their business, and delivering real solutions.
The power has shifted from the product’s producer to the customer, who decides which partner to work with. Whether the customer is a company or an individual, what matters most is how well we understand their needs. That is why I draw the comparison to business-to-consumer: in both cases, the decision-making process has become much more customer-driven.
Margaret Jaouadi
Yes, exactly. So if you have two suppliers of pallets like Cabka, companies are more likely to partner with and purchase from the one that listens to them, takes their feedback on board, and helps them grow in the direction the market is taking them.
Naiara Loroño
Exactly. It is about the customer experience. Companies do not choose Cabka just because it is bigger. Of course, in some projects, size matters, and large companies often prefer suppliers that can match their scale. But beyond that, the real difference lies in how well we listen to and respond to our customers’ needs.
It is about the value we bring to our clients beyond the product itself. Are we anticipating their needs? Are we innovating and bringing those innovations to them quickly? Are we taking care of them and helping them stay ahead of the market? Those are the questions that define a true partnership.
In the end, decisions are no longer based only on price, reputation, or a company’s size. They are based on how much value we create for the customer and how committed we are to their success.
Margaret Jaouadi
That makes perfect sense. Thank you so much. So what are the most pressing growth challenges you face in today’s uncertain environment, whether in the market, operations, or organisation, and how are you addressing them?
Naiara Loroño
The biggest challenge right now is navigating ongoing supply chain volatility while maintaining strong service levels and pricing discipline. The last five years have been extremely demanding, starting even before the pandemic. Operationally, we have had to rethink our inventory strategies and strengthen partnerships with suppliers.
Within the organisation, we also needed to align global teams around shared goals and adapt to hybrid work environments that emerged after the pandemic. Achieving this has required new leadership approaches focused on flexibility and collaboration.
We are addressing these challenges by investing in digital tools, improving internal communication, and fostering a culture of resilience and ownership. Overall, we are in the middle of a transformation. We remain a business-to-business company, but we are moving from a mainly product-oriented to a fully customer-centric approach. In this model, service and value creation are the main drivers of growth.
This transformation touches everything, from how we do marketing to how our teams engage with customers. It requires continuous training, skill development, and a shared commitment to bring this new vision to life in the market.
Margaret Jaouadi
Thank you. And how do you balance investing in new products or service innovations with strengthening existing customer relationships? What metrics or signals guide your decisions on where to allocate resources?
Naiara Loroño
That is always a constant balancing act. We use a robust customer feedback loop, supported by marketing intelligence and lifetime profitability metrics, to guide our decisions. We ask ourselves: what is the market demanding? Do we already offer it? Are we competitive enough? Do we need to invest in new products? These insights often come directly from our customers.
Innovation is critical, but it is also built on the trust of our existing customers. We prioritise initiatives that solve real customer pain points and have scalable potential. At Cabka, we have two business units. One focuses on portfolio products, which are standard solutions we bring to market for our existing customers and for new market introductions. Our strategic growth projections and our alignment with sustainability goals guide resource allocation in this area.
Since becoming a listed company in 2022, we have made firm ESG commitments that we regularly report on. These commitments influence not only our products, which are already highly sustainable, but also the way we operate as a company.
Our second business unit focuses on customised solutions. Major brands approach us with specific needs that require a custom approach, as these solutions are not yet available on the market. These projects may not have large-scale demand, but they are critical for the customer. Over the last five or six years, we have built successful partnerships with blue-chip companies such as with some of the top pooling players to develop their new containers or nestrack pallets, created a special big-bag pallet for one of the top beverage worldwide known companies to optimise their internal flows, or developed some specific solutions for the leading European OEMs in automotive industry such a container that is replacing the traditional metal box or special XXL-size pallet for tyres specifically designed for fully automated warehouses, all of them having something in common, being more sustainable than alternative solutions in the market.
So our investment decisions are always guided by a balance between customer demand and broader market trends. Of course, this becomes more complex when the market faces disruptions such as supply chain challenges, energy crises, or geopolitical instability. Every year brings new conditions, so we constantly adapt our priorities to stay aligned with both customer needs and long-term growth.
Margaret Jaouadi
Yes, it is never a quiet moment. By the time you have everything figured out, another factor comes up that you have to consider when making decisions. Exciting times. So how do you keep your commercial strategy agile when market conditions shift quickly? Can you share an example of how you have had to pivot or rethink priorities?
Naiara Loroño
Agility in today’s environment comes from planning, empowered teams, and real-time data. We cannot foresee the future, but we need to react quickly. Of course, we have our plans, but roadmaps today are much less predictable than they used to be. This is also true for customer demand. Five years ago, you could make a strategic plan for five years and have more certainty. Today, there are many unknowns, so while you still need to commit and align, you also need to remain flexible and dynamic. Political shifts, ESG agendas, and packaging regulations are more complex than ever.
A concrete example is during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. We had to maintain service for our customers in the food and pharmaceutical industries, which were highly critical at the time, even though our operations are heavy industrial, and we faced workforce restrictions. We adapted through virtual collaboration and flexible approaches. Each factory faced different limits, so aligning operations across five factories in Europe and one in the United States was a real challenge. Despite this, our employees’ commitment and teamwork allowed us to overcome those difficulties.
Soon after, we faced the energy crisis and supply chain disruptions. One week after Cabka transitioned from a private, family-owned company to a stock-listed company in Amsterdam, the war in Ukraine broke out, triggering additional challenges. We had material shortages, limited transportation, and energy disruptions, all at once. Transparent communication with our customers was essential. We had to explain the situation honestly while continuing to deliver service and fight for every shipment.
In 2023, economic and geopolitical uncertainties have put pressure on demand and pricing. Customers are cautious about making significant investments, delaying decisions, and adapting slowly. As a result, we pivot our go-to-market approach, explore new markets, and focus on less-affected industries. At the same time, we monitor evolving packaging regulations across Europe and the United States to ensure we are ready for any impact.
Through all of this, the key remains strengthening relationships with our customers. After these challenges, we have built a loyal customer base, and navigating the market together with transparency and trust enables us to remain agile and effective.
Margaret Jaouadi
Growth depends heavily on people. How do you design your talent strategy to meet immediate needs while also developing the future skills required to stay competitive? What do you look for in leaders within your team?
Naiara Loroño
We focus on building a diverse and entrepreneurial team with a growth mindset. Our talent strategy blends immediate capability-building, such as onboarding and developing commercial talent for new regions, with long-term development of people already part of the company. We do this through mentoring, cross-functional projects, and leadership programs. Since 2020, we have invested heavily in both external and internal leadership programs to further develop our company’s future talent.
When it comes to leaders, I look for strategic clarity, emotional intelligence, adaptability, resilience, and the ability to inspire and mobilise others. Over the last four or five years, many functional areas have faced significant growth challenges. Teams can get tired or lose motivation. One of the most essential qualities in a leader is the ability to bring energy and positivity to the team, to keep people engaged, and to inspire them to find new strategies, implement fresh ideas, and continue fighting with the same drive as on the first day.
Margaret Jaouadi
What role does technology play in your commercial function, and how is it evolving? You mentioned that you heavily rely on data, so I presume digital transformation is a vital part of that.
Naiara Loroño
Indeed, technology is central to the commercial area. Everything is connected to CRM systems and analytics, which provide a complete view of our sales cycle and customer interactions. Technology enables growth by helping us understand customer behaviour, optimise pricing, and deliver personalised engagement. CRM is not only about managing our pipeline and opportunities, but also about interacting with our customer and prospect database.
We have also implemented sales enablement platforms to streamline proposal generation and improve conversion rates. This is particularly important because we target many different industries, including retail, logistics, chemical, mobility, and food and beverage. Within these industries, decision-makers vary. Sometimes it is the purchasing manager, sometimes the supply chain manager, or even the sustainability team leading a project. Technology helps us identify who is responsible for addressing specific pain points and allows us to create tailored content and offerings that engage them effectively.
Because we operate in a niche industry, changes often take time. For example, most companies still rely on wooden pallets or containers. Switching to plastic involves significant changes to internal processes and production lines. Part of our work is helping customers understand the value of these changes and encouraging them to take action rather than waiting for the perfect moment, which may never come.
We also use AI tools to make teams in customer service, marketing, and sales more efficient. These tools help us track marketing trends, industry performance, and customer insights. Tasks that previously took a lot of time, such as preparing presentations or developing pitches, can now be completed much faster. These efficiency gains allow our teams to focus on higher-value work and become more effective in their day-to-day activities.
Margaret Jaouadi
What three pieces of advice would you give to leaders aspiring to step into a CCO role or other commercial executive roles in today’s turbulent environment?
Naiara Loroño
I would summarise it in three points. First, stay close to your customers. Their needs are evolving quickly, and relevance is key. You need to be ahead of the changes, talk to them, and truly understand their challenges. Being close to your customers is crucial.
Second, build adaptable and flexible teams. Agility and collaboration are more important than ever. You need high-performing teams that work together. How your teams operate is a key competitive advantage for the organisation.
Third, lead with purpose. Commercial success must be tied to meaningful impact, especially in today’s sustainability-driven environment. For me, that means leading alongside my team, being present on the frontline, and defending our corporate vision and mission. Purpose can vary by organisation, but what matters is believing in what you do and embedding that purpose internally and externally.
Margaret Jaouadi
I completely support that. If I may ask one question out of personal curiosity, how do you stay informed about what is around the corner? As a CCO, you have your plate full with day-to-day challenges, but you still need to keep an eye on the future. How do you track trends and anticipate what is coming?
Naiara Loroño
One of the most important things is staying close to the market. Industry experience helps because you know many stakeholders, customers, and associations. That familiarity makes it easier, but what really matters is paying attention to everyone around you, from competitors to customers and suppliers. Listening closely and observing how they operate provides insights you cannot find anywhere else.
I also make a point of attending congresses and industry events. They are invaluable because you get to learn from a wide range of industries. For example, recently I spent three days in Munich meeting people from different sectors who were discussing supply chain, utilisation, and sustainability. During these conversations, even if there is no immediate partnership opportunity, people often share insights into what they are experiencing, which helps me plan for the next five years.
Networking and maintaining permanent connections with the market and customers give you a heads-up on trends. Of course, you cannot predict everything, but understanding customers’ needs across different industries is essential. Public data and reports can be misleading because they often only give averages or estimations. For example, a country might show overall growth, but if your industry is not part of that growth, the numbers are not helpful. That is why it is critical to combine available data with direct market insight, understand pain points, and know which companies are really struggling.
In my view, curiosity and communication are key. Being genuinely interested in the market and actively connecting with customers and stakeholders allows you to anticipate changes and respond effectively.
Margaret Jaouadi
Thank you, Naiara, for your time and insights.
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