Open and spontaneous, she asks me to wait before ordering her coffee and toast so she can remove her Invisalign. She returns without the aligners and orders her breakfast with determination and speed.
She describes herself as a very practical woman who doesn’t overthink things too many times. She is multifaceted—just as likely to be running as skiing—and always finds time to read a good book. She used to play the violin, but she locked it away in its case a decade ago.
She likes everything to flow naturally. When she was about to give birth, they asked about her birth plan, and she responded that she didn’t have one, that things should happen as naturally as possible.
She always carries a huge backpack and a suitcase full of clothes in her car, just in case. She never travels without resistance bands or running shoes—a passion she discovered over two decades ago at Chapingo University in Mexico. She stays in great shape by also taking online yoga and pilates classes.
Your accent confuses me. I confess that she has me a bit disoriented because her Catalan accent gives her away.
Ha ha ha! Yes, I definitely have eight Catalan surnames. I live in Andújar (Jaén) for love and work for a company based in Almería, where I rent a house. But because I feel so connected to my homeland, I often ‘go up’ to Lleida. I was born in Bellver de Sió, a tiny village with around 30 inhabitants, completely different from the irrigated farmlands. Everything there is dry farming, cereal fields, and livestock. It fascinates and attracts me. I see beauty in that landscape where I grew up.
Do you spend your life on the road?
Yes, or on the train. For me, it’s completely normal. I’m used to it. I worked for five years in Barcelona, but I slept at home in Lleida every night. When I did my Ph.D. in Australia, our research center was two hours from Brisbane, where I lived, so I drove four hours a day.
What is your background?
I’m an agricultural engineer. It was the only option I put on my list of possible degrees. I knew I’d get in because I had an excellent GPA and the admission cutoff was relatively low.
Why were you so sure?
Because I love my village and its land—I’m the daughter of a farmer and a livestock breeder. When I arrive in Bellver, I feel at home. I enjoy the same scenery I saw as a teenager while riding on the tractor with my father. I always knew I wanted to have a masía (traditional Catalan farmhouse), and in fact, I have one. But since I don’t live there, I turned it into a rural guesthouse. I renovated and decorated it myself. And you know what?
What…?
“I got into interior design while restoring it, and my masía was featured in one of the most prestigious magazines, Casa Rústica. I did everything with a lot of imagination, repurposing various materials. Now people from the village call me saying, ‘Anna, I have this item—do you want it?’ I find it very relaxing to read interior design magazines, and I have a big collection. I always try to do little projects, especially in the viña (country house) we have in Sierra Morena. Though, to be honest, I have no more space left, either in Lleida or Andújar.”
How do you manage four houses?
Logistics aren’t that complicated if you plan. I have clothes everywhere, toothbrushes, and running shoes, plus the ones I always carry in my backpack. And when I go to my hometown, I travel light because I wear my sisters’ clothes.
PHOTO GALLERY: Anna Pedró: Pure energy
You joined BASF in an unexpected way, didn’t you?
“Yes, totally. I was planning to stay in Australia for my Ph.D. and a job, but I returned to Spain to visit my family. My eldest sister thought that if I came back, I wouldn’t leave again. Without telling me, she sent my resume to BASF. I had the interview, told them I had a job in Australia, but they hired me anyway. I worked in various chemical departments, though I always knew I’d end up in BASF Agro. And here I am, now in the Nuhnems division.”
Another unusual aspect is that you became the commercial director for northern Spain while living in the south.
They agreed to it, but I had everything planned—since the Córdoba-Zaragoza train takes two and a half hours, my hometown will always be my logistical base, allowing me to spend weeks there.
What book do you have in your backpack?
Probably one for my daughter, and for me, a beautiful copy of The Little Prince. I’ve read it several times, but I always go back to it. This one was a gift from my mother-in-law in Porto, from Lello Bookstore, one of the most beautiful in the world. I also have another book in my car about Frida Kahlo. When I arrived in Mexico, I became fascinated with her paintings and those of Diego Rivera.
Why did you stop playing the violin after so much effort?”
Because I realized I wasn’t very good at it, and it wasn’t worth investing so much time in something if you can’t give it 100%.
Has motherhood changed your life?
Yes and no. I’ve always done what I wanted to do. Now, what I truly enjoy is spending time with my daughter. Life has different stages, and I’m sure I’ll have time later to do things that don’t feel as important to me right now. My daughter, María, who is now two and a half, has me completely smitten.
What do you do on weekends?
Even if it doesn’t seem like it, I’m very home-oriented. I love the warmth of a fireplace and being with my family. Many times, I don’t plan anything and just let things flow.
