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Speaker Interview: María Martínez Campo, CEO, ERGO Travel Insurance
As CEO of ERGO Travel Insurance, María Martínez Campo brings over two decades of international insurance experience, and a career defined by stepping beyond her comfort zone, to the panel “Fragmented Canvases: Why Europe Still Struggles to Scale Innovation” at ITC Europe 2026 (28-29th May, Barcelona). With over 20 years of international experience across organizations like Munich Re, Laureate Education, and PwC, she brings a forward-looking, human-centered perspective to an industry often misunderstood as slow to innovate.
In this interview María shares why she believes travel insurance is on the cusp of reinvention through real-time data and embedded, proactive services; why trust is the true currency of leadership; and how lessons in choosing which battles to fight have shaped the way she drives sustainable growth and high-performing teams.
What’s been the most defining moment of your career so far?
It’s hard to point to just one defining moment. Looking back, it’s the decisions to step outside my comfort zone that have shaped me the most. Moving to London early in my career broadened my perspective and created opportunities I couldn’t have anticipated. Taking on my current role as CEO of ERGO Seguros de Viaje has been another defining step, one that continues to challenge me and accelerate my growth every day. Each of these moments reinforced one belief: growth rarely comes from staying comfortable.
What’s one misconception about the industry that you’d love to change?
One misconception is that travel insurance is slow to innovate. In reality, the opportunity to reinvent it with real time data, embedded models, and proactive services is huge, we’re just getting started.
If you could collaborate with anyone, past or present, who would it be and why?
I’d choose Albert Einstein. I wonder what he could achieve if he were alive in today’s fast paced, innovation driven world. The combination of his mindset and today’s technology would be extraordinary.
What’s one lesson from outside of insurance that has shaped how you work?
One lesson I’ve learned that applies across any industry is that trust is the real currency. Whether through the way you build relationships or the way you make decisions, acting with integrity and thinking long term is what truly enables sustainable growth and innovation.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Sometimes it’s better to be happy than to be right. Not every battle is worth fighting, you have to choose which ones to engage in and when to let go.