Pepe Borras

From Valencia to New York City, my career has been an eclectic journey driven by a commitment to social impact. I now have over a decade of experience leading transformative projects at the intersection of technology and society, but my journey began in the advertising industry as a creative copywriter, eventually expanding into technology and social entrepreneurship. In 2014, I pitched an idea to the U.S. Department of State, which led to the creation of my first social venture, the Internet Freedom Festival, the first global network connecting digital rights advocates across 140 countries. Currently, as the Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at NetFreedom Pioneers, I lead a team of hackers, engineers, and country specialists for the development of projects that enable the free flow of information in restrictive regimes like Iran and North Korea. My work has appeared in publications such as the Washington Post, Wired, AdAge, Libération, El Mundo, and El País and has earned recognition from major foundations and tech giants like Google and Meta. I was recently honored with the National Endowment for Democracy's 2023 Trailblazer Democracy Award. The Democracy Award is a distinguished award presented annually to recognize the courageous and creative work of individuals and organizations that have advanced the cause of human rights and democracy around the world. Notable honorees include Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, former President of Mexico Vicente Fox, journalist Veton Surroi, and, most recently, four civil society organizations focused on defending Ukraine during the current conflict.

How did IE help you get to where you are today?

My experience at IE, particularly through the IE Brown Executive MBA program, was transformative. The program’s focus on blending business education with the humanities deepened my understanding and approach to societal issues, provided me with a robust framework to approach complex problems, fostered an invaluable global network, and instilled a deep appreciation for diverse perspectives across business and social impact—key ingredients that have significantly amplified my impact in the realm of global digital rights and social innovation. I'm grateful to IE for empowering me to become a global social impact leader.

In what way is your work impacting the world?

What do you know about what kind of foreign media they consume in North Korea? Or about how they access the Internet in Iran when there is an Internet shutdown? Probably not much, and that’s where I come in. Currently, 4 in 10 people still don’t have access to the internet, and many of those who do live under constant digital threats, such as online censorship and pervasive surveillance. As Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at NetFreedom Pioneers, I design complex solutions to empower people in these restrictive environments—Iran, Afghanistan, and North Korea included. My work blends creativity, strategy, and cutting-edge technology to bypass restrictions and defend against digital threats. Our programs are democracy in action, with funding from significant foundations and the U.S. Department of State. Before joining NetFreedom Pioneers, I co-founded the Internet Freedom Festival, a visionary NGO. The IFF pioneered the first global network for digital rights groups, now empowering democracy advocates in over 140 countries. Under our leadership, Valencia became a hub for digital rights advocacy, earning the title of "Digital Rights World Capital." The initiative garnered significant support from Open Society Foundations, Ford Foundation, and tech giants like Mozilla, Twitter, Facebook, and Google. Sue Gardner, former Executive Director of the Wikimedia Foundation, praised the IFF as a “profound advancement in the fight against digital attacks, censorship, and other cyber threats.”

What drove you to work for a cause that believes in the greater good?

What drove me to take the leap and dedicate myself to the greater good full time was realizing that there is a need for more creatives and professionals with strong business management and operations skills in the field. I’m naturally drawn to complex problems, and I wanted to offer my blend of creativity and entrepreneurship skills to contribute to advancing democracy worldwide. Working to improve the greater good is the most challenging and rewarding line of work. It is more a calling than a choice. Since my early career, I’ve always been interested in social issues. In my days working in the advertising industry, I would always start every new project with the question: How can I use the incredible platform that a well-known brand offers to do something good for the world? Promotions and giveaways are great, but making a real impact in society is lifechanging. A good example is when I “hacked” Spotify for a good cause. In 2012, I created "Listen to Help," the world's first stream-to-donate campaign on a music platform. By leveraging the existing royalty system, users who listened to our track automatically triggered donations to a nonprofit supporting deaf and hearing-impaired individuals in developing countries. The initiative was a hit, even earning praise from Spotify's CEO and Founder, Daniel Ek, who said, "I love it!"