Deborah Surek

SuperMãe.ai

Co-founder and COO

June 2026 - present

I created and co-founded SuperMãe.ai, an AI assistant for the family and kids logistics that fill a parent's head. It lives on WhatsApp, so there is no app to download and nothing new to learn. I went looking for this as a parent, didn't find it, and set out to build it. Because the mental load of family logistics still falls disproportionately on mothers, that's who we designed for first - but any parent can use it. As COO, I run the parts of the company that sit closest to families, schools, and partners: product direction, commercial strategy, and everything that turns a good product into one people actually adopt and stay with. What that lets a small team do: Grow through the people who trust us most. Community expansion isn't a marketing line item - it's parents telling other parents, and schools telling other schools. That word-of-mouth is the growth engine, and I build the relationships that carry it. Make schools genuine partners, not just distribution. Support for our business partners means onboarding them properly, listening to what they actually need, and making sure term dates, calendars and policies reach families from one approved source instead of a group chat. Keep the product honest to the parent it was built for. Every roadmap decision gets checked against the person it's for: does this reduce mental load, or add to it. That's the filter, and it's why parents and schools talk to us.

Building connections and a support network to help expats settle in Portugal.

Bottlepay

People Success

January 2021 - January 2023

Spearheaded development and implementation of a comprehensive people strategy, focusing on initiatives that significantly improved employee engagement, performance, retention, and overall satisfaction. Led the alignment of HR and People policies in the company acquisition process. - Oversaw employee lifecycle across 15 jurisdictions, guiding line managers through critical functions such as recruitment, on boarding, performance management, and off boarding with keen focus on enhancing employee engagement and retention. - Developed and enforced HR policies and procedures to ensure adherence to labour laws and regulations, aligning with the parent company NYDIG's policies and maintaining operational compliance. - Led strategic negotiations with key vendors, including Pension & Rewards partners and Global EOR/PEO services, in collaboration with Finance and Compliance teams, achieving optimised SLAs and fostering stronger partnerships.

What Does Not

Operations / Strategic Advisor

January 2020 - January 2021

Strategic operations advisor for a creative incubator.

Redmill Solutions

Global Account Director

January 2019 - January 2020•redmillsolutions.com/

Managed global clients' media data, encompassing planning, purchasing, and analysing media activity performance to optimise investments and strategies. Directed team, focusing on enhancing skills, fostering professional growth, and maintaining high morale and productivity. Provided expert advice to clients, aiding them in understanding and making informed decisions regarding their media investments. Spearheaded all aspects of media data analysis, leveraging operations teams in China and Turkey for support and delivering insightful reports to guide strategy. - Coordinated with stakeholders across 37 countries, including media agencies, product and tech teams, marketing divisions, and procurement, ensuring cohesive and strategic operations. - Oversaw global rollout of a new planning tool for Coty (Luxury Beauty), establishing a novel framework for both agencies and internal clients to streamline planning processes. - Acted as the senior point of contact for all matters related to account management, ensuring client satisfaction and resolving issues efficiently.

Braidr (former Found Studios)

Digital Media/People Operations Consultant

January 2018 - January 2019•braidr.ai/

Provided strategic advice and support to team leaders on hiring, on boarding, training, and development frameworks, ensuring seamless integration of new talents and fostering growth. Developed innovative approaches to work, breaking down barriers between siloed teams to improve collaboration and unity, leading to more cohesive and integrated project outcomes. - Supported SEO, Search, Social, and Performance Content teams in integrating brand strategies and planning, enhancing cross-functional collaboration and strategic alignment. - Streamlined the business operational model to deliver premier client services, optimising processes and workflows for efficiency and effectiveness.

Essence Mediacom

Worldwide Head of Operations (Organic Search)

December 2015 - April 2018•essencemediacom.com/

Led operations and strategy for Organic Search portfolio while ensuring effective management and integration of Organic Performance within media mix for both internal and external stakeholders. Oversaw team recruitment and hiring process, aiding Associate Directors in crafting ideal candidate profiles and attracting top talent across various levels of seniority. Developed strategic and operational frameworks that are scalable across local, regional, and global levels, aiding both internal teams and external clients. Cooperated with Business Directors to refine the SEO offering and bolster the SEO media P&L through enhanced sales support. - Managed and developed a large team of nearly 50 Organic Performance specialists, focusing on mentoring, development, and integration of the channel across agency partners and clients. - Collaborated with HR to drive key People Operations initiatives, enhancing staff engagement, retention, development, and growth. - Provided valuable assistance to the leadership team in creating market-leading services, including aspects related to hiring, structuring, partnerships, and client support. - Worked with major clients such as GSK, COTY, Allianz, British Gas, Nikon, BrandUSA, and Tempur, delivering tailored and effective Organic Search strategies.