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For this employee spotlight, we’re excited to recognize Marina Kotzias, our Compensation and HRIS Manager based in Atlanta.
In her role, Marina supports our teams behind the scenes by helping ensure our HR systems and processes run smoothly—work that plays a critical role in supporting employees across Arauco North America.
Known for her reliability, attention to detail, and collaborative approach, Marina is a trusted partner to many teams and a key contributor to keeping our operations connected and efficient.
Q&A with Marina:
What is your role at ARAUCO, and what does a typical day look like for you?
As a compensation and HRIS manager, a typical day for me is a mix of strategic work and technical problem-solving. I might be reviewing compensation data and analytics in the morning, meeting with HR or IT teams to discuss system integrations or process improvements, and later troubleshooting system issues or designing new workflows that improve how HR and the business operate. A big part of my role is also cross-functional collaboration. I work with HR business partners, finance teams, IT developers, and external consultants across multiple regions to ensure our systems and processes support the organization effectively. Ultimately, my focus is on building scalable HR processes and systems that provide accurate data, improve decision-making, and create a better experience for both employees and HR teams.
What motivated you to join ARAUCO?
ARAUCO operates in an industry that is both global and operationally complex, which naturally creates opportunities to build and improve systems and processes. That was very appealing to me because I enjoy working in environments where there is room to innovate, optimize, and continuously evolve how things are done. Another factor was the infinite possibilities for growth. ARAUCO is a company that operates across multiple countries and functions, which means you’re constantly exposed to new challenges, new perspectives, and new opportunities to expand your skill set. For someone like me who is naturally curious and motivated by learning, that environment was very attractive. I was also drawn to how ARAUCO does business, the long-term mindset, the focus on sustainability, and the emphasis on collaboration across regions and teams. It creates an environment where you can work on meaningful initiatives that have real operational impact. Ultimately, I saw ARAUCO as a place where I could grow professionally while contributing to building better systems, stronger processes, and more efficient ways of working across the organization.
What do you enjoy most about your job and the work you do?
What I enjoy most about my job is the opportunity to solve complex problems and improve how things work across the organization. I also find a lot of satisfaction in working with data and systems to support better decision-making. Whether it's compensation planning, system integrations, or improving data flows between platforms, I enjoy building structures that make information more reliable and easier for leaders to use.
Can you share a memorable experience at ARAUCO?
One memorable experience for me at ARAUCO has been working on large cross-functional initiatives that bring together HR, IT, and business teams across different countries.
How do you stay motivated and continue to grow professionally?
Honestly, a lot of my motivation comes from who I am as a person. I’m naturally curious and always looking for ways to learn and improve things. During my time at ARAUCO, I’ve had the opportunity to move across different areas from logistics, to systems and projects, and now into HR systems and compensation. Each transition allowed me to build a new perspective and develop different skills, while still focusing on what I enjoy most: improving processes and connecting systems with business needs. What keeps me motivated is the constant opportunity to learn something new and take on new challenges. Whether it’s understanding a new technology, improving a process, or collaborating with teams in different regions, I enjoy stepping into areas where I can grow and expand my knowledge. I also make an effort to stay proactive about my development learning from colleagues, exploring new tools and technologies, and taking on projects that push me outside of my comfort zone.
What advice would you give to someone starting in your field or role?
One piece of advice I would give is to stay curious and try to understand how the business really works beyond just the system itself. In roles like HRIS or compensation, it’s easy to focus only on the technical side, but the real value comes from understanding the business processes behind the system. The more you understand how HR, finance, operations, and leadership make decisions, the better you can design systems and processes that actually support the organization. I would also encourage people to be open to learning from different areas. My own path has included roles in logistics, systems, and now HR technology and compensation. Each experience helped me see the organization from a different perspective, which is incredibly helpful when you’re working on cross-functional projects. Another important thing is to not be afraid to ask questions and get involved in projects. A lot of growth in this field comes from exposure to new challenges—implementations, integrations, process improvements and those experiences build both technical and strategic skills. Ultimately, if you stay curious, collaborative, and willing to learn, this field offers a lot of opportunities to grow and make a meaningful impact on how organizations operate.
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Our Atlanta team recently had the opportunity to give back to the local community by participating in a service project with Trees Atlanta. This hands-on experience allowed employees to come together outside of the workplace, support environmental stewardship, and make a meaningful impact right here in our city. It was a great example of teamwork in action and a reflection of our shared commitment to sustainability and community engagement.
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