Chair of the CEOE Foundation and former Spanish Minister for Employment and Social Security.

She was Minister for Employment and Social Security in the Government of Spain from December 2011 to June 2018; Acting Minister for Health, Social Services and Equality from August to November 2016; Member of Parliament for Huelva in the Lower House of Parliament (2000-2019); Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Lower House (2018-2019); Member of the Board of Directors of Radio Televisión de Andalucía (1997-2000); and Chair of the CEOE Foundation and Independent Director of Laboratorios Rovi. She is an active member of a number of associations and NGOs, including Women Action Sustainability (WAS,) which aims to boost the commitment of companies, institutions, and society to sustainability.