The businesswoman opened markets in the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Latin America with companies such as Parfois, Pronovias and Guess.
Women have long been underrepresented in the motorcycle world, a sector historically dominated by men both on the track and in street culture. The trend is changing. For example, in Spain, 6,884 women earned A2 licenses in 2015, and that number rose to 12,441 by 2021, according to the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT). This shift marks a broader movement toward gender parity in motorsports and related industries.
Motokart, a leading Catalan brand in motorcycle equipment distribution with a European footprint and last year recording approximately 80 million euros in revenue, is led by Silvia Bach. Born in Barcelona in 1975, Bach is a sports enthusiast with an international career. She notes that motorcycles remain part of a highly masculine industry. She highlights achievements such as supporting the top competitor who became a world champion in motorcycles for eight consecutive years, a testament to the persistence and excellence she helps foster.
In Barcelona, Bach sits at the helm of a board that oversees 370 employees and oversees strategic projects that span international markets. A devoted long-distance triathlon athlete, she also owns five adopted dogs. Her routine includes training up to 15 hours a week. She has abstained from eating meat for three decades and has never felt the urge to start a family through motherhood.
traveler’s profession
Her career began in Madrid, progressed through Barcelona, and extended to the United States and Switzerland. Along the way, she lived in the Czech Republic, Russia, and Sierra Leone, using seven languages in her daily work. As a child, she dreamed of becoming a war correspondent or the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Today, those ambitions reflect a desire to impact on a global stage through rigorous storytelling and leadership, not a single role.
After years as a journalist with prominent outlets like COPE and TV-3, this globe-trotting professional drew the attention of Stradivarius, who invited her to help expand internationally. The Inditex group acquired Stradivarius for about 110 million euros in 2003, and the brand had previously only operated in Spain and Portugal. The decision to bring Bach on board opened doors across many countries, and she recalls that moment as a pivotal life lesson and a catalyst for her career growth.
Her career path led to roles as director and global director of Guess operations in Europe, as well as managerial positions at Pronovias and Parfois in Spain. These experiences helped her open dozens of markets across the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Latin America. She describes those years as fascinating—moments when she learned to adapt projects to different cultures and base them on solid strategic principles rather than fashion alone. She emphasizes that fashion never fully captivated her; instead, she thrived on evaluating projects, tailoring them to diverse markets, and building plans grounded in real-world execution.
Her drive to tackle challenges is part of her belief that motivation wanes without them. When asked to lead a company like Motocard, she didn’t hesitate. She chose to pursue an omnichannel strategy and has since fallen in love with the industry, watching Motocard come alive in new ways.
Value the environment
Leading a team often comes naturally to her, perhaps because she is the eldest of seven siblings. She places people first, appreciating the confidence they give her while returning that faith to others. If disagreements arise, she believes they can push a team to grow, so long as the conversations stay constructive. Her company, Solsona, serves 135 countries and was acquired in 2018 by Abac Capital, a private equity firm. She stepped into a controlling stake after acquiring 75 percent of the company, marking a milestone in her leadership journey. Note: some biographical details reflect contemporary professional milestones and may be updated over time in public records.
Beyond business metrics, she actively seeks to add value to society and the environment. Under her guidance, Motocard earned the B Corp certification for sustainability, inclusion, and governance. The transformation involved reorienting procedures and activities to meet the certification criteria, a process that took about a year and a half. Notable sustainability changes included eliminating a printer, reducing water and energy use, and trimming packaging by two tons.
In her personal life, she enjoys discovering new coffee shops, trying fresh restaurants, watching Netflix, and listening to podcasts during travels. She even explored self-publishing a book on Amazon, a choice she characterizes as a potential way to improve store performance. Public speaking remains a staple, and she teaches at several universities. Yet she often believes the most valuable lessons come from trial and error—lessons about managing emotions, resolving conflicts, and making decisions that no classroom can perfectly teach.
reach the soul
Bach’s guiding philosophy centers on a sense of freedom within professional roles. She seeks positions that offer autonomy and the responsibility to lead people, rather than titles alone. She believes that people are ultimately remembered for what they do, a truth she learned during her time with Inditex. She also argues that excluding women from leadership is a mistake because they understand the promise and pressure of ambitious projects. Her career stands as a testament to results, leadership, and the belief that capable women belong at every level of management.