Soy Kiko Llaneras,
un ingeniero que escribe
I have written the book Think Clearly, now in its fourth edition in Spain and soon to be published in English and other languages.
I am a data journalist at EL PAÍS, the Spanish leading newspaper. I write to analyze what interests me, from elections to football matches.
I have a PhD and spent 10 years doing research.
Data Journalism
Visual and data team
I lead the EL PAÍS team devoted to visual stories, data journalism, and analysis. Here you can see my articles.
Newsletter
I write an exclusive newsletter for EL PAÍS subscribers, reaching 35,000 paying readers. If you want to try it, you can read it free for one month:
In 2024, I won the Vicente Verdú award.
Radio and TV
Since 2013, I have collaborated with many media outlets. Now I participate in the summer editions of Hoy por Hoy, Spain's leading morning radio show on Cadena SER.
X / Twitter
I write threads about my articles every week. Follow me on @kikollan so you don't miss any of them 🚀
My greatest achievement: Being featured in El Mundo Today (Spain's top satirical news site) as a data-obsessed maniac
Topics that interest me
Polls
I have published statistical models to predict elections in Spain, Mexico, France, or the United Kingdom, which have been cited in The Washington Post, WSJ, The Guardian, and Financial Times.
Forecasting
Every January, I make 60 predictions that I later evaluate (2024 and 2023). Additionally, with Borja Andrino, I have published models to forecast two FIFA World Cups and one UEFA European Football Championship.
Detailed maps
At EL PAÍS, we publish numerous street-by-street maps, showing detailed data on income, voting patterns, and tourist destinations.
Coronavirus
In 2020 and 2021, I devoted nearly all my time to reporting on the pandemic, the phenomenon of this century.
Bio
1981 - 1998
☀️ I grew up in Alfaz, a small town near Benidorm (in southeastern Spain)
I was a happy and street-wise child, but also introverted and somewhat obsessive. My life's lucky break? I managed to channel that tendency into paid activities.
2003 - 2015
🧪 I spent 10 years researching mathematical models of bacteria
I studied Industrial Automation and Electronics Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV). I graduated in 2005 as valedictorian and received a mention in the National End-of-Degree Awards.
I published a dozen JCR papers, which can be browsed on Google Scholar.
2007 - 2015
📱 I started writing a blog as a hobby…
But the Internet was booming, and it turned out there were many readers eager for data and charts.
2013 - 2021
🎱 I Wrote a Lot in Jot Down
Mostly about "cosas ñoñas", which is what Mar, her great editor, asked me for. About not being young anymore, my mother, Benidorm, happiness, stellar moments, kangaroos and great friends.
Also science fiction, starting with the 20 books to gift to those who (mistakenly) think they don't like it.
In Jot Down, I published what might be my most enduring article: "Surround yourself with people who easily enjoy life".
2015 - Today
🧭 Journalism ended up being my profession
In 2015, I left the University and in 2016 joined El País. People are surprised by this journey —how do you go from being an engineering professor to working at a newspaper?— but what I do isn't that different.
I make my living through a self-made trick: I deliberately obsess over something. I choose an interesting topic, work hard to understand its numbers, and then write to share what I've discovered. This process works equally well for predicting elections, writing about football, or tracking a pandemic.
In my book, I compile the ideas that help me in this task.
