Ayla Merino

Humor, rigor, and genuine human connection

I'm a Mexican comedian and facilitator, based between Berlin and Mexico City.

Photo 1 — Warm, close-up main portrait

The stage and every kind of audience

Over the last 7 years, I've performed more than 700 shows in Spanish and English on international stages in Mexico City, London, Prague, Hong Kong, Madrid, Berlin and other cities.

My solo show has toured several cities across Europe and Mexico. I've opened for Sofía Niño de Rivera, Carlos Ballarta, Ángelo Colina, Poly Díaz and Mónica Escobedo on their European tours.

I've learned to connect with very different audiences: from designing and facilitating virtual meetings and in-person leadership workshops for managers, to performing live in front of more than 600 people.

Photo 2 — Live on stage

The strategic foundation: Communication and Design Thinking

I was born and raised in Mexico City. I studied Communication Sciences because I've always been fascinated by how people connect and tell stories. After years navigating both corporate settings and social impact initiatives, I took the step and moved abroad.

I moved to Berlin for a Master's in Project Management and studied Design Thinking at Hasso Plattner Institute. That's where all the pieces clicked: I found the structure to tackle complex challenges and the empathy to truly hear what a team is experiencing. That journey led me naturally into consulting and facilitation.

Throughout it all, comedy traveled with me from Mexico. Stand-up hasn't just been my craft on stage; it has been an indispensable anchor for navigating the hurdles of migration, making sense of a new culture, and surviving the German winter (and the German language!).

Audience enjoying a comedy show

A philosophy of encounter

When I facilitate or work as an event host, comedy, communication and method come together: rigid agendas become living conversations, with dynamism and rigor, lightness and warmth.

Ayla Merino moderating an event in front of an audience

Key facts

  • I'm based between Berlin and Mexico City
  • I perform and facilitate in Spanish and English (ES/EN)
  • I've performed 700+ international shows
  • My solo show has toured Europe and Mexico