Letgo, Airlite and Holaluz Win IESE 40under40 Entrepreneurship Awards

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Alumni projects chosen for growth, innovation and social impact

Barcelona, November 29, 2017. – Marketplace app Letgo, paint maker Airlite and electric utility Holaluz won the first annual IESE 40under40 awards for alumni entrepreneurs, for founding companies that are both innovative and impactful.

The awards ceremony took place on the Barcelona campus, and recognized the 40 entrepreneur alumni under 40 years of age who have had an outstanding impact in developing new business projects. Of the 40 shortlisted candidates, three were chosen for the final prizes:

  • Enrique Linares, who co-founded unicorn startup Letgo, received the award for best growth trajectory;
  • Arun Jayadev, founder of Airlite, a revolutionary paint that reduces air pollution, won for most innovative entrepreneur;
  • Ferran Nogué, Carlota Pi and Oriol Vila, co-founders of electricity provider Holaluz, won for the project with the greatest social impact.

“These projects show the entrepreneurial spirit of our students, who are creating innovative new companies and initiatives with social impact. The 40under40 projects can offer future entrepreneurs inspiration to continue generating employment opportunities and initiatives that allow economic development,” said Prof. Maria Julia Prats, academic director of IESE’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center.

The jury was composed of national and international figures in entrepreneurship, such as Lucas Carné, co-founder of Privalia; Brian Cohen, founding partner and president of New York Venture Angels; Jonathan Moules, Financial Times journalist specializing in entrepreneurship; Pedro Nueno, professor of entrepreneurship at IESE; Raimundo Sala, general manager of PayPal; and Ignasi Salvador, innovation director of Celsa Group.

Three Award-Winning Projects

The three winning companies are involved in very different sectors and businesses.

Letgo, which won for best growth trajectory, is a second-hand marketplace app and one of the world´s most recent “unicorn” startups, achieving a valuation worth more than $1 billion in record time (502 days). The app helps people buy and sell second-hand products. To date it has received more than $375 million of investment, and has been downloaded 75 million times. Co-founder Linares is an MBA alum (MBA ‘06).

Airlite, the most innovative, uses nanotechnology to create a revolutionary new type of paint that helps combat air pollution. Intended to be used in homes, the paint purifies the air by neutralizing pollution by more than 80% and reducing bacteria by more than 99%. Jayadev (MBA ‘08) founded the company in 2015.

Holaluz, the startup with greatest social impact, is leading the transformation of the Spanish energy sector by accompanying its customers on the path towards a new sustainable model in which each one can manage their own energy. This transformation is achieved by guaranteeing 100% of the electricity it offers comes from renewables, putting the client at the center of decisions and building a long-term relationship based on trust. Holaluz forecasts €700 million in revenue by 2019. Its three founders are IESE Executive MBA alums.

IESE 40under40 list

The 40 successful entrepreneurs under 40 years of age featured in the final shortlist have together generated 2,197 jobs, raised €544 million in external investment and earned €251 million in annual revenues. Half of the startups featured in the list were launched within the last five years, and 17% of them got them off the ground without using external investment (bootstrapping).

The projects are in operation all around the world – including Brazil, China, Germany, Israel, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Spain, the U.K., the United Arab Emirates, and the U.S.

IESE to Expand Madrid Campus With New Building

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50% increase in activities will boost entrepreneurship, research and international programs

Madrid, November 17, 2017. – Professor Franz Heukamp, dean of IESE Business School, announced today that in 2018, work will begin on a state-of-the-art new campus building in Madrid. “IESE aspires to have one of the most influential training centers in the world. The enlargement of our campus will help us support and stimulate the growth of the business community in Madrid,” he stressed to the more than 3,000 Alumni who are celebrating the school’s Global Alumni Reunion today in the city.

In total, 24 million euros (including furniture, facilities and taxes) will be invested in the project, which will cover 16,300 square meters and include a parking lot with more than 300 spaces. The new building will double the current space of IESE in Madrid and will triple the land available, which will also allow for future extensions if necessary.

The expansion of the Madrid campus is designed to help the school better serve the approximately 15,000 IESE alumni that reside in Madrid, while also continuing to enhance the school’s cutting edge research and teaching offering to the national and international business community. New international programs for managers and companies will be delivered from the campus, and there will also be a special emphasis on deepening IESE’s research and entrepreneurial activity in the city.

The new campus building will contain four new classrooms, a multi-purpose high-tech classroom and an auditorium with capacity for more than 500 people. The current building in Madrid will continue with its usual activity.

The fundraising campaign for financing the project has already started. IESE has the support of its entire network of former students as well as that of its partner companies, who are collaborating to provide 70% of the funding. The remaining 30% will come from IESE’s regular budget.

The project is part of an overall expansion plan for IESE, which began in 2015 with the opening of a new campus in Munich, continued with the expansion of the school’s South campus last year in Barcelona, and which will culminate with this project for the IESE campus in Madrid.

The new construction in Madrid has been commissioned to the architectural firm S-M.A.O, who are committed to reaching the highest environmental standards and ecological policies with the building – including achieving LEED Gold certification, one of the most popular green building certification programs worldwide.

You can see the new Madrid campus building through augmented reality with this app: Android | iOS

History of the Madrid campus

IESE first started teaching programs in Madrid in 1974, at the request of the IESE Alumni who lived in the area. The current campus was inaugurated on September 25, 1991 by King Juan Carlos, along with the then Minister of Industry, Claudio Aranzadi; the Rector of the University of Navarra, Alejandro Llano; the dean of IESE, Carlos Cavallé and professor Rafael Termes, who was the first director of the campus. In the 43 years IESE has been in Madrid, more than 15,000 managers and professionals have been trained from their classrooms.

Currently, IESE offers from its Madrid campus the management programs PDD, PDG and PADE, focused programs, custom programs for companies, and the Executive MBA (EMBA).

3,000 IESE Alums to Gather in Madrid for Global Alumni Reunion

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3-day event to focus on innovation, digital impact and cybersecurity

Madrid, November 14, 2017. – IESE’s Global Alumni Reunion in Madrid is expected to draw more than 3,000 people to an action-packed three-day event that will give participants an exceptional look at innovation in business – along with the opportunity to network and connect with other alumni.

The event, “Play New Rules: Power of Business Innovation”, kicks off on Nov. 16 with visits to innovation leaders including Amazon, Google, Inditex, Omega, Airbus and the Clínica de Navarra.

Nov. 17 will be a day of academic sessions at Madrid’s Palacio de Congresos, where speakers will talk about issues related to innovation, cybersecurity, digital impact and automation in the workplace.

Among the nearly two dozen speakers will be: Bill McDermott (CEO, SAP);  Marta Martínez (president, IBM Spain, Portugal, Greece & Israel); Tom Kelley (partner, IDEO);  Helena Herrero (president & CEO, HP Spain & Portugal); Anthony J. Ferrante (senior managing director, FTI Consulting);  Pedro Duque(astronaut, European Space Agency); Fuencisla Clemares (president, Google Spain & Portugal); Pilar López (president, Microsoft Spain); Félix Sanz Roldán (Director, Spain’s National Intelligence Center); and Andrew McAfee (co-director, MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy).

The reunion will finish on Nov. 18 with a handful of sports events for charity.

It will be the 12th time the IESE Global Alumni is held in Madrid. Reflecting the global scope of IESE’s campuses and former students, the reunion rotates between Barcelona, Madrid and a city outside Spain. Previous editions have been held in New York, Sao Paulo and Munich.

From Soy Beans to STEM with James Simons

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Investor and philanthropist talks at New York campus about business and investing in teachers and scientific research

New York, October 30, 2017. – “Soybeans. Buy soybeans.”

This was the advice the newly married James Simons received upon researching profitable investment ideas for a $5,000 wedding gift he and his wife had received in the early ‘60s. He bought the beans and then sold them for a modest profit.

What Simons didn’t realize at the time was that the soybeans were his introduction to the world of futures and commodities trading. This led him to develop a highly profitable pattern recognition formula for quantitative trading and to found the multi-billion-dollar investment management firm Renaissance Technologies in 1982.

Simons spoke with Prof. Bill Baker on the New York campus about his start in business, his attitudes toward hiring and administrative tasks, and his extensive philanthropic efforts to support high school teachers and scientific research.  

Hiring the Best and Delegating the Rest

Simons said he realized early in his business career that hiring the right people was key. In 1968, Simons was charged with building and directing the new math department at Stony Brook University in New York. “I hired the best and let them do their thing,” he said.

“I love recruiting. I love finding good people,” he added.

Whether at Stony Brook, or Renaissance Technologies, or the Simons Foundation, which he and his wife, Dr. Marilyn Simons, founded together in 1994, Simons has always believed that “management needs to hire the greatest people possible and give them a lot of authority and then notmicromanage.”

But while he loved and excelled in some aspects of business, others weren’t his forte. “Administration, never liked it,” Simons said. “It just wasn’t my thing. Instead, I did my best to identify the right person and have that person handle the administrative tasks.”

On Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education

His belief in people has made its way into his foundation’s philanthropic efforts in STEM education. In 2004, through the Simons Foundation, he and his wife created Math for America to promote the recruitment, retention, training and continued support of high-quality math teachers in New York City. Currently, 10 percent of all math and science teachers in the city are a part of the program.

“Our kids in this country are not trained well in STEM; we are really behind in the U.S.,” Simons stated. As a result of poor math and science programs in high school, “our kids aren’t going into engineering and science in college. That says to me we are failing kids in high school.”

He recalled that when he was a child, teachers could make a decent living but today, “teaching in America is no longer a well-paying, venerated job.”

This is largely why Math for America was created. Simons believes that by identifying, training and supporting high-quality STEM teachers, high schools in the U.S. will improve. In fact, he hopes Congress will create a national program similar to Math for America.

“I’ve spoken to congressmen and congresswomen across the country. If we can get about 20% of the STEM teachers in the U.S. into a program like Math for America, it would cost roughly $2 billion – that’s barely a drop in the bucket compared to the grand scheme of things.”

Funding the Basics

The Simons Foundation also invests nearly $400 million each year to support researchers investigating the basic natural phenomena of the world. “Basic science is what I love,” he said.

“At the Simons Foundation, we tend to fund things that the NIH wouldn’t necessarily fund in the life sciences,” he explained. For example, while the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funds a lot of cancer research, it likely wouldn’t fund an expansive research project into the origins of life, “and that is exactly the kind of research we want to support, among a variety of others. Don’t we all want to know how we got here, where we all come from?” Simons asked.

Recently, the Simons Foundation launched another major endeavor that current institutions could not undertake: the Flatiron Institute. The Flatiron Institute is an in-house research division at the Simons Foundation, wherein computational scientists are supported in tackling thorny, long-term scientific questions, free of the need to constantly reapply for grants or to publish.

Fundamentals, in science or business, are important. And there is beauty in the often surprising simplicity of fundamental truths. “As a mathematician, one of the best compliments you can get is ‘oh, that’s beautiful.’ I’ve always been led by that,” Simons explained. “What would be the most elegant solution to this problem? I’ve approached business in this same way.”

New Program for Management Development: The Learning Never Stops

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First fully blended program for functional directors and high-potential executives

 

Barcelona, September 26, 2017. – It’s no secret that your success tomorrow means reinventing yourself today. Learning new competencies and developing professionally are essential to thriving in our ever-changing world. But with this non-stop pace, finding the time to learn is a challenge.

Our newly remodeled Program for Management Development (PMD) for transitioning into senior management positions addresses this issue precisely. For the first time, the PMD offers participants four self-paced online modules and three residential modules over the course of six months to fit their scheduling needs. This blended combination takes participants on a General Management Journeyand a subsequent Leadership Journey to help them transition into senior leadership positions with greater impact.

Innovation for Leadership Transformation

“Thanks to its blended format, the PMD enables participants to learn at their own pace and from any place. Executives will come to the classroom equipped with the essentials and tools they need to make the most of their face-to-face interactions on campus. We believe flexibility is key for executives and also cultivates a lifelong learning habit,” says Prof. Sebastian Reiche, PMD’s academic director.

The four new online modules allow participants to access classes and video conferences through our state-of-the-art virtual campus, take on self-assessment tools, consult the digital library for self-paced learning to cover knowledge gaps and participate in online discussions and receive ongoing support. One of the online modules is pre-program, allowing participants to be brought up to speed so they may start the program fully prepared.

Two Journeys, One Destination

The structure of the PMD has evolved into two journeys:  first, the General Management Journey and, subsequently, the Leadership Journey. On the first journey, participants build highly advanced management competencies. They are given a robust decision-making framework, an understanding of all the functional areas of their businesses and how they work together, a global vision of markets and megatrends, and an understanding of the role of strategy in driving success.

During the Leadership Journey, they discover a completely new understanding of what it means to lead. Participants explore the meaning of “leading oneself”, their teams and their organizations. Furthermore, they are given the tools necessary to lead diversity and they learn how to use their own competencies and networks to implement strategic decisions.

The incorporation of blended learning is a first within the realm of management programs worldwide. IESE’s push to innovate methodologies forms part of the mission of the school to offer pathways for lifelong learning.  

You can also watch and subscribe to more videos from IESE on our YouTube channel here.

IESE’s MBA in the top ten worldwide according to the Financial Times

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  • The FT highlights IESE’s international experience and diversity
  • IESE’s MBA consistently ranks among the top ten in rankings worldwide

The FT has published its Global MBA Ranking for 2017, in which IESE is rated as number 10 in the world this year. This comes after good results in the latest rankings for both Bloomberg Businessweek (IESE took the 5th spot) and the Economist (8th in the world and the 1st in Europe.) IESE stands out among the top schools in particular for its internationality, which was praised by the FT for the international experience of its students and for the diverse composition of both its class (who hail from 64 different nationalities) and faculty (31 different nationalities).

According to prof. Carlos García Pont, the IESE MBA program director, “at IESE, our students graduate after having lived a truly global experience. Not only do our students get to work alongside classmates from a wide range of nationalities and perspectives, they also have numerous opportunities to enrich their global networks and understanding of different international business contexts. For example, with our intensive international modules in New York City, São Paulo, Nairobi and Shanghai, all relevant markets for international business.”

IESE’s full-time MBA is a demanding program that allows students to acquire the knowledge, capabilities and skills that they will need throughout their professional career. The program combines the case study method with a number of innovative learning methodologies including experiential learning, developing business projects and building an entrepreneurial mindset. IESE’s MBA is consistently ranked among the top ten in the world by the most prestigious international rankings.

About IESE Business School

IESE is one of the world’s most international business schools, with campuses in Barcelona, Madrid, Munich, New York and São Paulo. Consistently ranked within the top ten worldwide –  including being ranked #1 in the world for executive education by the Financial Times for two years in a row (2015 and 2016) – IESE has pioneered business education in Europe since its founding in 1958 in Barcelona. IESE seeks to develop business leaders with solid business skills, a global mindset and a desire to make a positive impact on society. The school distinguishes itself in its general-management approach, extensive use of the case method, international outreach, and emphasis on placing people at the heart of managerial decision-making. With a truly global outlook, IESE currently runs programs on four continents and runs campuses in Barcelona, Madrid, Munich, New York City, and São Paulo. www.iese.edu

 

The Year in Figures

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2015-2016 Annual Report highlights financial results and events of 2015-2016 academic year

Barcelona, February 22, 2017. – More programs, more alumni, and more resources for research. IESE finished the 2015-2016 academic year on a bullish note, posting strong growth in all its areas of business and in its investment in infrastructure and technology.

More Activities and More Resources for Research

The school closed the 2015-2016 academic year with income of 102.4 million euros, up 6% over the previous year.

The increase came mainly from its expanding MBA programs, which brought in 41.5 million euros (a 15% increase over the previous year), and executive education programs, which accounted for 51.8 million euros (up 11%) of income.

Of particular note was a surge in financing for new research projects: funds forresearchjumped 75% over the previous year, reaching 4.1 million euros. This figure reflects the IESE faculty’s impressive research accomplishments, with 81 articles, 57 technical notes and 103 cases produced throughout the year, and with new initiatives such as the Private-Public-Partnerships (PPP) for Citiesinternational conference.

These are just some of the figures contained in the 2015-2016 Annual Report, which highlights the academic activities – programs as well as research – that took place at IESE during the previous academic year, as well as other major developments around the school.

Investing in the Future

The chapter on spending and investment highlights that during the 2015-2016 academic year IESE embarked on an ambitious plan to expand and modernize its infrastructure and campuses.

The project includes expanding the Barcelona campus, which will see an increase in space of 3,400 m2 through an investment of 10 million euros over three years (2015-2018), and constructing a new building on theMadrid campus.

Additionally, IESE earmarked 3.5 million euros to finance its scholarship program, especially designed to attract top-quality candidates to its programs, another of the school’s main priorities.

Other Developments of Note

Other important developments during last year include:

  • The introduction of a fifth MBA section in response to growing demand.
  • Prof. Franz Heukamp’s appointment as the new dean of IESE, taking over from Prof. Jordi Canals after 15 years in the post.
  • The expansion of custom programs, with a notable presence in Asia thanks to clients such as Michelin, Lixil, Banco Santander and Oracle.
  • Innovations in programs for executives and the introduction of new online courses such as “Foundations of Management”, offered through the Coursera platform; and others such as the WeGrow program to mentor start-ups, another tool IESE makes available to entrepreneurs to support the creation, growth, and consolidation of new business initiatives.
  • Two new chairs: the Puig Chair of Global Leadership Development and the Fuel Freedom Chair for Energy and Social Development.

IESE’s 2015-2016 annual report testifies to the efforts the school is making to continue advancing in its strategic priorities: the internationalization of its activities; the digitization and modernization of its resources and installations; the constant adaptation of its academic offerings to the challenges of non-stop and globalized learning; and, above all, to IESE’s vocation to contribute to the development of people and society.

An Apple in the Garage May Not Be Far Off

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Prof. Marc Sachon talks to German alumni and participants about future of auto industry

Munich, February 21, 2017. – “Apple will launch a car in the next five to six years.” With these words Marc Sachon, professor of production, technology and operations management, opened a recent talk at IESE’s campus in Munich. “So who thinks this will happen?” he asked the audience.

Prof. Sachon said the reason for Apple to introduce a car boils down to the fact that the company needs a new product. Today the majority of Apple’s revenue comes from the iPhone, but recent market launches have not been producing the same effect as previous generations had. Also, the iWatch didn’t deliver as expected. “A new product is needed,” he said.

Electric, Autonomous Future for Cars

Apple’s expected entry into the automobile sector comes at a time of drastic change. Driverless cars are making headlines, and Uber too. Traditional automobile companies are collaborating with Silicon Valley players, and new start-ups and business models are emerging. At the same time, technology is becoming more affordable.

Analysts see the car of future being electric and autonomous, and predict a time when car manufacturers won’t be judged on how many cars they sell, but on how many miles their cars travel.

“The automotive sector is in a state of flux,” said Prof. Sachon, who is the longstanding academic director of IESE’s annual Automotive Industry Meeting.

The time seems ripe for a new approach to the car. AUTO is the acronym Prof. Sachon used to describe the current situation:
Aspiration for car ownership among millennials is low.

Urbanization is increasing as more and more people move into cities.

Technology is emerging and prices are falling.

Ordinances are being enacted at the municipal level to limit the number of cars in cities.

Turning iPhones Into iCars

Apple, contended Prof. Sachon, is just the right company to upend the automobile market in the face of these developments. The buzzwords are car-sharing, electric and green.

“There are reasons to assume that Apple is working on a car,” Prof. Sachon said, noting news reports on Apple’s efforts in this area. The company’s recent statement that it had put its automobile plans on ice didn’t convince Prof. Sachon.

Even after the statement, Apple has continued to hire experts from the auto sector and is investing billions in R&D: “If these investments aren’t for a car, then what are they for?”

“Now what would the Apple car look like?” Prof. Sachon asked the audience. Small, battery-powered and designed for high-density areas, was the consensus.

Sachon went further: “The car would certainly be highly standardized with as few parts as possible.” In this regard, Apple would draw on experience with the iPhone: basically one model with individualization through software. With the advent of bendable displays, individualization could be quite simple for the interior, for example.

Supply-Chain Expertise, Loyal Customers

Prof. Sachon feels that Apple has what it takes to pull it off. The company has gained extensive supply chain management experience with the iPhone, and could transfer that experience to another product such as a car.

Plenty of customers would also likely be found among Apple’s extensive and very devoted user base, which includes many people with above-average purchasing power.

A definite selling point would be seamless integration of the car into the Apple ecosystem for an ideal customer experience.

The big auto manufacturers have reason to fear, Prof. Sachon says. Though they want to enter new markets, they are held back by the “asset trap” in the form of big factories. Apple has followed a different approach, working with manufacturers and not owning the lines on which its products are made.

Prof. Sachon closed his session with the same question he asked at the beginning: “Who thinks we’ll see an Apple car in the next five to six years?” Convinced by Prof. Sachon’s arguments, many more hands went up than at the start of the evening.

» Related program: “Industry 4.0: The Future of Manufacturing”

IESE Roland Berger International MBA Case Competition

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Tomorrow´s business leaders assess Ricoh on digital transformation in world´s oldest case competition
  • LBS won the competition after facing IESE in the final round
  • The 22nd edition of the prestigious IESE Roland Berger International MBA Case Competition gathered students from top business schools in Asia, Europe and North America to compete against each other
  • The IESE Roland Berger International Case Competition is one of the oldest and most global competitions in the world
  • This year, MBAs had to tackle the issue of digital transformation for Ricoh, who has to transform itself from printing services to digital

 

Barcelona, February 16-18, 2017. – MBA students from top business schools such as China Europe International Business School, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, IESE Business School, Kellogg School of Management, London Business School and Tuck School of Business gathered in Barcelona on February 16, 17 and 18 to take part in one of the world´s oldest and most important case competitions: The IESE Roland Berger International MBA Case Competition.

 

During the two and a half days, MBA teams analyzed a relevant and current business case – “Ricoh Spain: Transforming the Business” – which explores the challenge of how the company should transform from offering mainly printing services to digital. Acting in the role of consultants to Ricoh, each team had to work through the case and then present their solutions before a panel of prestigious judges. To make it as true to life as possible, the judges consisted of the CEO of Ricoh Spain, Ramon Martin, as well as Miquel Soler, IT Services Director of Ricoh Spain, and two experienced partners from Roland Berger, Paul Jowett and Per Bruer. London Business School won the competition after a hard fought battle against IESE Business School in the final round.

 

Launched in 1995 and sponsored by IESE and Roland Berger, the case competition has become renowned due its distinct relevancy to real-life business. According to Albert Argente, an IESE MBA participant, this helps raise the stakes during the competition, as “feeling part of the company” and as “though you were a real consultant, makes you want to put more hours in to finding a solution.”

 

By gathering together some of the world´s most talented MBAs, the competition also fosters the sharing of ideas and contacts between the world´s brightest future business leaders. Laura Loof, an MBA participant from CEIBS praised the way the competition “provides a way to meet other MBA students and share experiences from other continents with people on the same track as you.”

 

Rashu Jindel, a fellow IESE MBA team member, agreed adding that: “Being in the first of two years of the MBA, you are somewhat in a bubble. Stepping out of this bubble and getting to know people who are undergoing the same process and experimenting similar things in other schools during the competition is very refreshing.”

 

About IESE Business School

IESE is one of the world’s most international business schools, with campuses in Barcelona, Madrid, Munich, New York and São Paulo. Consistently ranked within the top ten worldwide, IESE has pioneered business education in Europe since its founding in 1958 in Barcelona. IESE seeks to develop business leaders with solid business skills, a global mindset and a desire to make a positive impact on society. The school distinguishes itself in its general-management approach, extensive use of the case method, international outreach, and emphasis on placing people at the heart of managerial decision-making. With a truly global outlook, IESE currently runs programs on four continents.

 

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3 Ideas That May Change Boards, Banking, and Management Control Systems

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15th Edition of IESE Alumni Association´s Research Excellence Awards

Barcelona/Madrid, February 16, 2017. – Profs. John Almandoz, Xavier Vives and Eric Weber have received Research Excellence Awards granted by the IESE Alumni Association in recognition of the most relevant research and teaching by IESE faculty members during 2015-2016.

This year, the 15th edition of the awards, the Association recognized Prof. Almandoz’s research article on the role domain experts play in corporate boards, Prof. Vives’ book on the delicate balance between competition and regulation in the banking sector, and Prof. Weber’s course on management and control systems in organizations:

  • Best article: John Almandoz, assistant professor of managing people in organizations, for “When Experts Become Liabilities: Domain Experts on Boards and Organizational Failure”. The article, written jointly with Prof. András Tilcsik of the Rotman School of Management and published in the Academy of Management Journal, calls into question the contribution of domain experts to corporate boards. Data in hand, the article warns that the pre-dominance of this type of board member may undermine a company´s viability and push it toward failure.
  • Best book: Xavier Vives, professor of economics and financial management, for Competition and Stability in Banking: The Role of Regulation and Competition Policy Competition, published by Princeton University Press. In this book on the banking sector, the author strongly advocates for competition policies that encourage growth, but at the same time are closely attuned to prudent regulations that guarantee stability – a balance that is always difficult, but necessary.
  • Best course: Eric Weber, professor of accounting and control, for “Management and Control Systems”, offered as part of the MBA program. The jury highlighted the course’s impact on its students and Prof. Weber’s use of real-world examples – centered around actual company cases – to teach about systems of control and management in organizations.

Created in 2001-2002 by the IESE Alumni Association to support excellence in research and teaching in corporate management, the each award includes a prize of 10,000 euros.

The awards ceremony was held simultaneously on the Barcelona and Madrid campuses.