About IE Business School

Since 1998, Dr. Antonio Gil-Nagel has served as the director of the Epilepsy Program at the Ruber International Hospital in Madrid, recognized as an international reference center and a pioneer in the diagnosis, medical, and surgical treatment of epilepsy for both adults and children. Over 150 neurologists from Spain and abroad have received training in epilepsy at this institution, with several former students establishing successful epilepsy centers in other hospitals worldwide.

Ariadne María Ferro Bajuelo, a Cuban-U.S. American, has dedicated her career to higher education in both the United States and Spain since 2000. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Central Florida and advanced degrees including an MA from the University of Florida, an MEd from UNED (Spain), and a PhD from the Universidad de Alcalá (Spain).

Brendan has dedicated over 20 years to the field of Education, focusing on communication skills, culture, and complexity. Since 2022, he has taught approximately 15,000 students from over 60 countries. Holding a degree in economics and history, a postgraduate degree in business administration, and an MA in International Relations, Brendan’s current research centers on Culture, Trust, and Negotiations. He is an accomplished author, having published several books, and has received over 60 awards for teaching excellence at IE, across undergraduate, master's, and executive levels.

Working with teams of creative people and passionate clients who like to be bold. My creative adventure has led me to work on projects in over 15 different countries, from Argentina to India...photographing and filming locals, actors, directors, athletes, musicians, dancers, writers, entrepreneurs and artists....coaching, teaching and conducting workshops. And if you are reading this it's probably because we have something in common. We both love images which tell stories. Images which break through. Let´s make some together.

Professor Carl Kock teaches the Strategy course in the IE Business Essentials MasterTrack Certificate. With over 20 years of teaching experience and extensive corporate experience, his work focuses on identifying the fundamental drivers of value within companies. He combines a traditional research stream on the governance of large firms with a keen interest in corporate environmental management. Professor Kock holds a PhD in Management, an MSc in Management from Wharton, and a Diploma in Business Administration from Philipps Universität Marburg.

Dr. Celia de Anca serves as the Deputy Dean for Ethics, Diversity, and Inclusion, as well as the Director of the Center for Diversity in Global Management at IE University, where she also teaches courses on Diversity and Islamic Finance. Previously, she held the position of Director of Corporate Programmes at the Euro-Arab Management School (EAMS) in Granada and has experience with the Fundación Cooperación Internacional y Promoción Ibero-América Europa (CIPIE) and the International Division of Banco de Santander. Dr. de Anca holds a master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Boston and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. She earned her degree and PhD from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, where she wrote a comparative thesis focusing on Islamic and ethical/ecological investment funds, as well as the London Market. She is the author of "Beyond Tribalism" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012) and co-author of "Managing Diversity in the Global Organization" (Macmillan, 2007). Throughout her career, Dr. de Anca has published numerous articles in specialized journals and has contributed to various press outlets. She served as an external advisor to Merrill Lynch’s Diversity & Inclusion Council until 2009 and has been a member of the Ethics Committee of InverCaixa’s Ethics Fund since 2010. Additionally, she has been on the IFN Advisory Board and the IMEFM Editorial Advisory Board since 2020. Recognized as the Female Executive of 2008 by the Business Women’s Association of Madrid (ASEME), Dr. de Anca is fluent in Spanish, English, French, and Arabic. Her work has garnered citations from leading thinkers, including Zygmunt Bauman in his final book, "Retrotopia," and she has received numerous accolades, such as the 2019 Highly Commended Award for her paper "Spanish Women's Career Inhibitors 2007-2017" from Literati Emerald Publishing, as well as the Best Article award in Corporate Governance: An International Journal.

David Goodman serves as the Director of the Bachelor in Architecture program. He earned his Master's Degree in Architecture from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and completed his undergraduate studies with honors in Government and History of Architecture and Urbanism at Cornell University. Goodman is the co-author of "An Introduction to Architecture Theory: 1968 to the Present," with his work featured in various publications, including the journal Log, the anthology Chicago Architecture: Histories, Revisions, Alternatives, and the book Walter Netsch: A Critical Appreciation and Sourcebook. Before establishing his firm, R+D Studio, he gained valuable experience at Rafael Moneo's studio in Madrid, as well as with David Woodhouse Architects and Nagle Hartray Architects in Chicago. Goodman has also taught architecture at esteemed institutions such as the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Harvard University Graduate School of Design, and the Boston Architectural College. His firm, R+D Studio, has received recognition, including participation in the Burnham 2.0 Exhibition at the Chicago History Museum and a second prize in the national competition for the Reconquista Civic Center in Argentina.

Professor Eda Sayin specializes in consumer behavior and integrated marketing communications, focusing on understanding unintuitive consumer reactions to brands in response to specific brand behaviors and communications. Her research investigates the impact of actual or imagined sensory cues on consumer perceptions. She has published her findings in prestigious journals such as the Journal of Consumer Research, International Journal of Research in Marketing, and Review of Marketing Research. Her work is widely cited in both academic literature and media outlets, including the Chicago Tribune, Vancouver Sun, and Science Daily.

Fernando Cortiñas was born in Buenos Aires in 1962. He studied at Catholic University, where he graduated with Honours in Business Administration and as a CPA in 1986. After completing his studies he worked for Deutsche Babcock Group for several years, a leading company in the equipments manufacturing industry, where he occupied several managerial positions in Argentina and Germany. In 1990 he moved to Boston, MA, where he studied at Harvard Business School. After completing his MBA in 1992, he moved to Spain where he has lived since, developing his professional career in multiple international corporations, joining Telefónica Group in 2000. Up until last year, he has served as Director of Market Development at the Global Security Unit of Telefonica Digital, with responsibilities over more than 20 countries in America, Asia and Europe. Prior to this position, he was Market Development Director at the eHealth Unit of the same company, and Head of the Government & Health Sector at Telefonica Empresas America, covering clients in 15 countries in the LatAm region, and International Sales Director at Telefoinca Soluciones. He also occupied other positions within the Telefonica Group, such as CEO of Katalyx Catalogs and at Telefonica B2B. Fernando is currently acting as Associate Professor at IE Business School., where he has been teaching since 1992. During the last 24 years he has taught different courses in the field of marketing, mainly International Marketing, Marketing Strategy & Planning, Marketing & New Technologies, and Marketing for Telco & Digital Business. He is also visiting professor at other Universities in Europe, Africa and Latin America, such as the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (Chile), Universidad de San Andrés (Argentina), Universidad Católica Argentina, Universidade de Porto (Portugal), and some other institutions in Argentina, Colombia, and Perú.

A California native, Professor Gayle Allard has lived and worked in Spain for over 20 years, where she serves as a professor of Economic Environment and Country Analysis at IE Business School in Madrid. She has also held the position of Vice-Chancellor for Research at IE University. Professor Allard earned her PhD in Economics from the University of California, Davis, focusing her dissertation on the impact of labor-market institutions and policies on unemployment in Europe since World War II. Her recent research delves into labor market institutions, the welfare state, and reform proposals, particularly in the context of Spain. Additionally, she studies development issues, emphasizing the role of institutions in driving economic success. Before obtaining her PhD, she completed a Master’s degree in International Affairs at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and another in Spanish Language and Literature at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Currently, she resides in Madrid with her husband and five children.

Ignacio Gafo is a Professor at IE Business School, where he teaches the course "Positioning: What You Need for a Successful Marketing Strategy." This course focuses on the critical aspects of positioning within marketing strategies, helping students understand how to effectively differentiate products and services in competitive markets.

Dr. Jessica Tollette is a recognized expert in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and serves as an adjunct professor at IE University. She previously held the position of founding academic director for IE's Bachelor in Behavior and Social Sciences, where she spearheaded the design and implementation of this innovative interdisciplinary social science degree. Dr. Tollette has earned multiple teaching awards for her courses in research methods, communication skills, race, gender, education, and cross-cultural understanding. Her prior research focuses on immigration policy, immigrant integration, and intergroup relations in Madrid, supported by various awards and grants, including a Fulbright grant to Spain. In addition to her teaching and research roles, she has extensively engaged with undergraduates on issues of diversity and inclusion and provided pre-career and academic advising. Before earning her Ph.D., Dr. Tollette worked as a management consultant at The Monitor Group, specializing in marketing consulting and diversity recruitment. She holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from Harvard University and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Communication from the University of Pennsylvania. Outside of her professional pursuits, Dr. Tollette enjoys live music, challenging workouts, travel, podcasts, practicing mindfulness, and spending time with her family in California.

Professor Joe Haslam serves as the Executive Director of the Owners Scaleup Program at IE Business School in Spain, a program tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises looking to adopt exponential business models for growth. He also holds the position of Academic Director for the Global Scaleup Program, a collaborative initiative with the American University of Beirut. Within the International MBA, he teaches the award-winning elective "Scaling Up Your Startup," and offers a similar course, “Scaleup Yourself!”, in the IE Master in Management program. Additionally, he leads various online courses for IE Executive Education, including “Scaleup Fundamentals” for both the Global Online and Executive MBA Programs, as well as for the IE Brown EMBA, a partnership with Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Professor Haslam co-founded Marrakech, a Dublin-based e-procurement company that successfully raised over $75 million in venture capital and scaled to more than 250 employees. He was also the co-founder and Chairman of Hot Hotels, marking the first Spanish company to be accelerated by the Techstars program in Boston in the summer of 2015. Professor Haslam holds an M.Sc. from University College Cork and an MBA from IE Business School. Originally from Ireland, he has made Madrid his home for the past 17 years.

With over 20 years of marketing strategy and brand-building experience across different regions (US, Latin America, and EMEA), Luis has developed and implemented go-to-market strategies for local and international brands that resulted in significant improvements in top and bottom-line results. Luis has worked in global companies such as P&G, Chicco and AT&T, overseeing large teams. The latter half of his career he has been a consultant working across a variety of industries, both in B2C and B2B. Throughout his career, he has been a champion of transformational programs to foster growth, including brand-based organizational change, IMC and general marketing training, improving product & service portfolios, and optimizing customer experience. The industries where he has worked include telecommunications, technology, financial services, FMCG, leisure & entertainment, oil & gas, retail, real estate, and professional services. Luis describes himself as a customer experience geek. He is always learning how to improve listening skills to be able to translate customer needs into insights that deliver brand-based customer experiences to drive sales. His current independent research is focused on quantifying the value of the spectrum of customer experiences, so decision makers can define where, when and how to invest. Previously, Luis has done research on the business impact of implementing a brand-based culture within the organization. Academic Background • MBA, Kellogg School Of Management, Evanston, Illinois, US • Engineering Degree at Universidad Metropolitana, Caracas, Venezuela Professional Background • Global Delivery Team, EMM Group • Managing Partner, Galleon Blue Consulting • Founding Member, Prophet, Madrid • Manager, BBDO Consulting • General Manager, Chicco

Dr. María Eizaguirre earned her B.A. (Hons) and M.Sc. in Anthropology from Durham University before becoming the first Spanish Rhodes Scholar (Linacre & Spain, 1994) at the University of Oxford, where she completed her Ph.D. in Biological Anthropology. Initially, she began her career in the private sector, starting in market research before moving into Strategic Planning at an advertising agency, where she served various new businesses and clients. She later joined Kraft Foods, spending eight years in the Consumer Insights & Strategy team (CIS), ultimately leading the Innovation CIS function across the EU. In this role, María utilized her creative mindset to reframe business opportunities through a consumer-centric lens.

Dr. Manuel Pérez Romero holds a Ph.D. in Architecture from Madrid Polytechnic University and a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. He is currently a professor at IE School of Architecture and Design, as well as at Alcalá de Henares School of Architecture. In 2002, he founded the partnership nodo17 group, which focuses on innovative architectural solutions and design practices.

Professor Aranzábal is currently acting as Associate Professor at the IE Business School. She has significant professional experience at a senior executive level in international expansion and operational business launch, as well as in brand development and strategic planning. In the last years, she has worked as a top management retail consultant advising fashion companies on business management, and has assisted private equity funds appraising retail investment opportunities. She has also worked as retail consultant at McKinsey & Co. and in mergers and acquisitions at Goldman Sachs. In addition, she was Deputy General Manager of Springfield, International Director and Marketing Director of Grupo Cortefiel. She holds an MBA from the Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania (US) and she graduated in Economics and Business Administration from the University Pontificia Comillas (Spain). Academic Background MBA, Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, (US). Double specialty in Strategic Planning and Finance. Bachelor in Business Administration, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, ICADE E-2, Madrid (Spain). Professional Background • Partner, Alir Fashion Retail Advisor, México and Spain, 2005-Present • Business Partner, M&E Retail Advisors, Spain, 2009-2014 • Retail Expert Advisor, Advent International, Spain, 2005-2007 • Commercial General Manager, KA International, Spain, 2004 • Grupo Cortefiel, Spain, 1992-2003 • Deputy General Manager, Springfield, 2001-2003 • Marketing, Strategy and International Expansion Director, Springfield, 1999-2000 • International Expansion and Franchise Director, Springfield, 1997-1998 • Assistant to the CEO and International Expansion Director, Grupo Cortefiel, 1994-1997 • Marketing Director, Grupo Cortefiel, 1992-1993 • Senior Associate, Mckinsey & Co, Spain and Argentina, 1990-1992 • Summer Associate in Mergers & Acquisitions, Goldman Sachs, London (UK), 1989 • International Banking Analyst, Irving Trust, New York (USA), 1986-1987 Other areas of collaboration, NGOs • Board member, Family Business Chair, Deusto University, San Sebastian (Spain), 1998-Present • Board member, Fundación Novia Salcedo, Bilbao (Spain), 2013-Present • Executive Member, Rotary Club, Madrid, 2014-Present

The last decade Professor Martin Boehm spent researching and consulting in the area of customer management had a profound effect on his thinking as a marketing professor at IE Business School. Those were years during which the corporate world finally realized the necessity to shift from transaction based to relationship based marketing. What really interests Prof. Boehm from a marketing standpoint is the management of customer relationships in order to increase a firm’s long-term profitability. “Customers are important intangible assets of a firm that should be valued and managed”, he says. “Only by attracting, retaining, and growing profitable customer relationships will firms be successful in the future”. His research therefore aims to provide managerial implications on how to build profitable and long-lasting customer relationships. His primary concern is to quantify the impact of various customer management activities on a customer’s lifetime value – the net present value of the stream of future profits expected over a customer’s lifetime. At the same time, Prof. Boehm develops analytical models to estimate or approximate a customer’s lifetime value. “One of the major challenges in customer relationship management is still to arrive at reliable estimates of a customer’s future profits and lifetime”, he says. “Not being able to measure a customer’s lifetime value prevents the development of successful strategies for customer management”. Prof. Boehm believes that his work on customer relationship management has broad implications for the corporate world. “I intend to develop insights on how to satisfy customer needs, but at the same time to consider the monetary consequences of doing so,” he says. “This will provide firms with a roadmap for growth.”

Michael brings over 25 years of experience in building and leading Product, Research, and Design teams across diverse industries, including renowned companies like Apple, Business Objects, SAP, and Telefónica, as well as various startups and consulting firms. He has played a key role in driving successful innovation projects and is a co-author of several patents. Most recently, he served as the Global Director of UX at Telefónica, where he established customer research and design teams and implemented customer experience (CX) best practices throughout the organization. Currently, Michael works as a CX consultant and teaches in the Master’s program in Customer Experience & Innovation at the IE School of Human Sciences & Technology. Additionally, he instructs courses on the Business of Design and Innovation at ESNE and teaches Product Management at Universidad Europea in Madrid. Michael holds a bachelor's degree from SUNY at Albany, a master's from Carnegie Mellon University, and an MBA from the Theseus Institute (now part of EDHEC) in France.