IESE Business School - Barcelona
PA-3: Inclusive and Participatory Governance

IESE Business School is part of the Navarra University which is governed by the Board of Governors. The Board of Governors is made up of the members of Office of the Executive Council, the Clinic's general director and the directors and deans of the main academic centres It meets at least once a quarter and, in addition to its statutory powers, serves as a forum for sharing experiences and deliberating on the main strategic lines of governance.

It is made up of:

• President: María Iraburu Elizalde


• Vice President for Faculty Pablo Sánchez-Ostiz Gutiérrez


• Vice President for Research and Sustainability: Paloma Grau Gumbau


• Vice President for Academic Affairs: Secundino Fernández González


• Vice President from Students and International Office: Rosalía Baena Molina


• Vice President for Communications and Development: Gonzalo Robles González


• University Secretary: Jesús Mª Ezponda Iradier


• Administrator: Igor Errasti Alcalá


• General Manager: Álvaro Balibrea Cárceles


• Dean of the School of Law: Mercedes Galán Lorda


• Dean, School of Medicine: Marta Ferrer Puga


• Dean, School of Humanities and Social Sciences :Julia Pavón Benito


• Dean, School of Communication: Charo Sádaba Chalezquer


• Dean of the School of Sciences: Alberto Pérez Mediavilla


• Dean of the School of Nursing: Ana Choperena Armendáriz


• Dean, School of Canon Law: Joaquín Sedano Rueda


• Dean, School of Pharmacy and Nutrition: María Javier Ramírez Gil


• Dean, School of Theology: Gregorio Guitián Crespo


• Dean of the School of Economic Sciences: Antonio Moreno Ibáñez


• Dean of the School of Education and Psychology: Carolina Ugarte Artal


• Dean of the School Ecclesiastic of Philosophy: Santiago Collado González


• Director of the School of Engineering: Raúl Antón Remírez


• Director, School of Architecture: Carlos Naya Villaverde


• Dean of IESE: Franz Heukamp


• General Manager, Clínica Universidad de Navarra: Joseba Campos


• Director of ISSA School of Applied Management: Victoria Rodríguez Chacón


• University Chaplain: Eduardo Terrasa Messuti


• University Delegate: Marta Olaizola


• University Subdelegate: Almudena Uclés

The student representatives are the University Delegate and the University Subdelegate.

The non-academic representatives are: Vice President for Communications and Development, University Secretary, Administrator,  General Manager, General Manager, of Clínica Universidad de Navarra and University Chaplain.

For further information, please refer to https://en.unav.edu/about-the-university/organisation/board-of-governors

As a business school within Universidad de Navarra, IESE has its own governing bodies:

At IESE, we aim to achieve excellence in all our activities and to act responsibly to make a positive impact on the world through business education. We have rigorous internal governance and management mechanisms in place to ensure that decision-making is aligned with our mission and that we build a sustainable future and leadership path for the school. IESE's governance system is based on the principles of trust, collegiality and accountability.  The highest governing individual at IESE is its Dean: Franz Heukamp who has been appointed in 2016. He is also a professor of decision analysis and holds the Antonio Valero Chair of Business Administration. As Dean, his priorities for the school are expanding its global reach, responding to the changing needs of lifelong learning and the impact of digitization on education, as well as ensuring that IESE stays faithful to its mission to serve society.

The Executive Committee is responsible for the day-to-day management of the organization. It develops the school's strategic vision, proposes faculty appointments and promotions, oversees the generation of research, creates academic programs and is responsible for their delivery.

The Supervisory Board (created in 2023) supervises the work of the Executive Committee and the dean in the development of strategy, the implementation of strategic plans and the analysis of major decisions for the institution, supporting the work of the vice chancellor. The Supervisory Board is composed of leading business professionals and academics. Members: Lourdes Centeno, Andrea Christenson, Maria Elvira, Angel Gomez Montoro, Franz Heukamp, Laura Lechuga, Juvencio Maeztu & Nitin Nohria.

In parallel, several committees advise the Executive Committee and the Dean including the International Advisory Board, the Harvard-IESE Committee and the Executive Committee of the IESE Alumni Association. These committees support management on a variety of issues. Some members participate in several committees, which ensures that consistent criteria are applied and that the ideas discussed reach management.

External stakeholders are consulted periodically through the various high level committees that support IESE management on a variety of issues. In particular, we could mention the following:

·    The International Advisory Board assesses the evolving socioeconomic global context for business, as well as the needs, emerging trends and innovations in the fields of management and leadership education. Comprised of prominent global business and public sector leaders, the IAB is appointed by the dean of IESE. Members: Jacob Aarup-Andersen, Isak Andic, Ibukun Awosika, Marc Badía, Fabian Bonnier, Martin Rudolf Brenninkmeijer, Cesar Cernuda, Andrea Christenson (who is also an Alumni from IESE - AMP Munich-2014/MBA-1983), Burno Di Leo, Brian Duperreault, Patricia Francis, Victor K. Fung, franz Haniel, Franz Heukamp, Doris Höpke, Denise Knigsmill, Janina Kugel Hans Ulrich Maerki, Juvencio Maeztu, Janne Haaland Matlary, Liz Mohn, Stanley Motta, N.R. Narauana, takeshi Niinami, Alan Pace, Rafael del Pino, Paul Polman, Marc Puig, Helena Revoredo, Rito Siilasmaa, Martin Sorrell, Francesco Vanni D'Aarchirafi, Eric Weber & George Yeo.

·    The Alumni Executive Committee oversees the Alumni Association’s diverse activities and services, in addition to approving budgets and presenting the annual accounts to the Governing Board. The committee also offers guidance on the school’s strategy, initiatives, programs and corporate development. All committee members are IESE alumni, who care about the continuous education of alumni and their ongoing role in the school. María Diaz-Morera has just been elected President in March 2024. Vice Presidents are Cristina de Parias & Nuria Cabutí.

For further information, please refer to https://www.iese.edu/es/conoce-iese/gobierno/

Also worth mentioning is the Harvard-IESE Committee, launched in 1963, that was established to guide IESE in the development of programs and growth in scope as a business school. Landmark accomplishments include the launch of IESE’s MBA, the first of its kind in Europe, and joint international Executive Education programs. Members are listed in https://www.iese.edu/about/governance/.

In relation with day-to-day management, please note that IESE has an "open door" policy by means of which any alumni is welcome to meet anytime with academic and executive directors of the different programs, ensuring a flowless communication and personal dedication on any kind of matters. Also, the many surveys that are made (not only to Alumni but also at completion of any course) ensure that professors and methods of tuition, materials, installations, etc. are evaluated by all students. The feedback is taken into consideration and reported annually to the relevant departments to action in consequence. For additional information on Alumni, please refer to: https://alumni.iese.edu/

In addition, IESE participates in a number of city associations in which it is actively involved:

·    Associació Veïns de Pebralbes: IESE is a member of this association. All members of the Association work together to achieve mutually agreed goals, solve neighborhood problems and promote activities and spaces for joint participation, proposing solutions and proposals for action in the general interest of the neighbors. In general, two meetings are held each year, and additional meetings are called if an extraordinary issue arises. An example of this activity of the Association during the year 2022 was the negotiations with the City Council to minimize parking problems in the neighborhood. IESE participated in these meetings with the City Council along with the President of the Neighborhood Association. For more information, see https://www.avpedralbes.com/la-asociacion/

·      Barcelona Global: Barcelona Global is a private, independent, non-profit association formed by 256 of the city's leading companies, research centers, entrepreneurs, business schools, universities and cultural institutions, and more than 960 professionals who want to make Barcelona one of the best cities in the world for impactful talent and economic activity. IESE is a corporate partner of this association. For more information, see https://www.barcelonaglobal.org/es/

Also, worth mentioning is IESE's collaboration with the City Council to address problems in the city. One of the most important issues is urban mobility. See https://ajuntament.barcelona.cat/ecologiaurbana/ca/noticia/dialegs-sobre-la-mobilitat-a-barcelona_1228301