Angela de la Peña

IESE Business School at the University of Navarra

“I am a persistent hard worker with the will to develop myself professionally and personally. Core values: humility, resilience and optimism.”

Hometown: Bilbao, Spain

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am from Bilbao but I am from Real Madrid!

Undergraduate School and Major: ICADE, Finance

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: BBVA, Strategy Associate

What makes the case method so attractive as a means to learn and become a better manager? All the cases are based on real situations. Therefore, it allows you to learn through a practical way how to solve different types of problems from different industries, listen to the opinions of other people from different backgrounds, and evaluate different perspectives of solving a problem.

What has been your favorite part of Barcelona so far? What has made it such a great place to earn an MBA? Tibidabo mountain! I live in Sarria and I love how reachable the mountain is to hike and see incredible views and sunsets. Barcelona is the perfect place for the MBA! With a bit of planning, you can enjoy the beach and the mountains with your MBA friends!

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of the IESE Business School MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I chose IESE because of its core values and genuine care for people, the case methodology and IESE Alumni who inspired me a lot.

The IESE MBA is known for heavy reading and rigorous academics. Has the program lived up to its reputation? What advice would you give to first-years to help them thrive in the early months of the program? I believe IESE academics are demanding at first as there is a lot to learn. However, the beginning might be more difficult as it is something really different from how you have studied or worked before. Yet, as time passes, you become more effective. Regarding advice, I would recommend prioritizing your goals and therefore organizing your time.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at IESE? I joined the Consulting Club, which has been my main focus this semester, and it has helped a lot in the consulting process. Additionally, I have joined the Impact Investing Club, which I will focus on the rest of the MBA and, regarding sports, we have a padel team every Tuesdays!

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: After an internship in Global Markets at BBVA, where they told us no interns were being hired, I got an offer from Strategy BBVA. I reported directly to a Managing Director at just 21 years old, which was one of the biggest accomplishments. I adapted quickly and with great responsibility, presenting to the heads of many different business units for different countries.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: My biggest accomplishment as an MBA has been getting good results in my grades and getting an offer from a top consulting firm. Prioritizing what is important for you the first term is essential to achieving good results, as there are many different, interesting opportunities around.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into the IESE MBA program? Spend time on really getting to know yourself, your strengths and your weaknesses. I find this very important to showing who you are during the admission process and to later developing a clear direction.

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