Meet IESE Business School’s MBA Class Of 2025 by: Jeff Schmitt on June 11, 2024 | 3,356 Views June 11, 2024 Copy Link Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email Share on LinkedIn Share on WhatsApp Share on Reddit IESE MBA Students Group A CLASS PROFILE This year’s class boasts 351 members from 56 countries. 85% of the class hails from outside Spain, with 35% being women. 24% of the class comes from Asia. North America and Latin America each hold a 20% share of the class, followed by non-Spanish Europe (16%) and Africa and the Middle East (5%). On average, the class is 29 years old and possesses 5.4 years of professional experience. The class also brings a 652 average GMAT to IESE, as scores ranged from 580-750. Overall, 22% of the class submitted GRE scores, where the medians were 160 (Verbal) and 161 (Quantitative). Academically, 38% of the class holds undergraduate degrees in Communication, Business or Law. Another 34% majored in Engineering-related fields, followed by the Sciences (18%) and Humanities (10%). In terms of career backgrounds, Finance professionals account for 21% of the class. Industry makes up a 20% share, followed by Consulting (17%), Consumer Goods (12%), Tech (8%), Social and Public Sector (6%), and Health Care (6%). CASE METHOD TEACHES PREPARATION, COMMUNICATION, AND LISTENING By graduation, IESE estimates that MBAs will read over 600 cases. This can hardly be considered a surprise. After all, Harvard Business School faculty helped to launch the program over 60 years ago. From that moment on, the case method became part of IESE’s DNA. At its core, a case is a story, replete with characters, plot, conflicts, and themes. A company is faced with a threat, such as a new competitor, changing technology, or a public relations faux pas. Through reading, students learn how management addressed these issue – either coming out stronger through a decisive response (Tylenol) or going bankrupt from misreading the market (Blockbuster). Basically, a case places a student in the role of a decision-maker. They analyze the situation, pinpoint knowns and unknowns, brainstorm ideas, weigh tradeoffs, and arrive in class with a holistic solution – one they must ultimately defend in front of their classmates. Maybe the best part of the case method is how open-ended it is. There are no definitive answers on the right and wrong ways to approach an issue, just different angles. Even when a case protagonist successfully navigates a problem, they still emerge battered and full of regrets. Study teams, which review cases before class, enhance the value of the case method. During discussions, students are exposed to classmates who bring different professional backgrounds and cultural perspectives. In other words, says Carolina Pascotto, students absorb new angles and frameworks to tackle problems. Even more, it forces students to ask the toughest questions. Most notably, says Christa Zacharia, is this doozie: What would I do in this situation?. “Often, I have arrived at class with a particular perspective only to have it changed by the discussion,” Zacharia adds. “The process brings forth new viewpoints and encourages self-reflection and growth, ultimately making us all better managers.” If anything, the case method prepares students for the c-suite, where their success is often predicated on their ability to clarify, frame, and persuade – and be flexible enough to pivot as new information becomes available. “I’ve learned how to coordinate diverse opinions to arrive at better decisions, rather than unquestioningly following the strongest voice or persistently insisting on my own,” adds Hyelin Oh. “As a result, I now find myself evolving into a better listener and a more effective speaker.” The view of Barcelona from the IESE campus BREATHTAKING BARCELONA Among European MBA programs, IESE ranks among the most global. After all, the school enjoys the advantages of locations in Barcelona, New York City, Munich, Madrid, and São Paulo. This provides IESE with a wider global reach to regional companies, practices, and networks. Unlike many European MBA programs, IESE goes two years, giving students the opportunity to pursue summer internships. At the same time, the school is affiliated with the Opus Dei, a Catholic institution rooted in service to society. Hence, the programming is underpinned with a values-driven mission. “From a non-academic perspective, the mission of the school to develop leaders who will have a positive, long-lasting impact on their communities resonated with me,” writes Christa Zacharia. “These values are reflected in the alums, who are incredibly generous with their time and guidance.” For the Class of 2025, a two-year stint in Barcelona was hard to resist. The capital of Catalonia and the home of FC Barcelona, the city is associated with artists like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and Antoni Gaudí. Wedged between the sea and the mountains, Barcelona is sometimes described as a place where you can swim, hike, and ski all in one day. A hub of modernist architecture, the city features landmarks like La Sagrada Familia, Parc Güell, and Palau de la Musica Catalana. The region may be best known for its festivals. In September, for example, students can indulge in La Merce, a week of parades and live music. For foodies, there are world-famous delicacies like Tapas, Arros Negre rice, and Crema Catalana – which can be washed down with Cava wine. And no Barcelona experience would be complete without hitting one of Barcelona’s sun-drenched beaches along the Mediterranean or street markets along picturesque La Rambla. Art, music, weather, food, shopping, architecture, and energy – not to mention a wealth of festivals and outdoor activities? Let’s just say Barcelona is the total package. On top of that, it is growing into a business hub. Last year, Startup Heatmap Europe ranked Barcelona as the third-best city to launch a startup in Europe – behind just London and Berlin – thanks to growing foreign investment and existing scientific and digital talent. That translates to opportunities for IESE MBAs, particularly in the startup and innovation space. And the city boasts an unexpected benefit compared to larger metros in Europe and the United States, adds Hugh Phelan. “It’s significantly cheaper to live in than most cities with top-ranked MBAs (especially ones in the US). If I had chosen to attend an MBA in Northern California, I would be living in a shoebox and eating instant ramen for two years.” AN INTERVIEW WITH MARC BADIA This past year, IESE Business School ranked 2nd in Europe with Bloomberg Businessweek and 5th globally with The Financial Times. In the latter’s survey of alumni, the school ranked 5th and 8th worldwide for the best alumni network and career services support. Even more impressive, alumni gave it a 9.603 average score for overall satisfaction (on a 10-point scale). Such positives create greater demand. Coming this fall, IESE will be adding a sixth section, boosting class size by 70 students for the Class of 2026. What else is on the horizon at IESE? Earlier this year, P&Q reached out to Marc Badia, deputy dean of IESE Business School. In this Q&A, Badia lays out some of the new developments at the program, along with taking a look at its offerings in leadership, sustainability, and artificial intelligence. IESE Business School Vice Dean Marc Badia P&Q: What have been the two most important developments in your MBA program over the past year? What type of impact will they have on current and future MBAs? Badia: “In a world that is increasingly fragmented, IESE offers a unique platform to bridge the existing cultural gaps thanks to our strong global footprint and our humanistic approach to business. Over the past year, we have introduced two developments that will help our students grow in their understanding of the world and human nature, and in their ability to foster mutual understanding and work with very diverse teams. First, with the end of traveling restrictions due to the pandemic, we have renewed and strengthened our international experience offering. In addition to our exchange program with the finest business schools worldwide, we have offered six international modules in Shenzhen (China), Sao Paulo (Brazil), New York (US), Mexico City (Mexico), Nairobi (Kenya) and Hyderabat (India). Each module has been designed as a unique immersive academic experience, including pre-module preparation sessions, local business cases discussions, guest speakers, visits to companies, local projects and networking events. Second, we have introduced a number of humanistic courses focused on the understanding of the trends and ideas that conform our current world, and the underpinnings of human nature basic to know ourselves and those around us. New courses such as “Leading on the Shoulders of Giants”, “Managing Conflicts and Turbulence”, “Debt and Credit: Understanding the Foundations of Modern Capital Markets”, and “Why the West?” have been added to the existing offering on topics such as geopolitics, personality or public affairs. Future students will benefit from a new specialization in Understanding the World that will be added to the ones on Sustainability and Responsible Business, Business Analytics and Data Science, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Finance, and International Business. In total, we offer of 120+ elective courses exclusively designed for our full-time MBA program.” Page 3: Interview with the Vice Dean and Profiles of 10 Class Members Previous Page Continue ReadingPage 2 of 3 1 2 3