Joanne Bartolome

ESADE Business School

“Women in business and allies advocate, blending creativity with purpose-driven leadership.”

Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Fun fact about yourself: Allergic to kiwi, such an odd fruit to be allergic to!

Undergraduate School and Degree: Alberta School of Business, Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? My own marketing agency called Empathie Creative, Founder & CEO

Where did you intern during the summer of 2024? Kraft Heinz, Agile & Strategic Projects, Global Procurement in Amsterdam

Where will you be working after graduation? Same place as my internship! Kraft Heinz in Amsterdam as a Senior Manager, Agile & Strategic Projects, Global Procurement

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

President, Women in Business & Allies Club: Led initiatives to support women in business and entrepreneurship across the entire campus of 80 members.

Mentor to MSc Marketing Students at Esade: Supported two women in the Master’s program as they navigated career transitions, leading to both securing internships.

Panel Speaker for International Women’s Day: Shared insights and experiences to empower women entrepreneurs.

Advocate for Women in Consulting and Tech: Partnered with the Esade careers team to connect industry professionals with Bachelor’s program students, leading to an on-site visit at Autodesk and Glovo.

Admissions Presenter: Collaborated with the admissions team to promote women in the MBA program and Forté Foundation’s More Women Leading initiative.

Presenter for Kraft Heinz: Delivered a session on the Agile and Strategic Projects team in procurement to the incoming MBA class.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? For me, it was organizing and leading the Women in Business & Allies Micro-Aggressions Talk. This wouldn’t be possible without the work of our amazing board of directors. The event stood out because it brought together men, women and non-binary folk for conversations about gender in business. Our goal was to create an inclusive space to address subtle biases in professional environments.

What made the event truly memorable was the openness and vulnerability in the room. Participants felt comfortable sharing their personal experiences, leading to honest and heartfelt discussions. Although we planned for a two-hour session, many stayed long afterward to continue the conversation and deepen their connections.

It was inspiring to witness genuine empathy and understanding develop within our cohort. Seeing people actively engage, listen, and reflect on different perspectives reinforced how powerful these discussions can be in fostering a more inclusive and supportive community.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? The Ketchup Invitational, hosted by Kraft Heinz, was a competition where my team and I represented Esade alongside other business schools in Europe. I was fortunate to work with an incredible team—Pablo, Nikita, and Simon—who each brought unique strengths to the table. Together, we collaborated to develop a strong presentation for the case provided.

The process wasn’t easy—there were plenty of late nights and early mornings (and lots of coffee!) as we worked to refine our ideas. But we kept a positive attitude, supported one another, and had fun along the way. In the end, we were thrilled to win the competition, which showed the teamwork and collaboration that Esade fosters.

We’re grateful for the willingness of our professors and colleagues to help. Anytime we asked for insights or advice, someone was always ready to lend their expertise, which made the experience even more rewarding.

Why did you choose this business school? Esade stood out to me not only for being ranked as a top school for Women in Business and Entrepreneurship, but also because it aligned with my values of empathy and collaboration. The sense of care among its community is genuine and impactful — people at Esade truly support one another, and that creates a strong foundation for growth.

I chose the school for its values, classroom size, and the feedback I received from alumni. Alumni were extremely happy with the connections and network they made of heart-driven leaders. That combination of strong academics and a collaborative culture made Esade the right fit for me.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Luis Vives, our Leadership professor, was my favorite during the MBA program. He had a unique ability to challenge our perspectives on common business decisions. For example, he tackled the concept of hiring and firing, and encouraged us to think critically and approach these issues from fresh angles. He included dynamic business simulation, and in teams we were given different scenarios and how our choices affected the business we were trying to save. His engaging teaching style fostered thought-provoking discussions, especially with a class with 44 different nationalities and his genuine effort to connect with and understand each student made his class both inspiring and memorable.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? Marco Bertini’s Monetization course for sure. While it’s an elective, I truly believe it should be part of the core content of any MBA course. It wasn’t like traditional pricing courses that focus purely on cost structures and competitive benchmarking. This course introduced a strategic and psychological approach to monetization. He also had a way to have his students critically think, and challenge them to go beyond the surface in many cases to truly engage the group in active participation. What made it even more valuable was working with a company on a real-world problem. At the end, we were able to present our ideas on pricing to a company called Skin Analytics, which gave us real world feedback on how we could improve.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Barcelona has so much to offer, especially the local culture, events, and even startups. The MBA provided a great opportunity to network with business professionals and step outside of my comfort zone to try new experiences. Looking back, I wish I had taken more time to embrace the city’s energy and better balance the academic and professional demands of the MBA with the richness of Barcelona itself. The events I did attend were unforgettable, and I only wish I had more time to experience even more of what the city has to offer.

What is the biggest myth about your school? Everyone always spoke of a “collaborative spirit” and Esade truly does have it. It goes beyond just business, but the attitude of how people speak to you or support you during difficult times. In our cohort, people simply check in on you when you’re sick or would reach out and provide their notes if you need help catching up on a particular subject. No one judges the other for their journey; we all are learning collectively, while having fun and laughing through our classes. I think it’s one thing to learn but also enjoying the journey while having friends who support you is just as powerful.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? What I loved most about Barcelona was its energy and diversity. The city has a strong connection to art and culture, with iconic architecture like Gaudí’s work and vibrant neighborhoods like El Born and Gràcia. It’s also a hub for entrepreneurship, with a growing startup ecosystem and plenty of opportunities to connect with innovative business leaders.

What movie or television show best reflects the realities of business and what did you learn from it? The show that best reflects the realities of business for me is Black Mirror. It may not be the most ‘traditional’ business show you think of, but it highlights how quickly technology is evolving and how innovations like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and data tracking are already transforming the workforce. The show emphasizes both the opportunities and challenges that come with these advancements, particularly the ethical considerations businesses must address.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? Aside from having key professors talking about it in our courses, Esade embraces practical learning and encourages students to use AI tools to enhance our outcomes. The careers team also provides us with a tool named VMock, which has been helpful in understating formatting in today’s world of CV screening.  Additionally, Esade prepares students as business leaders and AI. For example, in our Racial Injustice class, we explored the ethical implications of AI, focusing on understanding how to reduce biases and promote fairness. These experiences taught me the importance of using AI to foster equity and inclusion in leadership and decision-making.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire?  The person I admire most is Marcela Nadel. She is the type of person that kept our MBA group energized and motivated, even during the toughest moments of the MBA. No matter how stressful things got, Marcela always had a way of lifting everyone up, whether it was by celebrating someone’s success or simply being a listening ear to others when they needed it most. What’s even more impressive is that she didn’t just cheer others on—she always gave back to the community while going after her goals with such a strong work ethic. Marcela’s positivity and ability to lift up the people around her made her a standout.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

TedX Speaker – I aspire to one day share my perspective on women in business on a TedX stage, inspiring and empowering others through my experiences.

Published Author – The MBA and my journey in entrepreneurship have taught me valuable lessons about growth, mindset, and adapting to change. I hope to write a book that captures these insights and shares them with a wider audience.

What made Joanne such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025?

“Esade is proud to nominate Joanne Bartolome for her outstanding contributions to empowering women in business leadership.

Joanne’s journey as a leader and advocate for women in business began long before her MBA. She was recognized by her local Chamber of Commerce with an entrepreneurial award. She also had contributions to women in entrepreneurship specifically with the Government of Canada’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Strategy as an advisor for Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE). Here, she has mentored women business owners, helping them establish strong digital marketing strategies and offering insights that support long-term business success. Joanne has become a sought-after speaker, sharing her experiences and insights on overcoming challenges in male-dominated industries.

Joanne’s influence extends to her leadership role within Strathcona Women in Business, where she has designed and led initiatives aimed at creating accessible support networks for women founders. Joanne’s advocacy has not only impacted local communities but has also reached national audiences through her interview with CBC.

At Esade, Joanne has continued her commitment to empowering women through impactful initiatives, particularly on International Women’s Day At Esade, when she led an awareness campaign highlighting the disparities in funding available to women entrepreneurs. Leveraging her experience, Joanne created a platform to address the critical lack of financial resources and support for women-owned businesses. Her initiative not only raised awareness among students and faculty but also underscored Esade’s role in supporting gender equity, especially within entrepreneurship—an area in which Esade ranks #1 globally. By drawing attention to these disparities, Joanne has fostered greater engagement on this crucial issue and inspired her peers to take action in their own communities.

Joanne Bartolome exemplifies the mission of Esade to develop principled leaders who advance society. Her dedication to her presidency as Women in Business & Allies Club Esade, underscores her commitment to a future where women in business are equally represented, funded, and celebrated.

Joanne embodies the very essence of what we strive for at Esade: intelligence, ambition, collaboration and a deep commitment to her peers and the broader society. As President of the Women in Business & Allies Club at Esade, she has been an advocate for advancing women in business and inspired others to join this mission.

Her impressive double wins in both the Class-Voted Career Ally and Leadership Awards highlight her unwavering dedication to enhancing Esade. The Career Ally Award celebrates her efforts in fostering meaningful student connections to boost career opportunities. The Leadership Award honors her respected ability to lead, inspire, and drive impactful change. Winning not just one, but two awards after being nominated is an incredibly challenging feat, and it’s something only someone like Joanne could accomplish.

Joanne’s impressive candidacy has caught the attention, not only of ESADE, but also of the Forté Foundation, which has named her a Finalist for the 2025 ‘Forté Edie Hunt Inspiration Award.’

In the future, she will be working at Kraft Heinz, with their value “We Demand Diversity”, showing that she will continue her work for years to come. Her achievements make her an exceptional candidate for this award, and we are honored to support her nomination.”

Laura Bonavia Solé
Full Time MBA Program Director

DON’T MISS: MBAS TO WATCH: CLASS OF 2025

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