Beatriz Marqui Monreal

IMD Business School

“People-driven, curious, and resilient, I thrive by being present and balancing emotional, physical, and mental well-being.”

Hometown: Santos – Sao Paulo, Brazil

Fun fact about yourself: I can seamlessly switch between two extreme personalities – an outgoing, results-driven planner and a laid-back, go-with-the-flow person. I like to joke that sometimes I’m ‘saving energy’ for the big things.

Undergraduate School and Degree:

• FEI, Brazil – Industrial Engineering
• Rutgers, USA – Mini-MBA in Digital Supply Chain

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Regional Product Manager for CAR-T Cell Therapy in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Where did you intern during the summer of 2024? Ancora.AI (a digital health startup) in Zurich, Switzerland

Where will you be working after graduation? Ipsen, New Product Planning Manager in London, United Kingdom

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• Healthcare Club Leader
• Recruitment & Admissions Ambassador
• Singer of IMD’s band (won 2nd place at the MBAT Battle of the Bands)
• Hosted parties as a DJ on the IMD Campus

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Overcoming my barriers to speaking in public. More than just improving my presentation skills, this journey was about self-awareness and turning insight into action. By understanding my trigger points and recognizing what was hindering my leadership potential, I was able to take deliberate steps to address them. I went from freezing in front of my classmates to confidently presenting at a major healthcare conference in Basel within just a few months. This experience reinforced the power of resilience and the importance of actively working on self-awareness.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? My biggest achievement is my career trajectory – consistently prioritizing learning, curiosity, and stepping outside my comfort zone. Over the past eight years, I’ve navigated almost a new function per year, embracing challenges across different roles and industries in Latin America, North America and Europe. The most significant shift was transitioning from supply chain to regional commercial strategy, which unlocked a new level of impact and growth. This journey has now led me to a leadership development program with Ipsen’s commercial operations in the UK, reinforcing my belief that embracing change and continuous learning opens doors to greater opportunities.

Why did you choose this business school? IMD’s close-knit community was the key factor in my decision. With only around 100 people per cohort, the program fosters deep, strong, and long-lasting relationships. This sense of camaraderie extends beyond graduation, as I’ve already experienced the remarkable level of support within the IMD alumni network. Today, as an alum myself, I can confidently say I made the right choice.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Arturo Bris – mainly because he made the impossible happen: for the first time in my life I enjoyed finance! The level of his class is mind-blowing. He presents complex finance topics in such an engaging and stimulating way that even those with no prior interest in the subject become captivated. On top of that, he’s a great and approachable professor, always willing to help. He even equipped our band with new instruments and played with us on graduation night!

What was your favorite course as an MBA? It’s hard to choose just one, but I really enjoyed Strategy Beyond Markets with Nestlé Professor of Strategy and Political Economy (and IMD President) David Bach. During this course, he introduced many current global situations, forcing us to think through different lenses. He did a fantastic job explaining the interface between business and politics and challenging us to think about successful nonmarket strategies.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? (What did it reflect about your business school? Performing with the IMD band at MBAT was an unforgettable experience. The most rewarding part was the rehearsals leading up to the event, where we had to manage IMD’s intense academic schedule while engaging 10 different personalities to be present, committed, and deliver their best. In the end, our hard work paid off – we won a medal, proving that at IMD, we can work hard and have fun.

Another standout moment was the night of the performance itself; the entire school came to support us, with more attendees than any other school. This overwhelming support reflected the strong community IMD fosters, where encouragement and camaraderie are at the heart of our experience.

What is the biggest myth about your school? IMD’s rigorous program leaves no time for anything else. While the workload is intense, prioritization and balance make it possible to explore passions, build deep relationships, and have fun along the way.

What did you love most about your business school’s town?The breathtaking lake and Alps. The serenity of Lake Geneva makes Lausanne an ideal place to reflect and recharge. Beyond its beauty, Lausanne’s location in Switzerland – a global hub for healthcare and life sciences innovation – was a major draw. The city fosters an environment of cutting-edge healthcare developments, and the proximity to startups shaping the future of healthcare made my experience even more enriching, as seen in my summer internship with Ancora.AI.

What movie or television show best reflects the realities of business and what did you learn from it? Moneyball – the film highlights the power of data-driven decision-making and challenging traditional industry norms. The movie demonstrates how ‘thinking outside the box’ and taking risks can create a competitive advantage, even with limited resources.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? At IMD, we used AI as a support tool across different courses throughout the year. A key highlight was our Digital Analytics Lab, where we leveraged AI and computational processing power to analyze vast datasets and extract meaningful insights. This allowed us to develop strategic and data-driven recommendations for a real-world case, demonstrating how AI can enhance decision-making by uncovering patterns that would be impossible to detect manually.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? This was the hardest question for me to answer as I admire attitudes rather than just individuals. One of the greatest aspects of being in such a diverse environment is being constantly exposed to many different attitudes, some of which I admire and many from which I learn. That said, I tend to admire a particular pattern in people: the go-getters, the resilient, and the big achievers. Those who are humble yet constantly seeking growth and development. The authentic ones, unafraid to speak their truth. The ones who give to others without expecting anything in return. The ones who, even in hard times, maintain a spiritual level of positivity and navigate life with gratitude. The ones who see beauty in the little things and influence others to embrace this perspective.

Based on these values, Jakob Johansson is someone who embodies many of them. Interestingly enough, I’ve never told him this, but I will.

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

1. Leverage the influence and power of organizations to drive meaningful change, making the world a better place for people and communities.
2. Take on a leadership role that directly shapes and influences the healthcare landscape of a country – a goal I am actively preparing for through my current leadership development program.

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

“Beatriz exemplified the spirit of the IMD MBA program: international, collaborative, open to new ideas, and always willing to learn. She was not only stellar in class with her sharp, thought-provoking questions and excellent academic performance, but she also played a pivotal role in shaping the social fabric of the MBA cohort. Whether organizing events, proactively leading the IMD MBA band, or engaging in any activity related to music and the arts, she brought people together with her energy and enthusiasm.

Beyond her academic and extracurricular contributions, Beatriz also mastered the art of networking, a crucial skill for any MBA. She had an innate ability to connect people, build meaningful relationships, and create opportunities for both herself and her peers. Whether engaging with guest speakers, alumni, or classmates, she demonstrated the kind of relationship-building that defines true leadership.

Above all, she is an outstanding human being, someone who showed up every morning to the 8:30am class with a smile and a warm “good morning,” always willing to help her classmates and ready to lend a hand. Her presence made the IMD MBA experience richer for everyone around her.”

Arturo Bris
Professor of Finance and Director of the IMD World Competitiveness Center

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

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