Faculty

International Marketing and Communications

Jesus Oliver Ferrer

Nationality: Spain

Academic Experience: Masters in Marketing Management, ESIC Business School

Professional Experience: Marketing Director at Casio, Spain; Manager at Palaroid, UK; Manager at General Motors, UK. Owner of Wow Time Media (Communication and Social Media Agency):Branding: Positioning, Repositioning and Brand development; Community Management; On line activities with ambassadors/influencers such as bloggers, instagramers and so on; Co-Branding strategies in order to maximize Marketing budgets through alliances with other companies; Gaining,Retaining and Keeping loyalty customers. Leading projects in a wide range of fields (fashion, gastronomy, technology...) Some of the clients are: GRUPO HUSA, GRUPO NOMO, SONY, ASOCIACIÓN DE COMERCIANTES DEL TURO PARK, TEYDER, JANINA LINGERIE, etc.

Elena Tecchiati

Nationality: Italy

Academic Experience: PhD Candidate in Communications, University of Barcelona

Research Fields: Business communications, Women and Leadership

Professional Experience: Communication Development Specialist Speech & Voice Coach, Owner & Managing Director of CDC Leadership.

Oscar Molina Crivillén

Nationality: Spain

Academic Experience: Master in Business Administration – IE Business School, Master in Environment Management – Instituto de Investigaciones Ecológicas, Bachelor in Civil Engineering – Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Professional Experience: Now CEO & Founder at Sport Tech startup Wowego, previously Sales Director at Regus, Sales Director at Sodexo, CEO & Founder at The Facilitybox, VP Global Expansion at Naturhouse, CEO at Ucalsa, Business Development Director at Urbaser.

Economics, Finance, Statistical Analysis

Alain Schlaepfer

Nationality: Switzerland

Academic Experience: PH.D Candidate in Economics, Universitat Pompeu Fabra; Master of Science in Economics, Barcelona Graduate School of Economics; Master of Arts in Economics, University of Bern.

Research Fields: Monetary Policy, Financial Stability, Macroeconomics, Business Cycles, International Economics

Professional Experience: Economic Analyst, Swiss National Bank; Professor of Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, Advanced Economic Growth and Development at Universitat Pompeu Fabra; Professor of Advanced International Trade, International Economics at the University of Basel.

Ken Douglas

Nationality: UK

Academic Experience: MBA, IESE Business School, BA in Economics, Aberdeen University

Professional experience: Ken Douglas, BA in economics from Aberdeen University, Scotland and an MBA from the IESE business school in Barcelona. He has wide-ranging experience of private equity with UK and Spanish funds as well as all aspects of M&A. In the field of real estate Ken has managed a group of local and foreign private investors in a range of property deals including residential, commercial and hotel related investments.

Julia Sokolova

Nationality: Russia

Academic Experience: MBA, ESADE Business School

Professional experience: A qualified economist, and a fellow member of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), London. She has over fifteen year professional experience in various roles in multinational companies in Russia, Germany, the UK and Spain. She is currently giving lectures at the universities and business schools, and advising on investment opportunities in Spain and developing business plans for new ventures. 

Hubert Augusto Joo Kitano

Nationality: Peru

Academic Experience: PH.D Candidate in Management, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona; MBA, ESADE Business School. 

Research Fields: Investments, mergers and acquisitions, entrepreneurial finance.

Professional Experience: Budget Planning Analyst at National Intelligence Council - Peruvian national strategic institution for economic and development planning; Business and Financial Analyst at Banco de Credito del Peru; Regular speaker at Corporación Financiera de Desarrollo (COFIDE) conference. 

Stefano Nasini 

Nationality: Italy

Academic Experience: PH.D in Statistics, Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya.

Research Fields: Complex Networks, Microeconomics, Mathematical Sociology, Game Theory, Optimization and Statistical Inference.

Professional Experience: Researcher at the Dept. of Statistics and Operations Research (Polytechnic University of Catalonia).

Ferran Armada Ramírez

Nationality: Spain

Academic Experience: PH.D Candidate in Economics, University of Barcelona; Master in Applied Economic Analysis, University Pompeu Fabra. 

Research Fields: Wind Electricity, Integration of European Energy Markets.

Professional Experience: Research, writing and publishing of the “Yearly Report on R+D and Innovation for Catalonia, 2008” at Centre d’Innovació i Desenvolupament Empresarial (CIDEM); Trans Knowledge Consultancy at UPC Foundation- AGBAR, Autonomous University of Madrid, Fundació Barcelona Formació Professional. 

Xavier Arola

Nationality: Spain

Academic Experience: PDG at IESE, Master in Economics and International Finance, University of Barcelona; Masters in Finance and Banking, University Pompeu Fabra, University Degree in Economics. University Pompeu Fabra.

Professional experience: 20-year experienced CEO. Large experience in funding and building investments proposals. Former CEO of the largest financial institution on Infrastructure’s investment in Catalonia. Former CEO of the Catalan Heritage Agency. Large experience in transnational companies investing in utilities, and Financial Analyst in Investment’s banking. Currently is leading several projects in Green Investments (Energy efficiency, renewables) for the Catalan Government, local administration and for the European Union.

Meet GBSB Global Professor Xavier Arola

Nationality: Spanish 

Academic Experience:  CFA Charterholder, CFA Institute, MBA, International University of La Rioja, Graduate in Business Administration, ICADE, Universidad Pontificia Comillas

Professional Experience:  Finance  and business professional with 25 years of international experience in blue-chip multinationals, including seven years with PwC and twelve years with the Coca-Cola system in Spain, Russia, US, Venezuela, Greece and Switzerland. Entrepreneurial experience.

Nationality: Georgian

Academic Experience: Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Corporate Finance, Budgeting & Control

Professional Experience: More than 10 years of experience in Financial Management at leading Georgian and French companies as well as more than 3 years of teaching experience.

P&C (Protection & Care) - Business Development Manager (Prague, Czech Republic); Schneider Electric France - Credit Manager (Grenoble, France); TROPICANA LAS VEGAS - Credit Manager; JSC POPULI - Chief Financial Analyst (Tbilis, Georgia); CAUCASUS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS - Instructor, Finance & Accounting (Tbilisi, Georgia); VAKE 777 LTD - Financial Manager (Tbilisi, Georgia).

International Business

Gursel Ilipinar

Nationality: Turkey

Academic Experience: PH.D in Management, ESADE Business School; Masters in Design Management, Instituto Europeo di Design; Masters in Marketing and Information Technology, Georgia State University of Atlanta

Research Fields: Innovation and global markets, competitiveness of an international business, design thinking.

Professional Experience: Gursel Ilipinar is a design driven global business professional with more than 20 years’ experience in design management, brand management, product and service innovation, telecom management, banking and insurance; international trade and business development. Gursel holds Masters in Marketing and Information Technology degree from Georgia State University of Atlanta, and visiting scholarship from Goiuzueta (Coca Cola) Business School, USA. He has a PhD in Design Management at ESADE Business School. Most of his 20-year professional career has been in international business field, namely, Export-Import bank of Turkey (Eximbank), State of Georgia Department of Trade, Industry and Tourism, United States Export Assistance Center, AT&T, ESADE and Istituto Europe di Design (IED).

Nicholas Knowles

Nationality: UK 

Academic Experience: Assoc Degree in French Commerce, Neuchatel University, Switzerland. 

Professional Experience: A global business development consultant for the last 12 years working in Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Health Care, Bio techs, Toiletries and Cosmetics, Household products and other consumer goods with some of the largest corporations in the World, including P&G, J&J, Pfizer, Colgate-Palmolive, Kimberly-Clark, Novartis, Wyeth, Bayer, Prestige Brands Inc and many others.

Ariel Castillo 

Academic Experience: MBA, ESERP Business School; BA in Tourism and Hospitality, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes.

Professional Experience: Director at Castlehart Language Services; Account Executive for the English Market at City Service, Travel Agency; Consultant and Organizor of XXIII Panamerican Congress of Ophtalmology.

Ariel Castillo GBSB Global Business School Teacher Profile

Gilberto Palmerín

Nationality: Spain and Mexico

Academic Experience: Postgraduate Degree, Public Administration - Speciality in Diplomacy and International Relations, Institut International d’Administration Publique (IIAP/ENA), France. Postgraduate Degree, European Studies, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México, Mexico. Bachelor Degree, International Relations, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.

Academic Experience (Teaching): University of Barcelona (2008-2009): Guest Professor at the Postgraduate Program on Management and International Cultural Cooperation; Organization of Ibero-American States (2007-2008): Professor and Coordinator of International Cultural Cooperation at the Postgraduate Program on Cultural Management; Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México, ITAM (1993-1998): Professor at the Division of General and International Studies; National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM (1986-1988): Assistant Professor of Social Theory at the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences. More than 3,000 hours as corporate trainer and coach in public, private and nonprofit organizations in Spain.

Professional Experience: Collaboration Strategist. International consultant, trainer and coach with more than 30 years of experience in the field international public affairs. Designing, implementing and developing collaborative and value innovation strategies for public, private and non-profit organizations. Cultural and Public Affairs Attaché at the Quebec Government Office in Barcelona (2007-2008); Executive Director of the US-Mexico Foundation for Culture, Inc. (Mexico City and New York, 2005-2007); Cultural and Public Affairs Attaché at the General Delegation of Quebec in Mexico (2000-2005); Chief of Staff to the Permanent Representative of Mexico to the OECD (Paris, 1999-2000); Head of the Public Relations Service at the French Embassy in Mexico (1992-1998); Deputy Director of Information at the Staff of the Mayor of Mexico City (1990-1992).

Meet GBSB Global Business School professor Gilberto Palmerín Romero

Operations Management, Supply Chains, and Logistics

Dionne Jacomello

Nationality: UK

Academic Experience: MBA Chicago Booth School of Business, University of Chicago

Professional Experience: Dionne has a long-standing successful career as an executive of international businesses and Fortune 500 multinational corporations with positions that range from country to senior management and include almost all buy and sell forms of international business and international management from sales and business development, to marketing, licensing agreements, e-Business, IT services, sourcing and outsourcing, supply chain and contract negotiations with global major names like IBM, HP, DELL and Microsoft. She has a combination of hands-on international strategic sourcing, operations management and consulting experience. Following her international career Dionne advised medium-large firms on organizational & cost reduction solutions & eSourcing and has been a visitor lecturer at International B-Schools and Universities to share her knowledge and experience with new people interested in Operations Management, Logistics, Commercial & Risk Management, Strategic Sourcing and Supply Chain Management. Dionne earned her Graduate degree from the University of Chicago Business School and a Bachelor's degree from the London Metropolitan University. Dionne is an accredited member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) and also a business education advisor.

Giovanni Svettini

Nationality: Italy

Academic Experience: MBA, SDA Bocconi, BA in Political Science, University of Palermo, Italy. 

Professional Experience: IMPAC Consulting, Productivity and optimization consultant, Relationship Manager at AmexBank. 

Bernardo Espinosa 

Nationality: Mexico

Academic Experience: MSc in Environmental Engineering Technology/ Environmental Technology, University of Barcelona.

Professional Experience: General manager at North Group, LTD; General Manager at Stonex Surveying; Technical Manager at Axis Ingenieria; Production Process Consultant, Cemex.

Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Creativity

Mariona López Bosch

Academic Experience: BA Industrial and Product Design, University of Southampton; MA Design and Innovation, Escuela Superior de Diseño Elisava;

Professional Experience: Since 2002 has been managing partner in 2creativo, a strategic design studio, combining strategy and design (graphic + product) to help companies transform good into great. She teaches courses for both undergraduate design students and entrepreneurs in several governmentally-run centers.

Arianna Mazzeo 

Nationality: Italy 

Academic Experience: Master in Education and ICT, Open University of Catalonia. Master in European Policies and Entrepreunership. ESSC.

Professional Experience: TEK - Creative Education and online trainings. mSchools and mUniversity Projects. Relationships with schools during the Ischool Initiative on Mobile world congress with Gsma, Generalitat de Catalunya, MobileWorldCapital Fundation, Ajuntament de Barcelona. Head of European Projects at Fundació I2CAT.(Internet of Second Generation) and Living Lab Citilab.

Mauricio O'Brien

Nationality: Ireland 

Academic Experience: Master in Design, Image and Architecture, ELISAVA Design School; Master in Cultural Management, Open University of Catalonia; 

Professional Experience: Developed a series of educational labs and workshops with students, since 2004, for the graduate and undergraduate education community enhancing trans-media communication and interactive media;

Xavier Olivares

Academic Experience: MBA, EADA Business School, Masters in Design Management, ESADE Business School; Engineering Studies, ELISACA, Superior School of Design

Professional Experience: Xavier Olivares Veciana, consultant and professor, expert in management and systematization of innovation, design thinking, and leadership. He has a strong experience as a Manager of Innovation in the area of design in different industries at international level, including being Head of Smart City Lab in Smart Barcelona - a consultancy firm devoted to increase the levels of efficiency in cities. He lectures on innovation, creativity, and new product development and has been a guest speaker at the Catalan Agency for Competitiveness - a state organization devoted to promote Catalan business worldwide. Engineering Design Graduate, he holds an MBA from EADA Business School and Master in Innovation through Design Thinking from ESADE Business School.

Fashion and Luxury Business Management

Sandra Lafuente

Nationality: Spain

Academic Experience: Bachelor of Business Administration, Staffordshire University; Postgraduate, Central Sant Martins London; MA in HR and People Management, University Pompeu Fabra

Professional Experience: Client Service Manager at Chopard, Client Services at Swarovski Iberia, Product Manager at Mango. 

Herve Locatelli 

Nationality: Italy

Academic Experience: ESCP Europe, Masters in Management, University of Lyon, BA in Economics.

Professional Experience: Marketing Director at Levi Strauss, Spain, Marketing Director at Adidas, Spain, Brand Manager at Benetton

Virginia Rondeel 

Nationality: USA and the Netherlands

Academic Experience: ArtEZ Hogeschool voor de Kunsten, Fashion Department, Arnhem, the Netherlands.

Professional Experience: President of Associació Moda Sostenible Bcn; Founder of the fashion brand Virginia Rondeel, Upcycling Collection; Founder of Kunstraum, on line art gallery; Product manager at Liwe Española, S.A., Jeans, sportswear and casual;

Carlotta Cataldi 

Nationality: Italy

Academic Experience: Master’s in Strategic Leadership toward Sustainability, Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden; BA in Public Relations and Fashion, IULM University, Milan; 

Professional Experience: Since Carlotta discovered how today’s fashion industry impacts the planet and the people working in the industry, she decided to take action, and participate in the growth of the Slow Fashion movement. How? By organizing workshops, writing for magazines, and speaking in public. Carlotta is a trained graphic facilitator that uses her visual skills to illustrate supply chain processes, turn complex concepts into simple graphics, and capture ideas of a group.

Gemma Pascual Martin 

Nationality: Spain 

Academic Experience: Master in Marketing Management, EAE Business School; BA Political and Administration Science, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona.

Professional Experience: Channel Marketing Manager at Levi Strauss, Spain; Levi’s® Portfolio Brand, PR and Social Media Management for Spain and Portugal; Communications Product Manager & Retail Marketing, Tea Shop of East West Company; 

Tourism and Hospitality Management

Oscar Bujosa

Nationality: Dominican Republic

Academic Experience: BA in Architecture and Urbanism, Universidad Nacional Pedro Henriquez Urena.

Professional Experience: Manager at Marriot Renaissance Barcelona Airport Hotel; Technical Director at Corporacion Hotelera Internacional, Construction Manager at Merrit and Harris, Inc.  

Willem Van Rossem 

Nationality: The Netherlands

Academic Experience: Master in Customer Service and Service Culture, Cornell University;BS in Tourism Management, University of New Hampshire.

Professional Experience: Managing Director at Guestconnection - Consulting company dedicated to improve service excellence for hospitality related companies, via 100% customized reporting, consulting and training solutions; Assistant Director of Operations/Quality Assurance, Dolce Hotels and Resorts;Customer Service Manager, PortAventura; Front Desk Manager at Walt Disney World Resort;