Olga Sánchez: "We need adaptive and learning leaders".

Olga Sánchez: "We need adaptive and learning leaders".

- The CEO of AXA Seguros España and President of the AXA Foundation, Olga Sánchez, sponsored the 2022 - 2023 graduating class of EAE Business School Barcelona with a speech advocating courageous and committed leadership.

- The event was presided over by the President of Grupo Planeta, José Creuheras, and was attended by more than 5,700 people at the iconic Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona.

Friday, 7 July 2023 - EAE Business School Barcelona, a business school belonging to Planeta Training and Universities, today held the graduation ceremony for more than 1,900 students who have completed various Masters, MBAs and Bachelor's degrees in the 2022-2023 academic year. The gala, held at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, was presided over by José Creuheras, President of Grupo Planeta, and was attended by Olga Sánchez, CEO of AXA Seguros España and President of the AXA Foundation, as godmother of the graduating class.

The ceremony was also attended by Carlos Giménez, CEO of Planeta Formación y Universidades; Montse Civera, Academic Director of Planeta Formación y Universidades; José Luis Fernández, General Director of EAE Business School Barcelona and Enric Ordeix, Dean of EAE Business School Barcelona.

"THE WORLD NEEDS ADAPTIVE LEADERS".

"If I were to go back in time, with the experience I have today, I would break some preconceived ideas". Olga Sánchez, godmother of the graduating class, began a powerful and personal speech by debunking myths and alluding to the knowledge she would have valued having when she graduated.

For the CEO of AXA, "the first myth is, without a doubt, that education ends with studies". "Experts speak of a BANI world, which stands for Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear and Incomprehensible," because "today's world needs adaptive leaders who are constantly learning in increasingly complex situations," Sánchez emphasised.

For the top executive of AXA Seguros España, a second myth is that "the world of work is becoming increasingly difficult", when in a context of disruption and concatenated challenges, the only thing to do is to "embrace change and lead it. Lead with determination, commitment and passion". The third myth is the fear of failure. "Fail fast, cheap, and learn something along the way", because "resilience is one of the great characteristics of successful leaders", he stated forcefully.

"A leader is worth what his or her team is worth, stick to bosses and colleagues who are rich in generosity and humility from whom you can learn and whose example is vital for your development", Olga Sánchez emphasised in reference to dismantling the need for recognition and encouraging the search for diversity of thought as a value in companies.

"Do not stop believing in your power, in your ability to believe that things can be changed with the movement of people, because only the quality of their people, of their talent, differentiates companies and institutions. "Today everything can be copied, but the essence of what you are, your soul, is authentic and is yours alone", concluded Sánchez, accompanied by a standing ovation from the audience and the emotion of the graduates at what was a harangue to genuine, ambitious and transformational leadership.

Montse Civera, Academic Director of Planeta Formación y Universidades, highlighted in her speech the ethical leadership that is promoted in the classrooms of EAE Business School Barcelona: "The true essence of your training lies in the values that have been transmitted to you in this great business school. We don't just teach you to be excellent professionals, but also to be ethical and responsible leaders".

For his part, the Dean of EAE Business School Barcelona, Enric Ordeix, highlighted the transformative capacity of the students after completing their studies at EAE: "Our job is to give you the knowledge to be agents of impact, strengthening your critical thinking and innovative spirit. Now, you are prepared to guide sustainable change in organisations and society".

AWAITED AWARDS

The graduation ceremony was an opportune moment to distinguish the work of companies close to EAE Barcelona, as well as the academics most highly valued by the school's students. The Top Recruiter Award was given to Bayer, the flagship company in the pharmaceutical sector in Barcelona, and the Strategic Partner Award to the Tech Barcelona association, a recognised promoter of technological innovation at the highest level in Barcelona. The awards were received by Ona García, Head of Talent Management Iberia, EMEA Talent Acceleration and Culture at Bayer, and Juan Baselga, Director of Institutional Relations at Tech Barcelona, respectively. One of the most acclaimed awards was the Teaching Excellence Award, which this year went to Anna Ripoll, Director of the Master in UX & Customer Experience, and Armando Salvador, Director of the Master in Digital Marketing & E-Commerce and Director of the Incubation Program of EAE Emprende.

Endorsing the innovative character of EAE Barcelona, the Innovative Initative Award was given to four students of the school's International MBA, all of them finalists of the "Collaborative Global Student Challenge" of Babson College for the project "From The First Day", which aims to combat bullying in schools. Susana Arteaga, Ramiro González Toscano, Jorge Lira Gaete and Irina Romanchuk received their award, making it clear that for the second year in a row an EAE Barcelona project has reached the final of this prestigious global competition.

AN EMOTIONAL CEREMONY

One of the most significant moments of the ceremony was the presentation of academic sashes to each of the graduating students, whose names were carefully read out by the presenters of the gala, Helena Resano, journalist and presenter of La Sexta Noticias, and Carles Lamelo, director and presenter of the programme 'Gente Viajera' on Onda Cero. Afterwards, the four representatives of the graduating class, Víctor Gil Ginestà from the Executive MBA, Daria Tsiomashko from the Master in International Business, Juan José Garrido from the Degree in Business Administration and Management (ADE) and María José Fernández Sikic from the Executive MBA Press Release, took to the stage to share their experiences through moving speeches. During the ceremony, a video piece with congratulations from different family members and friends of the students from different parts of the world, made the Palau Sant Jordi vibrate. Particularly the greetings from those who are several kilometres away. The final touch to the celebration came after the traditional "Gaudeamus Igitur" with a gospel choir singing "Don't Stop Me Now" by the band Queen, which left an unforgettable day engraved in the memory of all the attendees.

ABOUT EAE BUSINESS SCHOOL EAE

Business School is an international business school, part of Planeta Formación y Universidades, with a cutting-edge and innovative vision to address the challenges of the 21st century. More than 80,000 students of more than 100 different nationalities have studied at EAE. It has a faculty of 500 teachers (35% international), most of whom combine their professional and academic activities. The school has international alliances with prestigious institutions such as Babson College and U.C. Berkeley Extension, among others. In its commitment to the professional development of its students, EAE Business School has managed more than 2,000 job offers this year, thanks to a network of collaborating companies.

This data has allowed EAE to increase the insertion rate of its students and the ROI of its master's degrees, for which it has been recognised in the international rankings Bloomberg and QS. Planeta Formación y Universidades, the Grupo Planeta's international higher education network, has twenty-two educational institutions in Spain, Andorra, France, Italy, North Africa, the United States and Colombia. Every year, more than 120,000 students from 114 different nationalities are trained through its business schools, universities, specialised colleges and professional training centres.