Amuda Goueli
I was born in Nubia (Egypt & Sudan) and I have an MBA degree from IE Business School. I am a Founder Partner of the companies Destinia.com, Tor.travel (ex Transhotel group), Tech Solutions Travel, and creative agency Planilandia, which operates in the online sector. I am currently the CEO of the online travel agency Destinia.com. and a member of the Management Bodies of the Spanish Association of Digital Economy (Adigital), The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) the United Nations agency, and The Travel Agent Union (CEAV). Member of the board of the NGO Plan International. My personal interest in coaching led me to devote part of my time in preparing conferences and talks on Entrepreneurial Management and E-commerce, with the aim of helping online businesses, small businesses, and entrepreneurs generate business through online commerce.
I started working in the online sector in 1997, occupying the post of Marketing and Content Director in Globalclick. From 2000 on, I devoted my energy to developing Destinia.com. My professional experience in communication media such as Televisión Española, Telemadrid and Advertising Agencies, and my training as a programmer have allowed me and the Destinia.com team to be present in 35 countries and reach 73 million users in 2018.
“Doing good is profitable.”
Q&A WITH AMUDA
Define your experience in the IMBA in one word.
If I had to use one word it would be “enriching.” It was an enriching experience on a personal and professional level, it provided opportunities to learn new business fields, unknown to me before this. The unparalleled experiences shared with great people who over time became inseparable friends greatly enriched my personal and professional life.
What were some of the main challenges that you encountered on your way? How did your master program and IE help you through these challenges?
Perhaps the financial and logistical operations aspects where I had my own professional difficulties. Many of the subjects I studied in the master program helped me to have a global view of the financial aspects and explore new avenues of operation within my company.
How did your experience at IE prepare you for your professional career? In what ways do you think program has changed your life professionally and personally?
On a personal level, I now manage my personal life better, I understand how to value time more and retain the desire to continue learning.
The experience of the IMBA program imprints an everlasting thirst for learning. At the business level when I started the IMBA, I had one company, years later I have seven companies and I’m certain that this growth and success is at least in part due to what I learned at IE.
What was networking like in the program?
One of the greatest values of the IMBA is to meet new people from different cultures and share our work experiences and communal knowledge.
What was your favourite memory from your time at IE?
My favourite memories are the trips with colleagues and the discussions in working groups.
If someone was considering going to IE, what would you tell them?
I would encourage you not to hesitate because it is a life changing experience and after this you will see things from a different perspective.
Why did you choose to study this program at IE?
During the first few years working on my start-up, I had the opportunity to meet influential professionals, many of whom were former students of IE. This mark of prestige caught my attention and I encouraged myself to look into information about the IMBA program at IE in order to continue enhancing my career.
What is one thing you wished you knew, when you were a student? What advice would you give to students who are about to begin the program?
That all subjects are important, perhaps at the time they may not appear to be interesting to you, or that they do not contribute anything new to your career. However, over the years you will realize that they are all important and that branching out into unexplored subjects can only help expand your repertoire and allow you to reach new levels of success that may have previously been unavailable to you.
Tell us about the IE alumni community and the impact they have had in your life and/or career. Why do you think it’s important to engage with the IE alumni community?
I am still in contact with most of my colleagues from the IMBA, it is an important pillar to keep in touch and share our experiences with new students.
As a contributor towards the Illuminated Bricks campaign, how does it feel?
I am proud to be able to help the foundation and it brings me great happiness and satisfaction that my name is in a place at IE, where I learned and grew as a person.
What made you decide to give your first gift?
I was propelled to make my first donation in order to help others, just as others helped me throughout my life.
In your opinion, why is it important to give back? Why does this cause matter to you?
I firmly believe giving back is a moral obligation and anyone that has the opportunity should do so.
What can we do within our IE Community to create an impact and support education?
Create a fund with small monthly donations to sponsor prospective or former students from underdeveloped countries as is done in NGOs. The important thing is to reach as many students as possible, even outside IE.
What would you tell someone who was thinking about contributing?
I would encourage anyone who is considering contributing to do so in order to expand the community and help build the next generation of responsible students to continue the prestigious legacy of the IMBA program at IE.
If you had a billboard you could display to the entire world, what you would put on it?
Doing good is profitable