Gonzalo Navarro Ruiz
I’m Gonzalo; I’m Spanish and I’ve lived in Madrid my whole life. I’ve always been interested in teaching and, at IE Law School, I teach students about subjects related to innovation and law. I’m passionate about traveling and discovering new places, cultures and people in my free time. I believe every place you visit creates memories and sparks something new.
"I believe that success in the professional world is that everybody discovers, over time, what their passion is, what they like, and the necessary steps to dedicate themself to it."
Bringing a diverse career into a dynamic classroom
Gonzalo Navarro Ruiz kicked-off his teaching career as an adjunct professor at IE Law School after completing his doctorate in Law. Earlier, he earned his Master of Laws (LL.M.) there and proudly graduated as number one in his class. Gonzalo has always considered this one of the best institutions in the world thanks to the quality of its teachers, facilities and tools available, as well as the international profile of its students. So it was a natural step to return as a faculty member.
He currently works as General Counsel and Compliance Officer at Portfolio Stock Exchange—a newly created stock exchange in Spain—alongside his teaching responsibilities. Gonzalo has extensive experience in commercial and digital law (Artificial Intelligence & Blockchain), and stock markets, having led and participated in important and pioneering projects related to the use and application of disruptive technologies such as Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence.
He also holds a double degree in law plus business administration and management from the Complutense University of Madrid, as well as an Executive MBA by IE Business School. Gonzalo now teaches at the intersection of his previous studies: business and law. Throughout his education, he took advantage of opportunities to globalize his mind with international stays in the US—first studying Behavioral Science of Management and then participating in IE Law School’s “Legal Bridge to Silicon Valley” program—and India, where he traveled for Global Immersion Week as part of his Executive MBA.
Gonzalo aims for his classes to transmit the day-to-day vision of a company to his students, advancing them in their professional careers and providing them with a hands-on approach to the field of law. His classes are dynamic and entertaining, enabling students to get involved at every opportunity.
“For me, teaching students is very enriching because you learn from them, and since they are students younger than me, they give me a fresh view of the world of work and society. It is wonderful!”
Similarly, Gonzalo is a future-forward lawyer: involved in the use and application of new technologies, his professional opportunities continue to increase as society and technology evolve. Working faster, with new tools, in a different way with new people is a part of his daily life and something that takes center stage in his classes.
After finishing his Master of Laws (LL.M.) at IE Law School, Gonzalo started working as a lawyer in the Spanish Stock Exchange. From that moment on, he was inspired to pursue a professional career in this branch of law. Gonzalo has since then dedicated himself to the field; he later earned his doctorate focusing on the stock market. Today, he specializes in law related to the financial sector and stock market, commercial law, data protection, and new technologies law.
Over time, Gonzalo has managed to build up an impressive list of credentials at some of the top organizations in the region. His previous professional experience includes working at Uría Menéndez, a leading Spanish law firm; BME, the operator of several Spanish financial markets; and the Portfolio Stock Exchange, working toward the ambitious project of creating a new and revolutionary stock market in Spain. Gonzalo led the legal and regulatory work for this initiative.
Gonzalo’s advice to today’s lawyers would be to never stop learning, not only in the field of law but also business. He sees it as very relevant for lawyers to have a vision of how a company works and understand the financial side to better advise their clients. What’s more, he believes they should also focus on understanding the use and application of new technologies to remain competitive and better meet their client’s evolving needs.
Further, he leverages his broad professional experience to tell his students to not be afraid of professional changes—they make you take on new challenges and open you up to valuable opportunities.
