Gonzalo Aldea
My name is Gonzalo Aldea and I’m from Colombia. My background is in business administration and finance, and back home I run a family-owned real estate business. I decided to enroll in the Global Master in Real Estate Development at IE University so that I could gain a fresh perspective on the industry while interacting with high-level professionals and academics from around the world.
"I wanted to get a fresh perspective of what the world of real estate was like abroad, especially in Europe and the US, and I think it was a great decision."
Staying ahead of the curve
Gonzalo Aldea fits right in at IE University. Restless and eager to learn and grow, he enrolled in the Global Master in Real Estate Development because he wanted to stay one step ahead of the curve. Running a family business in real estate in Bogotá, Colombia, he knew that in order to keep his company relevant and cutting-edge, he needed to upskill, network, and understand what the trends were in the US and European markets—markets that, as he says, “are some 20 years ahead of what’s happening in Colombia.”
Starting the program, Gonzalo had high expectations. In addition to gaining a fresh perspective on what the world of real estate is like abroad, he also wanted to meet and forge relationships with his peers and professors, who he says are a combination of academics and professionals with varied real-world experience in the world of real estate. Gonzalo also valued the holistic approach to learning that was inherent to the program—the best of any program out there, in his esteem. Finally, he hoped to learn more about both the finance side and the legal side of the real estate industry at a global scale, so as to understand the common factors to take into account when doing international business. The verdict? “I think it was a great decision.”
But such an experience doesn’t come easy. Gonzalo says the biggest challenge during the program was juggling running his business, studying and being there for his family. Being both a blended and executive program, you’re expected to continue working in very demanding roles while upskilling in an immersive, hybrid environment over the course of 15 months. Needless to say, his hard work has paid off.
