Germán Ríos Méndez

Germán Ríos Méndez came to IE University after a 25-year career working for multilateral banks in Latin America such as the World Bank and CAF Development Bank of Latin America, where he was the corporate director of strategic affairs. A Venezuelan himself, Germán’s passion for Latin America is what drives him to contribute to the region’s economic development and give his students the tools to become agents of change.

Germán is now an adjunct professor and Chair of the Observatory on Latin American Politics and Economics at IE University. He also holds a variety of senior positions at institutions such as Atrevia, the University of Navarra, IESA, The Founder Institute, Ohmresearch Independent Insights and CEAPI.

At IE University, Germán teaches various courses for the Master in Applied Economics including Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, International Money and Finance , and Politics, Development and Economics of Latin America. He encourages all students interested in economics to take his classes, regardless of whether they have a background in the subject. Although some prior knowledge is always a plus, he considers a passion for the subject to be the best quality a student can have. 

Germán was first drawn to IE University’s diverse student body and faculty, along with its international prestige. By training IE University’s hardworking students, Germán hopes to inspire the next generation of change-makers. Germán adds, “I am a professor because I believe I can make a difference through teaching and change lives for the better.”

Germán hopes to use his own experience and knowledge to give his students insight into the world of economics and how it can improve the lives of people in the poorest countries. One of his goals as both a professional and an educator is to work towards improving government actions through economic policy changes.

This goal led Germán to want to teach others and someday pass the torch to the next generation of leaders. His true passion for teaching can be seen through his desire to make a difference in the lives of others. One perk of teaching that he did not anticipate is the satisfaction he gets by following students as they leave IE University and start their careers. As a professor, he is very proud of his former students’ achievements.

Germán is known for going the extra mile for his students, using a variety of techniques to reinforce concepts such as discussion boards, games and simulations. He always enhances his classroom lectures with plenty of real-world examples, problems and scenarios that reinforce what students learn each day. He says: 

“I am passionate about teaching and communicating in the best possible way my experience and knowledge to my students.”

He encourages all students to take full advantage of the experience and knowledge of their professors, because they can often teach you things not found in books. Especially at IE University, your professors can serve as mentors even after you have completed your studies. Reflecting on the influence professors can have on their students, Germán suggests that program candidates watch a talk on the secrets of economic growth, given by his own former professor and mentor, Ricardo Hausmann.

When he is not teaching at IE University and inspiring the next generation of changemakers, Germán enjoys playing padel, a very popular sport in Spain. He also likes to relax by walking around the sunny streets of Madrid. Yet a professor’s work is never truly complete, and his mind often wanders to lesson plans and strategies to solve public policy issues.

With the streets of Madrid as his inspiration, Germán recommends that students thinking about coming to study at IE University read Madrid by Andrés Trapiello so they can discover more about the city’s history and prepare to enjoy their time in the beautiful city he calls home.