Gonzalo Garland

As well as teaching the core course on Managerial Economics, an elective course on Country Economic Analysis, and several short courses and conferences in the executive education division, Gonzalo Garland also finds time to carry out the administrative responsibilities required of him in his role as Executive Vice President of the IE Foundation.

But teaching – which he first experienced at the age of 17 – is in his blood and he remains passionate about it. “Teaching is crucial,” he says. “I like transmitting knowledge and being able to explain things that at first might seem difficult for people. But when they suddenly understand what you’re talking about and see the relevance, it’s very gratifying”.

In the field of macroeconomics, Prof Garland has conducted research into the economic effects of demographic changes and he is also an expert on financial crises. And with his specialist knowledge of the economics of developing countries such as China, India, Brazil and Mexico, Prof Garland’s expertise is much in demand, as MBA students look for business education programs that have an increasingly international flavor.

“Everyone wants a more global vision,” he says. “And the fact that more than 90 per cent of students in the international MBA at IE are from outside Spain makes the classes fascinating because often, what you’re talking about is something that people are relating to the situation in their own countries”.