By INSTITUTIONAL COMMUNICATIONS | EGADE BUSINESS SCHOOL
EGADE Business School at Tecnológico de Monterrey continues to advance its strategic transformation with the creation of the Associate Deanship of Applied Research and Outreach, a new institutional pillar focused on strengthening the generation of knowledge, insights, and actionable solutions with direct relevance to the region’s most pressing challenges.
To lead this initiative, Cristina Vélez Valencia joins EGADE Business School as Associate Dean of Applied Research and Outreach, bringing more than two decades of leadership experience across academia, government, the private sector, and civil society.
“We take another step forward in our strategic transformation with the creation of the Associate Deanship of Applied Research and Outreach at EGADE, which will focus on generating knowledge, insights, and actionable solutions that directly address the region’s challenges,” said Horacio Arredondo, Dean of EGADE Business School.
“This new deanship will drive a high-impact ecosystem that enhances our strategic centers and fosters participation from our community of students and faculty, working closely with business, government, academia, and civil society. To lead this initiative, we have invited Cristina Vélez Valencia to join our institution as Associate Dean of Applied Research and Outreach,” he added.
LEADERSHIP WITH A MULTISECTORAL VISION
Before joining Tecnológico de Monterrey, Vélez Valencia served as Dean of the School of Business at Universidad EAFIT in Medellín, Colombia, where she led the school toward academic excellence, expanded the reach of applied research, strengthened industry partnerships, and consolidated its global positioning. She also oversaw a robust portfolio of undergraduate, graduate, and executive education programs serving over 7,000 students, supported by a team of 124 faculty and staff members.
Prior to EAFIT, she was Vice President of Public-Private Partnerships at the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce, where she led initiatives for regional integration and economic development, managed the organization’s knowledge center, and facilitated high-impact collaborations that advanced sustainability, social impact, and business competitiveness.
She has also served as an advisor to multilateral organizations and governments on development, impact investment, and multisectoral collaboration.
In the public sector, Vélez Valencia served as Secretary of Social Integration for the City of Bogotá, where she led a department of over 9,500 employees and a budget exceeding USD 360 million, orchestrating major social policies—including the city’s response to the migration crisis that influenced national decision-making—while promoting gender equity and support for vulnerable populations. She also served as Secretary for Women’s Affairs, where she led the design of large-scale social transformation programs.
ACADEMIC AND INTERNATIONAL TRAJECTORY
Vélez Valencia was named a Greenberg World Fellow at Yale University in 2020 and has also served as a lecturer at the same institution. Additionally, she has been an adjunct professor at the Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica, the Management Department at the Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administración (CESA), the Universidad de los Andes in Colombia, and the University of Hull in the United Kingdom.
Her international research contributions have focused on transformative leadership, sustainable development, democracy, and collective action.
She currently serves on several boards, including BBVA Colombia, Pragma S.A., Fundación Carulla, Profamilia, Invest in Bogotá, and the Bogotá Convention Bureau. She is also a member of the Latin America and Caribbean Advisory Council (LAAC) of AACSB and the Latin America Advisory Council of AMBA & BGA.
Vélez Valencia holds a Ph.D. in Management, as well as a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in History, all from Universidad de los Andes in Colombia.
