Professor Carlos Scheel, alumni Maryangel García Ramos, Ángela Gómez Aíza and Lorenzo Barrera Segovia, and student Moris Dieck participated in the meeting organized by the magazine Forbes México.

By JOSÉ ÁNGEL DE LA PAZ | EGADE BUSINESS SCHOOL

A meeting for analysis and discussion with public and private sector leaders took place in the Forbes Economic and Business Forum Monterrey 2023, organized by the magazine Forbes México, in partnership with Executive Education of EGADE Business School - Tecnológico de Monterrey.

This business event was held on March 22 at the hotel JW Marriott in San Pedro Garza García and was inaugurated by Samuel García, Nuevo León State Governor.

The EGADE Business School community was present in the forum’s agenda.

Carlos Scheel, emeritus professor and Circular Economy leader at EGADE Business School, and EGADE alumna Maryangel García Ramos (MBA’20), executive director of Women Enabled International and president of the Nuevo León Board for People with Disabilities, participated in the conversation on “Smart, inclusive and sustainable cities.”

The scholar explained that we need to break away from last century’s innovation paradigm, stop generating isolated products and wealth, and move on to systems.

“Instead of innovating in an electric car, think about a transportation system, move on from the product to the system, because this is what cities need. We need to shift from a linear to a circular innovation mindset, one that is disruptive. We also need to develop more zero-emission technologies,” Scheel said.

For her part, García Ramos commented that in order to have inclusive cities, we need to start by acknowledging the inequality gaps and global factors or trends.

#ForoForbes #MTYEconomíaYNegocios

Carlos Scheel, líder de la iniciativa de economía circular de la @egade, indicó que se debe romper el paradigma de la innovación del siglo pasado, dejar de generar productos y riqueza aislados y pasar a los sistemas. https://t.co/lTBDeqPkrO

— Forbes México (@Forbes_Mexico) March 22, 2023

Ángela Gómez Aíza (MA’06), president of SAP México, Master in Business Management graduate, and winner of the 2022 EXATEC EGADE Achievement Award, participated in the panel “The future of Industry 4.0 and digital transformation in Nuevo León.”

In addition, Lorenzo Barrera Segovia (MA’84), chairman of the Board of Grupo Financiero BASE and Master in Business Management graduate, took part in the panel “Nuevo León and nearshoring. The opportunity to redefine industrial development.”

Moris Dieck, business strategist, financial consultant, and currently a Master in Finance student at EGADE Business School, served as the forum conductor.

Executive Education of EGADE Business School offers a portfolio of short, focused, cutting-edge, and innovative programs, responding to the management needs of Mexico and the world and seeking to drive business, leadership and transformation. Find further information here.

In this two-week project, student teams from these two schools worked together in Turku, Finland, and Mexico City.

By FERNANDA MORALES BACA | EGADE BUSINESS SCHOOL

Students from the Full-Time MBA at EGADE Business School - Tecnológico de Monterrey and the Global Innovation Management (GIM) at Turku School of Economics (TSE) worked together in the first Finland-Mexico Innovation Camp (FINMEXINNO).

Over two weeks, from February 18 to March 6, students from both programs teamed up to develop innovative solutions to tackle the global issue of overweight and obesity.

The initiative is financed by the Finnish National Agency for Education – TFK (Team Finland Knowledge), which fosters international student exchange to promote innovative partnerships between Finnish and Latin American universities and institutions.

Five EGADE Business School students participated in the camp, accompanied by Professor Sascha Fürst and EGADE Full-Time MBA Associate Director, Lilia Bárcerna.

Additionally, six TSE students attended together with Minna Storm, Peter Zettinig, Jonathan Van Mumford, and Minna Storm, project leaders and scholars from the University of Turku.

The students from both schools had the opportunity to meet representatives of Finnish and Mexican businesses, ranging from startups to major enterprises, as well as researchers and experts in diverse fields, who shared their inputs to develop design thinking and service prototyping processes.

The EGADE Business School-TSE collaboration started in 2022 with a joint virtual course in which 100 students from both schools participated.

Within the framework of International Women’s Day commemorations, a student, an alumna, and a professor from EGADE Business School reflect on women’s participation and gender equality in organizations.

By INSTITUTIONAL COMMUNICATION | EGADE BUSINESS SCHOOL

March 8 (8M), International Women’s Day, offers a moment to acknowledge and commemorate the struggle for the equality, participation, and empowerment of women in all areas of society.

In 2023, the UN 8M celebration will take place under the theme "DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality," seeking to draw attention to the persistent gender gap in digital access that keeps women from unlocking technology’s full potential.

In order to contribute to an individual and collective reflection on advancements and on the inequalities and structural and social obstacles that thwart women’s empowerment, a student, an alumna, and a professor from EGADE Business School share their reflections on women’s participation and gender equality in organizations.

• Tania Martínez Ortega, territory manager for Pledge Credit at Scotia Casa de Bolsa and Master in Finance student.
• Maryangel García-Ramos, executive director of Women Enabled International and EGADE MBA graduate.
• Eva Guerra Leal, research professor and director of the programs EGADE MBA in Monterrey and EGADE - UNC Charlotte MBA in Global Business & Strategy.

How would you define the current situation of gender equality in organizations?

Tania: In my experience in the financial sector, gender equality has been making slower progress than I would like to see. In fact, if I leave my personal vision to one side and ask other people (men and women) about gender equality in their workplaces, the answers are still similar to mine. Personally, I think that gender equality is not just about hiring more women, but hiring them at every hierarchical level, not just the middle and low levels.

Maryangel: Organizations have done a great job of making the equality gap in the systems in which we work visible. We must remember that women don’t have just a single story, and I say this because organizations often create gender strategies that only resolve or respond to a population of women without taking into account the intersectionality, double or triple discrimination they may undergo for belonging to groups that are historically discriminated against (e.g., women with disabilities, indigenous, migrant, trans, black women, etc.)

Eva: Although we have made progress in terms of gender equality in organizations, there is still much to be done. International Women's Day is an occasion to remember women's struggle for equal rights, raise awareness, reflect, and call for action to address gender inequalities worldwide.

Which of the challenges that women face in the workplace do you think are a priority or the most urgent?

Tania:  The priority challenge for me would be to understand that, within organizations, women can be allies and support each other. The challenge is to understand that we can achieve more together than by competing with each other.

Maryangel: Putting a stop to gender-based violence, which clearly includes sexual violence and abuse. These are reflected in decision-making (mostly by men) in the underrepresentation that exists in decision-making and leadership spaces. Sometimes abusive or sexist attitudes continue to be perpetuated by power systems in organizations.

Eva: The challenges women face include closing the pay and opportunity gaps and achieving greater representation in leadership positions. However, in my opinion, the most important challenge begins at home: in the equitable distribution of household tasks and educating our sons and daughters with a perspective of equality.

What changes need to be made to close the gender gap in senior management positions or in the technology industry, where women’s participation is low?

Tania: We need a greater inclusion of women in boards of directors, shareholder assemblies, and the different committees within companies. Diversity in corporate governance is an advantage; it allows you to see new opportunities, listen to different points of view, and find solutions, and contributes to transparency and efficiency in decision-making, which translates into growth for a company.

Maryangel: You have to invest in a diverse talent pipeline. You have to invest in girls and women from historically discriminated groups, from the opportunity to study to development opportunities in focused projects. And once again, in order to close the gap, putting a stop to gender violence is imperative. 

Eva: From my point of view, parental flexibility or leave benefits should be equal for men and women. If they are only offered to women, they continue to send the message that women should take care of the children and housework. Many women resign from their jobs because their husbands don’t have flexibility in their jobs.

What should the role of women be in the future of business?

Tania: The role of women in the future of business must be the same role that we have in the daily life of this country, that is, a leading role. I find it incomprehensible that we are still questioning the role of women in the workplace or in business. As an economist, I am a woman who prefers analyses based on statistics. And data shows us that wealth generation, high productivity, decision-making that leads to business growth, and the percentage of women starting successful businesses of all sizes, to name a few examples, ought to be sufficient for us to realize that we shouldn't be talking about the role of women in the future, but about the role of women in business right now.

Maryangel: Transform everything. If there is greater representation of women’s stories and perspectives, there will obviously be a greater return on investment and growth (from the capital system perspective). Women in charge are transforming not only the business world but also the push for human rights and public policy. Without women in charge, growth potential falls short, and vision falls short, thus benefitting only a few.

Eva: The role of women is crucial for creating more inclusive and equitable businesses since they can attract and support other women, contributing different experiences, skills, and perspectives, as well as a greater awareness of social and environmental matters.  

Published in the March issue, the list seeks to highlight women who, from their leadership position, are setting the course of Mexico’s business ecosystem while driving gender equality and professional growth for more and more women. 

Las 100 mujeres más poderosas de los negocios

Líderes con voz y voto en las decisiones que mueven a las empresas que son el motor de la economía del país.#100MujeresPoderosas #ExpansiónMarzo2023 pic.twitter.com/VRX3bUraWj

— Expansión (@ExpansionMx) March 1, 2023

• President of SAP México
• Master in Business Management graduate
• Ranked: 23rd

• CFO of Sanofi México
• Master in Finance graduate
• Ranked: 51st

The 2023 edition of the flagship lifelong learning program for the EXATEC EGADE community will take place in person on March 23, 24, and 25 at the EGADE Business School Monterrey site.

By JOSÉ ÁNGEL DE LA PAZ | EGADE BUSINESS SCHOOL

EGADE U Week 2023 is nearly here! The fourth edition of the updating program for alumni and alumnae of EGADE Business School -Tecnológico de Monterrey will revolve around the methodology Moonshot Thinking: The Journey to Leadership Transformation.

This executive learning experience will take place on March 23, 24, and 25 at the Monterrey site of EGADE Business School.

María Livas, director of Alumni Relations at EGADE Business School, explained that, in this edition of EGADE U Week, the EXATEC EGADE community will embark on a journey towards the transformation of their organizations, regardless of whether they are consolidated large companies, small enterprises, or startups.

“We will be discovering the potential of a mental model, moonshot thinking, which, when applied methodically, can serve as a tool to help companies avoid disruption and emerge with enhanced strength from the same,” she said.

Alfonso Ávila, Innovation and Entrepreneurship professor at EGADE Business School and academic leader of EGADE U Week, assured that participants will take away the key points of moonshot thinking as a new organizational habit that can be applied in their company and their daily decision-making.

He added that they will also acquire greater insight into the keys of disruptive innovation.

“Viewing disruption as an opportunity rather than a threat will be the mindset after this journey,” Ávila explained.

EGADE U Week 2023 speakers include:

• Horacio Arredondo, dean of EGADE Business School
• Iván Bofarull, Chief Innovation Officer at Esade and author of the book "Moonshot Thinking"
• Juan Pablo Murra, rector of Higher Education at Tec de Monterrey
• Inés Sáenz, vice president of Inclusion, Social Impact and Sustainability at Tec de Monterrey
• Alejandro Poiré, vice president of Relations and Development at Tec de Monterrey
• Maryam Daryabegi, Global Visiting Professor at EGADE Business School and global leader in innovation and digital transformation  
• Azeneth Ferrero, Corporate Director of Human Resources at CEMEX

One of the activities during EGADE U Week 2023 will be a space for recognizing EGADE alumnus Fernando González Olivieri, CEO of CEMEX, who was recently distinguished within AACSB International’s select group of Influential Leaders 2023.

EGADE U Week is an innovative intensive learning program in which participants update their knowledge and create impactful interactions with world-class international faculty, as well as disruptive and entrepreneurial leaders.

The interactive and executive format of EGADE U Week is designed to provide the appropriate tools and techniques to achieve outstanding learning through conferences, workshops, panels, and spaces for dialogue, and sharing opinions and ideas.

EGADE Business School alumni and alumnae can request further information on registering for EGADE U Week 2023 here.

A graduate of the EGADE Full-Time MBA joins the second generation of the ASEM E-100 call.

By JOSÉ ÁNGEL DE LA PAZ | EGADE BUSINESS SCHOOL

EGADE alumna Ana Karen Ramírez (FTMBA'18), founder and CEO of Epic Queen, was selected as a member of the 2022 generation of E-100, the call organized by the Mexican Association of Entrepreneurs (ASEM) which recognizes the most inspiring entrepreneurs in the country.

In E-100, the entrepreneurs themselves nominate and can vote for participants who are making a difference with their companies.

In its second edition, the call opened in August 2022, and the names of the 100 winners were announced in January 2023; 55% of the finalists were women.

Me honra anunciar que he sido reconocido como uno de los Top 100 Emprendedores de México por la @ASEM_Socios en su convocatoria E-100. Me siento orgulloso de representar el espíritu emprendedor y la fortaleza de las empresas mexicanas.
Ve la lista aquí: https://t.co/3on2VUGZyM pic.twitter.com/3hmOWEZUIo

— Ana Karen 3.0 ♛ (@anaqueenmaker) February 1, 2023

“I am honored to announce that I have been recognized as one of the Top 100 Entrepreneurs in Mexico by ASEM in its E-100 call. It gives me great pride to represent the entrepreneurial spirit and fortitude of Mexican companies,” stated Ramírez, a graduate of the EGADE Full-Time MBA, on social media.

Through her enterprise, Epic Queen, Ramírez seeks to close the gender gap in the technology sector, empowering and inspiring girls and women to be curious, brave, and confident through STEM content and education.

In 2019, Ramírez was distinguished with the EXATEC EGADE Achievement Award.

ASEM is a non-profit association created in 2015 by a group of inspirational entrepreneurs and ecosystem promotors in the country, working with the conviction of making Mexico the best country for entrepreneurship and doing business.

CEMEX's CEO is distinguished for his career of positive impact on the organization globally and as an alumnus of EGADE Business School at Tecnológico de Monterrey.

By INSTITUTIONAL COMMUNICATION | EGADE BUSINESS SCHOOL

Fernando González Olivieri, CEO of CEMEX, was distinguished this 2023 within the select group of Influential Leaders of AACSB International. This organization brings together the most prestigious business schools in the world, connecting them with industry, government, and NGOs to promote positive transformation of society.

This recognition is awarded annually to outstanding alumni of the more than 950 AACSB-accredited member institutions around the world, and this year the global call sought to honor business leaders committed to the social impact of their organizations.

As an alumnus of the Master of Administration from EGADE Business School, González Olivieri received this distinction from AACSB for his outstanding career of positive impact leading CEMEX globally.

“Fernando is a global business leader committed to building a better future, who firmly believes in empowering people through continuous education and results-oriented climate action to create sustainable value for all. As an alumnus of our school, he fills us with pride and inspires us to continue realizing our purpose of rethinking the future of business so that it has an impact on the sustainable development of Latin America”, said Horacio Arredondo, dean of EGADE Business School.

We're pleased to announce the 2023 Class of Influential Leaders!

These alumni of AACSB-accredited business schools are defining what it means to be a societal impact leader committed to positive change.

🌟Congratulations!🌟#AACSBleads
View the class: 🔗https://t.co/V9MhY4urkI pic.twitter.com/M9TL9j5pHG

— AACSB (@AACSB) February 6, 2023

AACSB's Class of 2023 Influential Leaders is comprised of 15 female and ten male alumni from 25 business schools from Brazil, China, France, Ireland, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, who share their passion and dedication to lead and innovate within their industries and impact their communities.

“I feel very honored by this recognition that the prestigious AACSB association gives me. It is also true for Tecnológico de Monterrey and EGADE, where I had the opportunity to prepare, as well as for all CEMEX employees, who, with their talent and tireless effort, help to build a better future every day,” said González Olivieri.

A BUSINESS LEADER WITH A POSITIVE SOCIAL IMPACT

Fernando Gonzalez Olivieri is a global leader as the CEO of CEMEX, a building materials and services company with operations across Mexico, the U.S., Europe, the U.K., North Africa and the Middle East, Asia, Central, and South America, and the Caribbean. He also serves on the CEMEX Board, as well as on the boards of Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua, telecoms company AXTEL, and Universidad Tecmilenio in Mexico.

González Olivieri is responsible for leading more than 46,000 employees worldwide to create lasting value for the company's stakeholders, with annual sales of around $15 billion.

With a trajectory of over 30 years at CEMEX, Gonzalez Olivieri was appointed CEO in 2014, and he has headed some of the company’s major efforts to lead the global building materials industry in priority areas like Health and Safety.

Gonzalez Olivieri is especially dedicated to sustainability and effective climate action to address the pressing challenge that global warming and climate change pose to humanity and all life on Earth. As a company that aims to build a better future, CEMEX has publicly committed to some of the most ambitious decarbonization goals in its industry for the year 2030 and to achieve net zero by the year 2050—goals that the independent Science Based Targets initiative, or SBTi, a recognized nonprofit organization, has already validated.

As part of its Future in Action program to achieve its far-reaching decarbonization goals, CEMEX already offers a line of low-carbon building products named Vertua, and last January 2023, it launched an entirely new business, called Regenera, contributing to a circular economy by using non-recyclable waste and industrial byproducts as more sustainable fuels.

CEMEX has also made long-standing contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals. At a recent U.N. General Assembly CEO roundtable, held in September 2022, Gonzalez Olivieri said, “We recently agreed to strengthen our partnership with the U.N. on topics aligned with our areas of expertise, including sustainable finance, improving supply chains, strengthening gender diversity and inclusion, and a just transition to a carbon neutral economy.”

Gonzalez Olivieri has also led the digital transformation of the company, among other actions, with its CEMEX Go platform, through which customers can select products and building services, monitor their delivery in real-time, and make their invoicing and payments securely, providing a best-in-industry overall experience. At the same time, he has also promoted more significant innovation, both through in-house R&D efforts and through CEMEX Ventures. This division invests in promising startups that are driving the future of the building materials ecosystem, including areas like 3D printing using ready-mix concrete.

Finally, under Gonzalez Olivieri’s leadership at CEMEX has continued to provide a positive social impact for its neighboring communities and society around the world, with initiatives like Patrimonio Hoy, a microfinancing program that helps low-income families build their housing or make value-adding renovations. As of 2023, the program is celebrating 25 years of providing advancement opportunities to people in need worldwide. On an accumulated basis, throughout the years, CEMEX has positively impacted more than 25 million people, and it aims to reach 30 million by the year 2030.

EGADE Business School holds the AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA accreditations, the “triple crown,” the highest recognition that a business school can obtain internationally and which only 1% of business schools in the world have.

More information about the trajectory and impact of González Olivieri, here.

The complete list of AACSB's 25 Influential Leaders 2023 can be found here.

EGADE Business School is the only school in Mexico to be selected this year within the PRME flagship program.

By JOSÉ ÁNGEL DE LA PAZ | EGADE BUSINESS SCHOOL

EGADE Business School - Tecnológico de Monterrey has been selected once more to participate in the global program PRME Champions, which brings together 47 leading business schools from across the world in its 2023 cycle.

PRME Champions is one of the flagship programs of the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), an initiative of the UN Global Compact.

EGADE Business School is the only school in Mexico and one of just three in Latin America to have been selected this year within the PRME Champions program, owing to its leadership on responsible management education.

“EGADE became a PRME Champion (for the first time) in 2016. Since then, we have renewed our participation and applied and participated in diverse projects every cycle. In the last, we participated in a research project with La Trobe University from Australia, Universidad Externado de Colombia, and ISAE from Brazil, titled “Emociones, empleo y COVID” (Emotions, employment, and COVID), which we are about to launch,” commented Christiane Molina, director of research at Tec de Monterrey’s Center for Conscious Enterprise, research professor at EGADE Business School, and member of the PRME Global Chapter Council.

🏆Introducing the 2023 PRME Champions!🏆
PRME Champions are dedicated business and management schools from across PRME's 🌍 community who work together to address shared barriers for our community, & deliver value for business & society
Meet the schools👉https://t.co/vErJsHwbaD pic.twitter.com/WpJiOrytxZ

— PRME Secretariat (@PRMESecretariat) January 11, 2023

The PRME Champions are a select group of business schools committed to working collaboratively to develop and promote activities that address the barriers shared by the almost 800 PRME signatory institutions, delivering value for businesses and society in general.

The focus of the PRME Champions for 2023 will be to work on collaboration to inspire the global community of business schools to incorporate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into three areas: curricula, research, and partnerships.

Founded in 2007, PRME has become the leading UN-backed platform seeking to raise the profile of sustainability in business schools worldwide and draw attention to the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.

For further information on PRME Champions 2023, visit: https://www.unprme.org/news