IESE Foundation Chair of Corporate Governance

Chair: Jordi Canals

Companies that thrive over time normally have a corporate governance model that allows them to balance the relationship among shareholders, senior management and other stakeholders. The function of corporate governance goes beyond complying with norms, to encompass crucial areas such as the long-term development of the company.

But corporate governance is a complex issue that can be at the root of numerous corporate crises. With the rise of ever more organized shareholder activism, good corporate governance is the only way to improve corporate results over the long term and develop an organizational culture based on sound management, accountability, ethics and transparency.

The IESE Foundation Chair of Corporate Governance is dedicated to developing ideas that help improve corporate governance.

Research areas.

  • The purpose of the firm and the role of the board of directors in promoting good governance
  • The factors that determine the efficiency of the board’s work
  • The board as a high-performing team
  • Strategy design: the dynamics among the board, the CEO and the executive committee

Chair.

Jordi Canals is a profesor of Strategic Management. He was dean of IESE from 2001 to 2016. He has written numerous books, articles and cases on management and corporate governance, including Managing Corporate Growth (Oxford University Press, 2000), Building Respected Companies (Cambridge University Press, 2010) and Leadership Development in a Global World (Palgrave MacMillan, 2012). He has been a guest scholar at the International Monetary Fund and a visiting scholar at the World Bank.

Publications

Journal Articles (refereed)

CANALS, J. (2022). Boards of directors and corporate strategy. Some reflections on Pankaj Ghemawat’s contributions. Strategy Science, 7 (2), 143-147. doi:10.1287/stsc.2022.0165. CANALS, J. (2014). Global Leadership Development, Strategic Alignment and CEOs Commitment. Journal of Management Development, 33 (5), 487 - 502. doi:10.1108/JMD-02-2014-0014. CANALS, J. (2010). Rethinking the Firm's Mission and Purpose. European Management Review, 7 (4), 195 - 204. doi:10.1057/emr.2010.11. CANALS, J. (2005). Corporate growth: Some key drivers. Die Unternehmung (Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice), 367 - 375. CANALS, J. (2004). Pautas de buen gobierno en los consejos de administración. Universia Business Review (1), 18 - 27. CANALS, J. (2001). How to Think about Corporate Growth? European Management Journal, 19 (6), 587 - 598. doi:10.1016/S0263-2373(01)00084-6. CANALS, J. (2001). Internet, innovación y estrategia de la empresa. Lecciones de un fracaso y oportunidades de futuro. Economía Industrial (339), 37 - 50. CANALS, J. (1999). New business concepts for corporate growth. Journal of General Management, 25 (2), 1 - 18. CANALS, J. (1998). Universal Banks: The Need for Corporate Renewal. European Management Journal, 16 (5), 623 - 634. doi:10.1016/S0263-2373(98)00038-3.

Working Papers

CANALS, J. (2022). The Changing Nature and Functions of Boards of Directors (WP-1307-E). Barcelona: IESE. CANALS, J. (2022). From Financial Performance to ESG Results: How to Assess the Firm's Overall Impact (WP-1308-E). Barcelona: IESE. CANALS, J. (2021). Deciding the Firm's Future: The Role of the Board of Directors in Corporate Strategy (WP-1302-E). Barcelona: IESE. CANALS, J. (2021). The Role of Corporate Purpose in Corporate Governance. A framework for boards of directors and senior managers (WP-1301-E). Barcelona: IESE. CANALS, J. (2019). Renewing General Managers' Tasks in an Artificial Intelligence World (WP-1231-E).

Articles in other publications

CANALS, J., CASSIMAN, B., ELVIRA, M., SIEBER, S., RAES, A. (2018). Cómo la IA cambiará (o no) tu modo de dirigir. Inteligencia artificial. IESE Insight (38), pp. 47 - 54. CANALS, J., CASSIMAN, B., ELVIRA, M., SIEBER, S., RAES, A. (2018). How AI Will - and Won't - Change the Way You Manage. Artificial Intelligence. IESE Insight (38), pp. 47 - 54. CANALS, J. (2016). Haga de su empresa una institución respetada. Hacia una visión más holística. IESE Insight (28), pp. 44 - 51. CANALS, J. (2016). Transforming Companies Into Respected Institutions. A More Holistic View of the Firm. IESE Insight (28), pp. 44 - 51. CANALS, J. (2014). 6 Items for the Top of Every Board's Agenda. Renewing the Board's Mission. IESE Insight (21), pp. 37 - 43.

Books

CANALS, J. (2023). Transformarse para perdurar. Consejos de administración y gobierno de la empresa en épocas de cambios disruptivos. Barcelona: Deusto. CANALS, J. (2022). Boards of directors in disruptive times. Improving corporate governance effectiveness. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. CANALS, J. (2010). Building Respected Companies. Rethinking Business Leadership and the Purpose of the Firm. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. CANALS, J. (2008). En busca del equilibrio. consejos de administración y alta dirección en el gobierno de la empresa. Madrid: Pearson Educación. CANALS, J. (2000). La gestión del crecimiento de la empresa. Boston: McGraw Hill.

Edited books

CANALS, J., HEUKAMP, F. (2020). The Future of management in an AI world. Redefining purpose and strategy in the fourth industrial revolution. London: Palgrave Macmillan. CANALS, J. (2016). IESE's Global Development. The Purpose and Impact of the Harvard Business School-IESE Committee. Barañáin: EUNSA. Ediciones Universidad de Navarra. CANALS, J. (2015). Shaping Entrepreneurial Mindsets. Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Leadership Development. Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan. CANALS, J. (2012). Leadership Development in a Global World. The Role of Companies and Business Schools. Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan. CANALS, J. (2011). The Future of Leadership Development. Corporate Needs and the Role of Business Schools. Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan.

Book Chapters

CANALS, J. (2022). Can they fix it?. In Cornuel, Eric ; Thomas, Howard ; Wood, Matthew (Eds.), The Value & purpose of management education: Looking back and thinking forward in global focus (pp. 198-200). Abingdon, Oxon ; New York: Routledge. CANALS, J. (2019). The Evolving Role of General Managers in the Age of AI. In Jordi Canals, Franz Heukamp (Eds.) (Eds.), The Future of Management in an AI World: Redefining Purpose and Strategy in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (pp. 37 - 64). Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan. CANALS, J. (2015). Leadership Competences for Innovation and Entrepreneurship: A Top Management Perspective. In Canals J. (eds), Shaping Entrepreneurial Mindsets: Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Leadership Development (pp. 3 - 26). Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan. CANALS, J. (2012). Rethinking Global Leadership Development: Designing New Paradigms. In Canals J. (eds), Leadership Development in a Global World: The Role of Companies and Business Schools (pp. 29 - 61). Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan. CANALS, J. (2011). In Search of a Greater Impact: New Corporate and Societal Challenges for Business Schools. In Canals J. (eds), The Future of Leadership Development: Corporate Needs and the Role of Business Schools (pp. 3 - 30). Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan.

Studies

CANALS, J., ORMAZABAL, G., SAKASAI, Y. (2024). How can boards improve their effectiveness? 2024 IESE survey on boards of directors. IESE. SAKASAI, Y., ORMAZÁBAL, G., CANALS, J. (2022). 2022 IESE Survey on Boards of Directors: Corporate Purpose, Culture and Strategy. IESE. CANALS, J., BLÁZQUEZ, M. L. (2022). Retos empresariales y competencias profesionales necesarias después de la COVID-19: el impacto sobre el empleo juvenil. IESE. BLAZQUEZ, M. L., MASCLANS, R., CANALS, J. (2020). Las competencias profesionales del futuro: un diagnóstico y un plan de acción para promover el empleo juvenil después de la COVID-19. BARCELÓ, S. P., CORONA, J. F., PUIG, M., ARGANDOÑA, A., CANALS, J., DÍAZ GIMÉNEZ, J., ... VIVES, X. (2020). El impulso del empleo y el relanzamiento de la empresa. algunas reflexiones para la acción.

Cases

ARRIBAS, F. M., CANALS, J. (2024). The Walt Disney Company in 2023: In search of the new CEO. IESE, SM-1763-E. RAVENTÓS, A., CANALS, J. (2023). Mango: Strategic Choices in a Disruptive Context. IESE, SM-1736-E. RAVENTÓS, A., CANALS, J. (2023). Mango: retos estratégicos en un entorno incierto. IESE, SM-1736. MASCLANS, R., CANALS, J. (2021). PromoFarma 2018. IESE, SM-1692-E. ROGER MASCLANS,, CANALS, J. (2021). Amadeus: Impulsando el crecimiento a largo plazo. IESE, SM-1691.

Technical Notes

CANALS, J. (2024). Can the board of directors be an effective team? IESE, SMN-709-E. CANALS, J. (2022). The Role of the Board of Directors in Corporate Transformation. IESE, SMN-708-E. CANALS, J. (2021). The CEO: Mission, Tasks and Responsibilities. IESE, SMN-705-E. CANALS, J. (2020). Boards of Directors in the COVID-19 Crisis: Some Reflections on Their Challenges and Responsibilities. IESE, SMN-703-E. CANALS, J. (2004). Tareas, retos y responsabilidades del alto directivo. IESE, DGN-645.