IESE speaking panels to analyze the war in Ukraine

IESE Alumni next week will launch an extraordinary cycle of events with renowned faculty and guest speakers who will analyze the war in Ukraine and its geopolitical, economic and humanitarian effects. The series will be open to the general public as IESE offers its faculty’s world-class expertise and other resources as means to better understanding the conflict’s seismic global impact.

The first session, “War in Ukraine: Economic Fallout,” takes place on Monday, March 28. In it, Profs. Javier Díaz Giménez and Núria Mas of the Economics department will discuss how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is imperilling the world economy. Their analysis will include, among other topics, the conflict’s effect on growth and inflation, energy prices and international currencies. The event will take place at IESE Barcelona and be streamed online.

The cycle’s second installment is on April 5, when Prof. Mike Rosenberg of the Strategic Management department will speak with Michal Kuczmierowski about the geopolitical background and potential consequences of the war. Kuczmierowski, the head of Poland’s Strategic Reserves Agency, will offer valuable insights into the history of the conflict, offer a profile of Russian President Vladimir Putin and explore the war’s impact on trade and more.

The third session, led by Prof. Juan José Toribio, will take place on April 28. More information about the third and fourth events in the series will be available soon.

Other actions 

The cycle is one of many initiatives by the IESE community responding to the crisis in Ukraine. The school has set up collection points for non-perishable food and medical supplies on its Barcelona and Madrid campuses. Goods collected will be donated to groups working to address the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and neighboring countries and aid those suffering from it.

• A daily interfaith prayer service and gathering is being offered on the Barcelona campus in front of a candle that will remain lit for the duration of the conflict. Employees or students who are most affected by the conflict are welcome to share their personal experiences, a moment of silence is observed, and the hymn “Dona Nobis Pacem” is sung.
• The alumni community has also responded to the war with a number of initiatives to aid Ukrainians both at home and as they seek refuge from war.  A group of IESE alumni have come together to deliver essential medical and first responder supplies to Ukrainians caught in the conflict. The initiative is being organized through the non-profit Medical Foundation of Moldova (MFM), founded by Victor Ghereg (GEMBA ’19), which will send truckloads of supplies directly from its warehouse in Moldova to the Ukraine border. At the border, it will be met by logistics support from Kirill Goncharuk (GEMBA ’22) and Fozzy Group, a major Ukrainian retail and supply chain company, in coordination with Kyiv-based Maryna Kotslova (GEMBA ’19). The group is working in collaboration with MAD-Aid, UK and is seeking financial support for its efforts, which can be made by wire transfer through MFM or via Facebook. →Learn more
• Santi Molins Mateu (EMBA ’17) is working to help Ukrainian tech talent displaced by the war to find jobs with Spanish companies. He’s doing so through his recruiting platform TalentFY, which connects companies and recruiters. The platform is offering its services to Ukrainian recruiters free of charge, and encouraging Spain-based startups to take part.