_YOU WERE RECENTLY APPOINTED PRESIDENT OF THE ESADE FOUNDATION. WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU PLAN TO ADDRESS OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS?

Over the past ten years, ESADE has made a huge leap forward, and this has enabled us to play in the big leagues. My first objective is to make the next leap: to compete more successfully with the world’s top schools.

As for specific challenges, I would love to ensure that no talented individual is excluded from ESADE. This issue is very important to me. It’s true that, because this is a private school, for economic reasons we sometimes miss out on recruiting talented students. We have to find a way to make sure this doesn’t happen. 

_ARE YOU REFERRING TO NATIONAL TALENT, OR ALSO INTERNATIONAL TALENT?

I want talent at ESADE. I don’t care where that talent comes from. Our service to society is not just to Catalan or Spanish society, but to society in general. ESADE is a global school. 

_YOU ARE AN ALUMNUS OF HARVARD, WHERE ALUMNI DONATIONS ACCOUNT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF THE SCHOOL’S FINANCING. WHY DO YOU THINK THIS IS THE CASE?

Basically it comes down to the alumni’s pride in belonging and desire to maintain the school’s prestige. Pride in belonging – whether to a school, a company or an institution – makes you feel permanently indebted, even if you’ve already paid for your education, and even if the price of that education was very high. At Harvard, for example, I had to take out a loan. But, since finishing my studies, I have made occasional donations to Harvard over the past 30 years. For me, it is a show of gratitude, and at the same time a way to help maintain the school’s prestige. From this point of view, a school like Harvard has to continue to invest in order to stay on top. 

_DO YOU THINK THAT WE WILL FIND THESE TWO ATTITUDES (PRIDE IN BELONGING AND A DESIRE TO MAINTAIN THE SCHOOL’S PRESTIGE) AMONG ESADE’S ALUMNI?

Thanks to our great leap forward in recent years, we are starting to see pride in belonging even among those who did not previously share this sentiment. I am convinced that, when our alumni see things like Javier Solana’s decision to join ESADE or our participation in the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, they feel proud to be part of the ESADE family. As a school’s prestige increases, the pride in belonging to that school increases, as does the feeling that we must maintain that prestige. It’s a continuous feedback loop. Harvard has a long fundraising tradition. I believe that we will get there, and I hope we do so even faster than Harvard did.

_IF AN ALUMNUS ASKED YOU, “WHY SHOULD I GIVE MONEY TO ESADE?”, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

ESADE is a private, non-profit foundation. Because our management is very effective we don’t have a deficit, but we are not a company. Therefore, firstly, all contributions directly benefit society, and in particular, as I said before, they benefit our alumni – that is, those who belong to the ESADE family.

And secondly, a contribution helps to foster a more socially conscious, responsible and ethical brand of business management, one which promotes a culture of effort and teamwork. I realise that comments of this sort may sound cliché, but at this school they are not, and the country’s best headhunters know this. ESADE’s involvement in the societies of Catalonia, Spain and the world is different from that of other schools, and that’s something that everyone values.

_THAT’S PART OF OUR IDIOSYNCRASY. AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL WE ARE KNOWN FOR THIS, BUT WHAT ABOUT INTERNATIONALLY?

I don’t want to go so far as to say what people think of us around the world. But, from what I know of this school and its way of working and thinking, I do think we are at the cutting edge of issues like innovation and corporate social responsibility. We’re not the first, but we are among the first. We also engage in real social innovation, and we do it because, in addition to being competent professionals, we want our graduates to be responsible. It’s clear that our alumni value this. 

_WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ESADE 20 YEARS FROM NOW?

Carlos Losada once said something that I liked very much: We don’t want to be the best school in the world, but rather the best school for the world. Clearly, the best school for the world is also the best school in the world. This goal combines ESADE’s social mission with its professionalism, because it means that we do things well and that people value this.

PEDRO FONTANA

President of the ESADE Foundation

I have worked in banking for 30 years, always as part of the BBVA Group, but at various different banks. From 1990 to 1992, I served as Director General of Operations for the Barcelona Olympic Games – an unforgettable period of my professional life. I love to work, but also enjoy life with my family and friends.

I’ve been involved in numerous social and institutional projects. I now dedicate a good portion of my time to ESADE, and I do so with great enthusiasm and excitement. I value effort, sincerity and solidarity. I believe in people – together, we can get through anything.

"CLEARLY, THE BEST SCHOOL FOR THE WORLD IS ALSO THE BEST SCHOOL IN THE WORLD."

“A SCHOOL LIKE HARVARD HAS TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN ORDER TO STAY ON TOP.”

“ALL CONTRIBUTIONS DIRECTLY BENEFIT SOCIETY, AND IN PARTICULAR THEY BENEFIT THOSE WHO BELONG TO THE ESADE FAMILY..”