Esade strengthens its faculty with specialists in artificial intelligence, law and global governance

Esade is strengthening its faculty with nine new appointments for the 2026–2027 academic year in fields including artificial intelligence (AI), digital regulation, public policy, European law and global governance. The institution has 173 faculty members of 28 nationalities and is expanding its teaching and research capacity to address the changes transforming business activity, the legal framework and international relations.

The new faculty members’ research ranges from the impact of algorithms on organisations and consumer protection in digital markets to public policy evaluation and the role of European institutions in addressing geopolitical, energy and climate challenges. This knowledge enriches students’ education by connecting technical skills with critical thinking and professional and ethical judgement, and contributes to public debate and decision-making in businesses and institutions.

The new faculty members combine international academic experience at institutions such as Harvard University, University College London, Boston University and the University of Sheffield with professional careers in law, technology and public management. The nine faculty members are:

• Carlos Carrasco, Assistant Professor in the Department of Data, Analytics, Technology and Artificial Intelligence, researches how AI and algorithmic systems transform organisations and markets, as well as their influence on emotions and the moral dimension of public discourse. His work combines computational methods with organisational and institutional theory and has been published in journals such as Academy of Management Review, Journal of Management Information Systems and Research Policy.
• Roderic Guigó, Lecturer in the Department of Data, Analytics, Technology and Artificial Intelligence, combines mathematics, mathematics education and AI. He holds degrees in Mathematics and Physics from the Universitat de Barcelona and a PhD in Mathematics from Boston University. Since 2021, he has served as a Preceptor in Mathematics at Harvard University, where he has taught and coordinated courses and supervised research projects. His latest work addresses faculty development and the impact of AI on student learning.
• Jordi Montserrat, Lecturer in the Department of Data, Analytics, Technology and Artificial Intelligence, holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics from UPC BarcelonaTech. He specialises in consensus modelling and multi-criteria decision analysis, with applications in AI and data-driven environments. In addition to his research, he has nearly twenty years of teaching experience, during which he has worked with Esade and institutions such as UPC BarcelonaTech and the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya.
• Pablo José Castillo Ortiz, Associate Professor in the Department of Law, focuses his research on the role of judicial bodies in protecting the rule of law and European integration. He holds a PhD in Law and Political Science from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and was previously a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield. His research connects law and political science and has been published in journals such as International Journal of Constitutional Law, European Political Science Review and Law & Philosophy. He has collaborated with think tanks such as the Elcano Royal Institute and Fundación Alternativas.
• Miquel dels Sants Mirambell Fargas, Assistant Professor in the Department of Law, specialises in commercial law, with a particular focus on commercial contracts, international arbitration, company law and corporate governance. He holds a PhD in Law from the Universitat Pompeu Fabra and a master’s degree in Law from Bucerius Law School. He has published in journals such as Arbitration International and Uniform Law Review and combines his academic work with legal practice in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions.
• Sébastien Alexandre Fassiaux, Assistant Professor in the Department of International, European Union and Comparative Law, researches consumer protection in digital markets, with a particular focus on competition law, data protection and the regulation of platforms and AI. He holds a PhD from the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, with a thesis on European regulation of AI-based marketing, and an LL.M. from UC Berkeley. His work has been published in journals such as European Journal of Risk Regulation. Before starting his academic career, he practised as a lawyer in Brussels.
• Daniel Albalate del Sol, Full Professor in the Department of Global Governance, researches and evaluates public policy, particularly in transport, infrastructure, public-private partnerships and local government. He holds a PhD in Economics from the Universitat de Barcelona and a master’s degree in Economics from University College London, and has published nearly 70 academic articles. His work has received the Mosher Award from the American Society for Public Administration. He previously headed the Observatori d’Anàlisi i Avaluació de Polítiques Públiques at the Universitat de Barcelona and chaired Aeroports de Catalunya. He is editor of Local Government Studies.
• Mara Eugenia Balestrini, Assistant Professor in the Department of Global Governance, works at the intersection of human-computer interaction, technology and data governance, and public policy. She holds a PhD in Computer Science from University College London and researches how citizen participation and the collaborative design of technologies can contribute to data production and governance to inform public policy and innovation. She has authored more than 30 academic publications and has participated in European research projects. She has served as Chief Technology Officer at IDB Lab, the innovation and venture capital arm of the Inter-American Development Bank, and as an adviser to Spain’s Secretariat of State for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence.
• Marie Lut Vandendriessche, Assistant Professor in the Department of Global Governance and Academic Director of Esade’s Bachelor in Global Governance, Economics and International Legal Order. She holds a PhD in International Relations from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Her research and teaching focus on global governance, geopolitics and the European Union’s external action, with a particular emphasis on energy and climate change. She was previously Research Coordinator at the Esade Center for Global Economy and Geopolitics (EsadeGeo). In 2025, she co-edited the book Institutions of Global Governance: Shifting Dynamics in a Turbulent World, published by Edward Elgar.