Juan Jose Güemes (1969) joined the prestigious academic institution IE Business School in March 2010 as President of the International Center for Entrepreneurial Management after seventeen years of intense political activity. He had previously served in a broad range of government departments, including tourism, finance and employment, gender policies, and health.  Güemes holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Business Administration (Universidad Complutense, Madrid, 1992) and a Master in Financial Markets (Universidad San Pablo CEU, Madrid, 1993). He began his career as an analyst at the Bank of Spain in 1991, before serving as Economic Adviser to Spain’s Popular Party in the Spanish Parliament from 1993 to 1996. He later served as advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Rodrigo de Rato Figaredo, who appointed him Deputy Director of his Cabinet in 1998. In the year 2000 Juan Jose Guemes was appointed General Secretary of Tourism, being responsible for the international promotion of Spain as a tourist destination. In the three years he headed tourism in Spain, he modernized the country’s brand image and promoted a strategy to take Spanish tourism into new markets and products. During his term of office the State Society for Tourism Information Management was created to promote Spain online. Today, the Spanish Tourist Board is a leader in the use of Internet for the promotion of tourist destinations and tourist products. Güemes joined the Madrid Regional Government as Regional Councilor for Employment and Diversity in 2003. He developed a pioneering approach to promoting equal opportunities for men and women, including the LiderA program, designed to help women gain access to senior management positions in companies. He was appointed Regional Health Councilor for the Madrid region in 2007. During the three years he held this position he opened eight new hospitals, three medical schools and launched key biomedical research initiatives. Further achievements during his time in the public health sector include fostering partnerships between public and private health organizations, the introduction of major innovations in hospital management and the freedom to choose among different health services. His work in government organizations gained him a reputation for entrepreneurial ideas and innovation in the public sector. As Chairman of IE’s International Center for Entrepreneurial Management he is focused on fostering the entrepreneurial spirit and creating new business and social projects, as well as promoting women-led entrepreneurship.

Daniel Soriano is Director of the International Centre for Entrepreneurial Management at IE Business School. More than 10 years of professional experience in IE has allowed him to stay in touch with the basics of the entrepreneurial process both academically and practically.  As the Executive Director of Banespyme-Orange Project, a leader competition for innovative technology start-ups nationwide, he has been in touch with the experience-based entrepreneurial opportunity identification, feasibility analysis and fundraising. He has also been responsible for managing the professional advisory services to new Technology-Based companies in the Community of Madrid where he was able to identify the needs of newly established firms with a high technological component. On the academic level, he is a professor of Entrepreneurial Management at IE Business School MBA and Master in Management programs, and also specific programs for technology-based entrepreneurs, aimed at both start-ups and to SMEs with growth projects. He mentors new venture projects developed by IE Business School students and corporate projects of large firms from different sectors. Professor Soriano obtained the IE Business School MBA degree and studied Computer Science at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.

He participated in the European Entrepreneurship Colloquium organized by European Forum for Entrepreneurship Research (EFER), program specifically designed for European professors and educators seeking to integrate more effective, appropriate and interactive approaches, and practical skills in teaching entrepreneurship. His interests are focused on the creation of technology-based start-ups, implementation of innovative business models and strategic planning in sectors with high growth potential. His participation in several committees for the selection of technology-based start-ups organized by public and private initiatives has allowed him to learn about current trends in the field. He is also the representative of IE Business School in AEBAN, Spanish Association of Business Angels Network.