ICEX and Esade present the new International Management Program aimed at more competitive, inclusive and sustainable globalization
ICEX, Spain’s Foreign Trade and Investment Institute, has formalized a partnership with Esade Executive Education to deliver the International Management Program, an academic venture designed to train foremost managers involved in the globalization of Spanish companies. This agreement, signed by ICEX CEO, Elisa Carbonell, and Esade director general, Daniel Traça, forges a strategic alliance between this benchmark public institution championing globalization and one of the world’s most renowned business schools.
The backdrop to this program is a global landscape characterized by uncertainty, technological change and increasing market interdependence, in which globalization has emerged as a cornerstone for companies’ competitive, sustainable growth. The program combines Esade’s academic rigor and teaching excellence with ICEX’s hands-on experience and international network spanning more than 100 countries. This amalgam delivers broad-based training featuring both an academic approach and practical experience to equip managers with the skills and contacts essential to operate successfully in complex, constantly evolving global scenarios.
“The International Management Program enables us to continue developing management talent whilst enhancing the ability of Spanish companies to compete successfully in a demanding global landscape,” highlighted Elisa Carbonell during the agreement signing. “We want to train leaders who can anticipate change, pinpoint opportunities and make a positive, sustainable impact in their companies and the Spanish economy,” she added.
As Daniel Traça pointed out, “Globalization is not just about outreach, it’s about acquiring a global mindset with a view to making a sustainable, positive impact. This alliance with ICEX enables us to provide support for those who are building a new international presence for Spain based on excellence, sustainability and trust.”
Leadership of globalization
The International Management Program, co-directed by ICEX and Esade Executive Education, features 244 hours and combines face-to-face and online classes. The curriculum addresses the core areas of international management: analysis of the global scenario and business cultures; management of transversal areas with an international approach; leadership of diverse teams; and creation of professional networks through meetings with managers and visits to companies.
Designed for senior executives with at least ten years’ experience, managers in medium and large companies, CEOs of SMEs, managers of international projects, and entrepreneurs with a global outlook. The program will also boost participants’ professional and business prospects by providing the skills, contacts and viewpoints necessary to enable them to be successful in complex, constantly evolving international markets.
The alliance will be valid for two years and be renewable, and will have a follow-up committee responsible for ensuring the academic quality and ongoing improvement of the program. This alliance reinforces ICEX’s commitment to training and developing talent to achieve a more competitive, inclusive and sustainable globalization. In parallel, Esade Executive Education, well-known for its academic excellence and ranked amongst the world’s top five business schools for open programs and 11th for custom programs, according to the Financial Times 2025 ranking, contributes its experience in executive education and its commitment to transformative learning, all aligned with the real challenges faced by companies and the leaders of tomorrow.
