4 min read

If you’re serious about building a career in sustainability, the Master in Sustainability & Business Transformation is worth a closer look. Alongside a curriculum full of real-world challenges and cross-sector experiences, the program is led by a team of top industry experts—which differentiates the program from many of its competitors.

Let’s take a moment to explore the groundbreaking faculty and why their perspective sets this program apart.

Susana Martínez Meyers

First up is Susana Martínez Meyers, CFA, who brings nearly two decades of front-line finance experience—and a deep belief in the future of sustainable investing—to the classroom. Susana has 15 years of experience working across investment banking, equity valuation and asset management. And she’s done so being driven by what she calls the “complexity and constant change” of the financial world. “Reading about Warren Buffett and watching Wall Street as a teenager sparked my passion for finance,” says Susana. But discovering sustainable finance was a turning point in her career. “Shifting the focus from shareholders to broader societal and environmental stakeholders completely changed how I saw the field.”

That shift led her to pursue a master’s in sustainability and CSR, followed by a PhD in sustainable finance.

Susana has held a CFA charter since 2002 and now teaches financial accounting, ESG integration and impact investing at IE Business School, where her practical background is paired with academic depth. “Joining IE Business School felt like a natural step,” says Susana. “It combines my enthusiasm for finance with my passion for sharing knowledge in an innovative and diverse setting.”

Throughout the program, Susana emphasizes real-world application. Students work with Bloomberg ESG data while they tackle materiality analyses. They also explore custom-built multimedia cases like “Cracking the Sustainability Puzzle,” co-developed with fellow faculty member Raluca Ratiu. Susana endeavors to prepare students for credentials such as the CFA’s Sustainable Investing Certificate, keeping them aligned with market expectations. “Our students are incredibly committed,” says Susana. “They bring such diverse ambitions and inspiring visions for using business as a force for positive change. Their passion is contagious.”

Carlos Garcia Suarez

Carlos Garcia Suarez has spent the last two decades shaping the global renewable energy landscape—while helping to shape how business students understand sustainability. After earning a PhD in Engineering and an MBA, he co-founded an environmental consulting firm in the 1990s, just as corporate sustainability was starting to enter executive agendas. “IE Business School gave me the opportunity to launch a course on Corporate Environmental Management back in 1995,” says Carlos. “That later evolved into broader topics like Business, Government, and Society. A few of us were really experimenting with what sustainability could look like in a business school.”

In 2005, Carlos sold the firm and pivoted fully to large-scale solar energy development. It was a move that would take him to unexpected places like Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, advising governments, investors and global contractors.

It also provided the hands-on experience that fuels his teaching in the Master in Sustainability & Business Transformation. “We need to move beyond using sustainability just to mitigate risks,” says Carlos. “It must become a guiding principle—something that shapes strategic decisions even before the financial metrics are calculated.”

For Carlos, the Master in Sustainability & Business Transformation offers a space to challenge assumptions and nurture the next generation of changemakers. “What I enjoy most is the enthusiasm,” says Carlos. “These students are incredibly eager to learn, and that makes everything worthwhile.” Looking ahead, he sees a major shift: a move from seeing sustainability as a reputational or compliance issue, toward embedding it in the DNA of how businesses operate. “The next decade will be about merging technologies—solar, wind, batteries, hydrogen—but also about merging values and strategy. That’s where real transformation happens.”

Christina Stathopoulos

Christina Stathopoulos works at the intersection of data, ethics and sustainability. A former data scientist at Google and Waze, Christina now leads her own consultancy, Dare to Data, and teaches Responsible AI at IE Business School. Her entry into the world of AI began with a fascination for numbers and an early academic focus on the ethical questions raised by emerging technologies. “Back then, data science didn’t even exist as a field,” says Christina. “But I was already researching the societal impacts of AI, nanotech, and robotics. Now, two decades later, I’m teaching Responsible AI. It’s a full-circle moment.”

Christina has designed her teaching style for non-technical audiences. While most of the program’s students don’t come from a tech background, it’s never a barrier.

“They catch on quickly when I walk them through the foundations of AI,” says Christina. “From there, the level of debate and critical thinking—especially around ethics and societal impact—is incredible.” Her classes go beyond technical literacy to explore how AI can and should be used responsibly, drawing on live industry examples and emerging trends like Responsible AI Licenses (RAIL), which embed ethical safeguards directly into AI software usage.

Looking ahead, Christina is confident that sustainability will become a non-negotiable in the world of artificial intelligence. “Reducing environmental impact, ensuring transparency, preventing misuse—these aren’t optional anymore,” she explains. “Responsible AI is fast becoming a business standard, not just a moral imperative.” She also predicts rising demand for professionals who can bridge disciplines and align AI innovation with long-term societal and environmental goals. “We may learn some hard lessons first,” she adds, “but that’s often how real transformation starts.”

Study the Master in Sustainability & Business Transformation

The Master in Sustainability & Business Transformation faculty believe in the program—and in the students. With experience from across sectors, you’ll be able to absorb all their knowledge and prepare for an impactful career.

This program is about applying sustainability across every part of business. You’ll work with data, policy, strategy, finance and technology. You’ll use practical tools and real case studies. And you’ll learn from people who’ve led major projects in the field.

Ready to turn your interest in sustainability into action? Learn more via the link below.