30/03/2023
Gerardo Hinojosa, IE University alumn, economist and digital entrepreneur, talks to us about finding the perfect mix of tech knowledge and leadership skills during his executive master’s degree. Find out what he has to say about how the program helped launch his career and how continuous learning sets leaders apart.
Gerardo Hinojosa has always loved the world of business and technology. A powerhouse with many talents, he works as the CEO of a packaging manufacturer in Mexico, the founder of an angel investment company called Digital Society, and as a professional business coach and mentor.
Although he’s an established business leader with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in business administration, Gerardo says he reached a stage in his career and learning journey where he began to wonder what would be his next step.
“One of the advisors in our company’s board of directors is also a particular mentor of mine. I was talking to him and said that we’d done a pretty good job with our current project and would have a new investor in the next 18 months,” he tells us. His response? “So what’s next? Should I study something else?”
The answer from his mentor was a resounding yes. And so that’s what he decided to do. Gerado made the choice to update himself once again with the Executive Master in Digital Transformation and Innovation Leadership in order to remain competitive in today’s fast-paced world.
Finding the perfect fit
It had been almost four years since Gerardo had studied academically, and he was unsure of what was out there. Passionate about the startup world and technology, he’d always thought studying engineering or coding would have been very useful in his career.
Ultimately, the nexus between all these interests led to the decision to look for something that covered digital transformation and innovation leadership.
“I Googled ‘digital transformation degrees’ and ‘tech degrees,’” he tells us. “A lot of stuff from the US appeared in my search, but they were all six-week programs. I kept searching and decided to type in the whole phrase ‘digital transformation and innovation leadership.’ Of course, the IE University program was at the top of the search results because it’s the only one called exactly that!”
Choosing IE University
Not only was this the perfect program in terms of subject matter, but Gerardo already knew IE University’s reputation as a top-ranked school in Europe. Furthermore, pursuing the Executive Master in Digital Transformation and Innovation Leadership would give him the opportunity to meet people from around the world and increase his personal and professional network, while simultaneously enjoying traveling and spending time in Madrid.
He enrolled in the program last year and hasn’t looked back since, calling it a “very positive experience.” He goes on to note that, “The cohort is amazing because it’s really diverse. They’re incredibly smart people and I love being surrounded by different perspectives.”
What’s more, Gerardo is driven by the fact that the faculty is very open to answer questions and offer their firsthand insights, especially as most of them hold jobs both at the university and in the professional world. “To have them as a part of the network and to be able to reach out to them is great.”
He’s already incorporated what he’s learned in the program in his company and other business endeavors. This includes introducing agile methodologies, separating and forming new departments, and restructuring business intelligence strategies.
“At the manufacturing company, we were able to map out our new strategic plan for the next couple of years. It’s all digital and based on knowledge from the program,” he tells us, proudly showing us the digitally laid out plan on his phone screen.
Defining leadership
As someone studying an Executive Master in Digital Transformation and Innovation Leadership, Gerardo has a unique perspective on what leadership means.
For him, leadership isn’t something that you can necessarily learn from a book, but instead a habit that can be formed and enhanced.
“It’s something that you build and nurture every day. You shape it, sometimes with different theories, sometimes with things that you see in other people, and sometimes you adapt it to the ecosystem. If you commit to it and if you live leadership as a habit, it’s something that you can learn and grow every day of your life.
And his advice for being an innovative leader who drives transformation?
“Get to the job every day with a beginner’s mindset. Don’t arrive thinking that you already know everything. Be a child, be naive, be curious. That’s how you get innovation.”
