30/11/2023
If you still think of the finance industry as a very traditional, aggressive, male-dominated industry, the statistics show that’s changing. With increased awareness of the value that women bring to the sector, and increasing numbers of women entering the industry, now is a great time to take the plunge if you’re female and thinking about a career in this most dynamic of sectors.
IE University has, from its foundation, prided itself on diversity and equality—in our student body, among our staff, and across our faculty. Our Master in Finance is no exception, with the outstanding expertise and experience of the female members of the program’s faculty a true driver of its excellence—a quality that’s reflected in its outstanding global rankings. Their successes demonstrate not only that the sector is changing, but that women have long been making their mark at its very sharpest points.
We believe that it’s important for our students to learn from a faculty with a range of experiences and from various backgrounds to get the most out of the program. Playing a vital part in this, the female members of the program’s faculty provide our students with a unique outlook on the finance industry and what it takes to position themselves well in a competitive market. Let’s meet the role models and mentors from our faculty who are shaping the financial minds of the future.
“Even if you don’t remain in finance, the frameworks of the Master in Finance should allow for an easy transition to other sectors.” Sara Farooqi
A unique profile
Susana Martínez grew up in a very artistic, creative household—not the sort of background you may expect of a financial expert. But, inspired by the classic movie “Wall Street,” it was nonetheless finance to which she was drawn. Now a highly experienced sector expert with a background in finance that’s as broad as it is deep, she came up against some challenging attitudes in the early years of her career. But, as Susana says, “The group’s learning experience is only ever enhanced by varying points of view,” and the industry is changing.
Susana is now imparting the insights and knowledge she gained on the front lines of the industry as part of the Master in Finance faculty.
Gayle Allard, meanwhile, discovered a passion for economics while studying at Johns Hopkins University in her native US. She’s particularly driven to leverage the power of economics for good, whether through research into policy or education; she has set up her own MOOCs. By applying a humanistic approach to financial matters, we can “all become world-changers by making one quiet, ethical decision at a time,” she says.
“I give real-life examples constantly, and I’m always bringing up comparative data, different models and different approaches. Operating at the level of the ivory tower just doesn’t seem intuitive and it’s natural to me to deal with the real world.” Gayle Allard
Real-world knowledge in the classroom
Adjunct professor of finance and quantitative methods Sara Farooqi has taught a broad range of subjects at IE University for over ten years, with extensive prior experience in investment banking. Having worked with several Fortune 500 companies, the knowledge of the sector that she brings to the classroom is invaluable in providing a flavor of the realities of the finance world to the students in her charge. Just how well she does that is reflected in her multiple awards for outstanding teaching performance at IE University.
Sara’s faculty colleague Elena Yndurain is a digital transformation and emerging tech specialist.
Elena’s passion is for the practical application of STEM subjects, so she felt very comfortable in the business world, where she gained considerable experience in the tech industry.
Part of Elena’s teaching focuses on emerging tech like quantum computing, as she’s extremely keen that her students keep right up-to-date, given tech’s importance in every aspect of society.
“Being able to transmit your knowledge and receive gratification from your students has no comparable experience. Only the academic world allows you this kind of personal fulfillment.” Bárbara Huerta
Meet the program’s academic director
Bárbara Huerta is the Master in Finance program’s academic director. Bárbara has seen how challenging the sector can be firsthand, as she was at Arthur Anderson when the firm collapsed. Her unique professional experiences make her ideally qualified to tutor students on the importance of, for example, identifying, tackling and neutralizing the most common accounting “games” companies sometimes play. Bárbara regards the program structure as the complete offering that properly prepares students for these realities, blending finance, business, accounting and leadership skills into a holistic whole.
She, and her fellow faculty members, are living proof that not only have women already made an indelible mark on an evolving industry, but they’re using their impressive resumes and huge experience at its very top to empower more young women to follow in their footsteps. So if you’re thinking about a career in the sector, check out our Master in Finance.
