A group of Alumni guides UPF-BSM graduates with their inspiring experiences

As every year, July was the month of graduation ceremonies for the different programs at UPF Barcelona School of Management. These events showcased the broad and diverse ecosystem of talent at this leading educational institution.

To deliver the closing remarks at these solemn ceremonies, the academic directors of the UPF-BSM programs selected a group of Alumni from various professional fields. These alumni guided, inspired, and motivated the hundreds of graduates as they embark on the exciting journey that lies ahead after completing their studies at the school: entering the professional sector of their choice and joining the UPF-BSM Alumni community.

Valgosa, Freixenet, GVC Gaesco, Solventis, and Zurich Insurance are just a few of the companies where professionals, who only a few years ago were trained in the classrooms of UPF-BSM, are now thriving. These alumni returned to the school for a day to share their experiences and lessons with this year's graduates.

Andrea López Turmo, Head of Marketing & Sales - International Brand Management at Valgosa and Alumni of the MSc in International Business, highlighted two valuable lessons she learned: the myriad of opportunities that arise when working in a small company like hers, "where you mainly learn by doing," and the fact that companies engaged in international activities "allow you to work with people from very different cultures, which leads to developing empathy and reducing biases and prejudices."

A few days later, Cristina García Brunet, Human Resources Director at the Freixenet Group and Alumni of the Master in Human Resources, Labor Relations, and Talent Management, drew two parallels—one with her sporting passion, tennis, and the other with her company's product, cava. "One of the things I learned from tennis is that the difference is not so much in technical ability but in mental management, in being brave in decision-making," she stated, before adding that cava has a second fermentation process that is unique to each bottle, "and the same happens with people; we have different needs that can evolve." She also encouraged graduates not to miss the opportunity to be part of the UPF-BSM Alumni network, which aims to be a tool for fostering networking among Alumni and for professional enrichment.

Finally, Cristina Tura, Customer & Intermediary Operations Director at Zurich Insurance and Alumni of the MBA, expressed that she felt "like coming home because nine years ago I was in the same place as you." She emphasized the importance of never stopping learning, stepping out of the comfort zone, and accepting the challenges presented to us. Tura has been working at Zurich for 18 years, "something I never imagined and that doesn't have to be bad because I've held several positions," and highlighted three key lessons from her experience.

First, values: "They must be shared with the company you work for—in my case, ethics and social responsibility, always involving employees." Second, people: "They must be at the center of all decisions. Managing people is difficult but rewarding. And we must embrace diversity, especially gender diversity, because diversity always adds value." And finally, change: "We must be prepared to manage change with a mindset of transformation because we can't always do things the same way. Change is synonymous with opportunity, and we must not fear it."

Other notable Alumni who participated in the UPF-BSM graduation ceremonies included:

• Paola Giraldo-Jolley: Creator Partner at Kournucopya and Alumni of the Master in Marketing.
• Mercè González Oliver: Journalist and political communicator and Alumni of the Master in Political and Institutional Communication.
• Anabel Obeso Riess: Director of People at GVC Gaesco and Alumni of the Postgraduate program in Digital Transformation of Organizations.
• Paula Samper Téllez: Private Banking Consultant at Solventis and Alumni of the Master in Finance and Banking.