Welcome to the first edition of IESE Business School’s LinkedIn newsletter!

Each month, we’ll explore the cutting-edge research and emerging trends that will shape careers and impact the business world. We’ll also share the most engaging conversations happening within our IESE community. Our goal is to provide actionable ideas and inspiration to enhance your leadership and help your organization thrive in today’s competitive landscape.

Join us as we uncover the future of work and empower you to lead with confidence and vision.

Think AI will Steal your Job? Good News: More Managers Needed

You may have read the new World Economic Forum jobs report 2025-2030 revealing that AI will deeply change the nature of jobs, with many disappearing over the next few years.

A recent paper by IESE professors Enrique Ide and Eduard Talamàs reveals that AI benefits the most knowledgeable workers, but its impact on less knowledgeable workers is more complex. While basic AI may make them more productive, highly advanced AI could threaten their jobs if computing power makes it widely available.

However, here’s some good news. Profs. José Azar , Mireia Gine and Sampsa Samila , together with Liudmila Alekseeva, have analyzed more than 375 million U.S. job postings over twelve years and found that companies using AI intensively hire more managers. For every 1 percentage point increase in AI adoption, there was a 2.5% to 7.5% rise in management vacancies and a 0.4% to 1.4% increase in the share of managers.

Dean Franz Heukamp spoke to Mireia Gine about this research in his Dean's Call video. You can also find the full study here.

One of the most demanding management jobs around AI these days is the role of the Chief AI Officer(CAIO), a new position that is emerging in many companies. Here, Prof. Javier Zamora provides a clear vision of the responsibilities, challenges, and opportunities for these professionals.

What’s in Store for 2025?

Back in November, we welcomed Tom Standage, deputy editor of The Economist , to our Barcelona campus to help us forecast what’s on the horizon for 2025. Unsurprisingly, much of his analysis focused on the potential implications of Donald Trump’s second term for trade and geopolitics, as well as the economic, social and geopolitical challenges ahead.

As Trump's second term kicks off, our professors have been reflecting on the lessons for leadership in an era of geopolitical upheaval. Jordi Canals warns of the risks of a more confrontational US stance on trade, Xavier Vives analyzes threats to liberal democracy and Jordi Gual asks if the country is on course to becoming a plutocracy.

More Food for Thought

?? The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive: What every board needs to know. Prof. Gaizka Ormazabal highlights the critical points boards should keep in mind as they lead their organizations through this transformative regulation.

???? A Quiet Ego: The leadership upgrade you need. Prof. Yih-Teen Lee explores the steps business leaders can take on the path to transcendent leadership.

?? Corporate taxes are back on the agenda. Policymakers around the world are eyeing their countries’ tax codes to find ways to raise revenue.?Prof. Martin Jacob examines how managers’ expectations of tax changes influence companies’ investment decisions.

?? Think Star, Think Men? Prof. Isabel Villamor explores the obstacles women executives face in being considered “star performers.”

Community Spotlight

Solidarity

Last November, IESE’s alumni community mobilized to support victims of the DANA floods in Valencia. Over 200 alumni joined forces to collect donations, provide material aid, and offer human support.

Sorrow

We mourn the loss of Isak Andic, founder of Mango, who passed away tragically in December at the age 71.?A great friend of IESE and a generous supporter of our mission, Isak served for 18 years on our International Advisory Board.

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