Jordi
Canals

Professor of Strategic Management

Fundación IESE Chair in Corporate Governance

Center for Corporate Governance (CCG)

• Ph.D. in Economic and Business Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona
• Post-Doctoral Fellow, Graduate School of Business Administration, Harvard University

Jordi Canals is professor of strategic management and the holder of Fundación IESE Chair in Corporate Governance. He was Dean of IESE from 2001 through 2016. Prof. Canals is a recognized scholar in the areas of corporate strategy, corporate governance and globalization. He is the author of numerous books and articles, including Boards of Directors in Disruptive Times (Cambridge University Press, 2023), The Future of Management in an AI World (Palgrave MacMillan, 2019), Shaping Entrepreneurial Mindsets (Palgrave MacMillan, 2015), Leadership Development in a Global world (Palgrave MacMillan 2012), Building Respected Companies (Cambridge University Press, 2010), Managing Corporate Growth (Oxford University Press, 2000), Universal Banking: Theoretical Perspectives and International Comparisons (Oxford University Press, 1997), and Competitive Strategies in European Banking (Oxford University Press, 1993).

Prof. Canals has served as guest scholar at the International Monetary Fund, visiting scholar at the World Bank, post-doctoral research fellow at the Harvard Business School and guest scholar at the Brookings Institution.

He was a board member of GMAC, the European Corporate Governance Institute, the European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management, and the European Foundation for Management Development. Jordi Canals is also a founding member of the European Shadow Financial Regulatory Committee, Europe’s independent oversight group on European banking and financial affairs. In addition, he was a member of the Corporate Governance Commission set up by the Spanish Government in July 2002.

Download full CV.

Areas of interest

* Corporate governance
* Strategic management
* Globalization and International management

Publications

Journal Articles (refereed)

CANALS, J. (2022). Boards of directors and corporate strategy. Some reflections on Pankaj Ghemawat’s contributions. Strategy Science, 7 (2), 143-147. doi:10.1287/stsc.2022.0165. (Online first)
CANALS, J. (2014). Global Leadership Development, Strategic Alignment and CEOs Commitment. Journal of Management Development, 33 (5), 487 - 502. doi:10.1108/JMD-02-2014-0014.
CANALS, J. (2010). Rethinking the Firm's Mission and Purpose. European Management Review, 7 (4), 195 - 204. doi:10.1057/emr.2010.11.
CANALS, J. (2005). Corporate growth: Some key drivers. Die Unternehmung (Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice), 367 - 375.
CANALS, J. (2004). Pautas de buen gobierno en los consejos de administración. Universia Business Review (1), 18 - 27.
CANALS, J. (2001). How to Think about Corporate Growth? European Management Journal, 19 (6), 587 - 598. doi:10.1016/S0263-2373(01)00084-6.
CANALS, J. (2001). Internet, innovación y estrategia de la empresa. Lecciones de un fracaso y oportunidades de futuro. Economía Industrial (339), 37 - 50.
CANALS, J. (1999). New business concepts for corporate growth. Journal of General Management, 25 (2), 1 - 18.
CANALS, J. (1998). Universal Banks: The Need for Corporate Renewal. European Management Journal, 16 (5), 623 - 634. doi:10.1016/S0263-2373(98)00038-3.

Working Papers

CANALS, J. (2022). The Changing Nature and Functions of Boards of Directors (WP-1307-E). Barcelona: IESE.
CANALS, J. (2022). From Financial Performance to ESG Results: How to Assess the Firm's Overall Impact (WP-1308-E). Barcelona: IESE.
CANALS, J. (2021). Deciding the Firm's Future: The Role of the Board of Directors in Corporate Strategy (WP-1302-E). Barcelona: IESE.
CANALS, J. (2021). The Role of Corporate Purpose in Corporate Governance. A framework for boards of directors and senior managers (WP-1301-E). Barcelona: IESE.
CANALS, J. (2019). Renewing General Managers' Tasks in an Artificial Intelligence World (WP-1231-E).

Articles in other publications

CANALS, J., CASSIMAN, B., ELVIRA, M., SIEBER, S., RAES, A. (2018). Cómo la IA cambiará (o no) tu modo de dirigir. Inteligencia artificial. IESE Insight (38), pp. 47 - 54.
CANALS, J., CASSIMAN, B., ELVIRA, M., SIEBER, S., RAES, A. (2018). How AI Will - and Won't - Change the Way You Manage. Artificial Intelligence. IESE Insight (38), pp. 47 - 54.
CANALS, J. (2016). Haga de su empresa una institución respetada. Hacia una visión más holística. IESE Insight (28), pp. 44 - 51.
CANALS, J. (2016). Transforming Companies Into Respected Institutions. A More Holistic View of the Firm. IESE Insight (28), pp. 44 - 51.
CANALS, J. (2014). 6 Items for the Top of Every Board's Agenda. Renewing the Board's Mission. IESE Insight (21), pp. 37 - 43.

Books

CANALS, J. (2023). Boards of directors in disruptive times. Improving corporate governance effectiveness. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
CANALS, J. (2023). Transformarse para perdurar. Consejos de administración y gobierno de la empresa en épocas de cambios disruptivos. Barcelona: Deusto.
CANALS, J. (2010). Building Respected Companies. Rethinking Business Leadership and the Purpose of the Firm. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
CANALS, J. (2008). En busca del equilibrio. consejos de administración y alta dirección en el gobierno de la empresa. Madrid: Pearson Educación.
CANALS, J. (2000). La gestión del crecimiento de la empresa. Boston: McGraw Hill.

Edited books

CANALS, J., HEUKAMP, F. (2020). The Future of management in an AI world. Redefining purpose and strategy in the fourth industrial revolution. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
CANALS, J. (2016). IESE's Global Development. The Purpose and Impact of the Harvard Business School-IESE Committee. Barañáin: EUNSA. Ediciones Universidad de Navarra.
CANALS, J. (2015). Shaping Entrepreneurial Mindsets. Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Leadership Development. Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan.
CANALS, J. (2012). Leadership Development in a Global World. The Role of Companies and Business Schools. Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan.
CANALS, J. (2011). The Future of Leadership Development. Corporate Needs and the Role of Business Schools. Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan.

Book Chapters

CANALS, J. (2019). The Evolving Role of General Managers in the Age of AI. In Jordi Canals, Franz Heukamp (Eds.) (Eds.), The Future of Management in an AI World: Redefining Purpose and Strategy in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (pp. 37 - 64). Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan.
CANALS, J. (2015). Leadership Competences for Innovation and Entrepreneurship: A Top Management Perspective. In Canals J. (eds), Shaping Entrepreneurial Mindsets: Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Leadership Development (pp. 3 - 26). Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan.
CANALS, J. (2012). Rethinking Global Leadership Development: Designing New Paradigms. In Canals J. (eds), Leadership Development in a Global World: The Role of Companies and Business Schools (pp. 29 - 61). Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan.
CANALS, J. (2011). In Search of a Greater Impact: New Corporate and Societal Challenges for Business Schools. In Canals J. (eds), The Future of Leadership Development: Corporate Needs and the Role of Business Schools (pp. 3 - 30). Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan.
CANALS, J. (2011). In search of a greater impact: New corporate and societal challenges for business schools. In Jordi Canals (Ed.), The Future of Leadership Development: Corporate Needs and the Role of Business Schools (pp. 3 - 30). Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan.

Studies

SAKASAI, Y., ORMAZÁBAL, G., CANALS, J. (2022). 2022 IESE Survey on Boards of Directors: Corporate Purpose, Culture and Strategy. IESE.
CANALS, J., BLÁZQUEZ, M. L. (2022). Retos empresariales y competencias profesionales necesarias después de la COVID-19: el impacto sobre el empleo juvenil. IESE.
BLAZQUEZ, M. L., MASCLANS, R., CANALS, J. (2020). Las competencias profesionales del futuro: un diagnóstico y un plan de acción para promover el empleo juvenil después de la COVID-19.
BARCELÓ, S. P., CORONA, J. F., PUIG, M., ARGANDOÑA, A., CANALS, J., DÍAZ GIMÉNEZ, J., ... VIVES, X. (2020). El impulso del empleo y el relanzamiento de la empresa. algunas reflexiones para la acción.
CANALS, J., BLÁZQUEZ, M. L., MASCLANS, R. (2019). El futuro del empleo y las competencias profesionales del futuro: la perspectiva de las empresas. IESE.

Cases

MASCLANS, R., CANALS, J. (2021). PromoFarma 2018. IESE, SM-1692-E.
ROGER MASCLANS,, CANALS, J. (2021). Amadeus: Impulsando el crecimiento a largo plazo. IESE, SM-1691.
MASCLANS, R., CANALS, J. (2021). Ingka in 2020. Corporate Governance, Purpose and Transformation. IESE, SM-1698-E.
MASCLANS, R., CANALS, J. (2021). Ingka. Gobierno corporativo, propósito y transformación. IESE, SM-1698.
ROGER MASCLANS,, CANALS, J. (2021). Amadeus: Boosting Long-Term Growth. IESE, SM-1691-E.

Technical Notes

CANALS, J. (2022). The Role of the Board of Directors in Corporate Transformation. IESE, SMN-708-E.
CANALS, J. (2021). The CEO: Mission, Tasks and Responsibilities. IESE, SMN-705-E.
CANALS, J. (2020). Boards of Directors in the COVID-19 Crisis: Some Reflections on Their Challenges and Responsibilities. IESE, SMN-703-E.
CANALS, J. (2004). Tareas, retos y responsabilidades del alto directivo. IESE, DGN-645.
CANALS, J. (2004). El alto directivo y el desarrollo de la empresa como institución. IESE, DGN-644.