IESE and Laidlaw Foundation launch transformative scholarship for women in leadership

IESE Business School, in collaboration with the Laidlaw Foundation, has launched the Laidlaw Women’s MBA Scholarship Program, an initiative to increase the number of female leaders in global business.

Launching in September 2026 for applicants in the MBA Class of 2028, the program will provide 13 full-tuition scholarships to outstanding women who demonstrate exceptional academic and leadership potential as well as documented financial need. Each scholarship will fully cover MBA tuition fees, enabling talented women to access one of the world’s top management education programs regardless of financial constraints.

This multi-year partnership includes a total contribution of €2,025,000 from the Laidlaw Foundation, matched by IESE Business School to ensure full tuition funding for each scholar. The agreement runs through the 2026-2029 academic years, with the possibility of renewal.

In addition to financial support, IESE will provide a robust career development pathway tailored to the Laidlaw scholars. The school’s Career Development Center (CDC) will offer personalized career counseling, access to a global recruiter network and dedicated programming to support long-term success. Scholars will also benefit from a Professional Female Mentorship Program, exclusive networking events, leadership and communication workshops and hands-on impact projects focused on sustainability and social responsibility.

“Talent should never be constrained by financial barriers,” says Professor Mireia Las Heras, MBA Academic Director at IESE Business School. “Through this partnership with the Laidlaw Foundation, we are creating opportunities for outstanding women to access a transformative MBA experience and amplify their impact across business and society. This initiative reflects IESE’s long-standing commitment to developing responsible leaders and strengthening the global pipeline of female talent.”

“By partnering with IESE, we are able to provide extraordinary women with the knowledge, and networks that will help propel them into senior roles globally; helping to address persistent gender inequity, and ensure that the next generation of entrepreneurs and C-Suite executives, lead with integrity and impact, for a better world,” adds Susanna Kempe, Chief Executive of the Laidlaw Foundation.

The Laidlaw Women’s MBA Scholarship Program reinforces IESE’s deep-rooted mission to develop responsible leaders who make a deep, positive and lasting impact on the world; and the Foundation’s commitment to partnering with the world’s leading higher education institutions who share their belief in ethical leadership and their vision for transforming lives through education.

About IESE Business School

IESE Business School is the graduate management and business school of the University of Navarra. With campuses in Barcelona, Madrid, Munich, New York and São Paulo, IESE offers MBA programs, executive education and full-time Master’s degrees, including the Master in Management (MiM) and the Master in Finance (MiF), to an international audience.

Founded in 1958, IESE has educated more than 60,000 managers and entrepreneurs worldwide. The school is recognized for its innovative discussion-based teaching method, its global outlook and its focus on responsible leadership, with the aim of developing leaders who create a positive and lasting impact on organizations and society.

About the Laidlaw Foundation

The Laidlaw Foundation invests in the education of the underprivileged and underrepresented in order to break cycles of poverty, reduce inequality, and develop a new generation of ethical leaders. Its funding supports five core programmes:

• Sponsoring the Laidlaw Schools Trust — a growing Multi Academy Trust in the North East of England, providing extraordinary education that transforms lives;
• Developing a new generation of ethical leaders through the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Programme at leading universities worldwide;
• Ensuring more women reach the C-Suite through MBA scholarships at London Business School, Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, HEC Paris, IE Madrid and IESE.
• Supporting women from underserved communities to access higher education through the Trinity College Dublin Trailblazer Programme; and
• Building innovative and inspiring spaces in which pupils and students can excel.