IE Business School recently hosted a South Africa event, which brought government officials, professors, and experts to the School’s Madrid campus on June 7th, 2010. The event was organized by 2010 International MBA student Maria Uys, with support of the IE Student Office and fellow students: “With this event, we wanted to showcase South Africa in an entertaining and insightful way – to capture the real spirit of the country and go beyond simply spreading news on issues that are easily found in media headlines”.
The activities kicked off with an overview of the country’s economic and political stability from the South African Ambassador for Spain, H.E. Vusi Bruce Koloane. Economist and IE Business School Professor Gayle Allard moderated a roundtable about the economy and employment opportunities in South Africa.
The keynote was delivered by John Carlin, a journalist and author who recently published “Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation”, which tells the story of the 1995 Rugby World Cup and the country’s transition into democracy – and is the basis for the Warner Bros. film, ´Invictus´.
Although IE Business School has a footprint in Europe, America and Asia, it has only recently stepped into the MBA market in South Africa. Maria Uys decided to come to IE Business School as its detailed program, focus on entrepreneurialism and vibrant social life was in stark contrast to other Business Schools.
About the author