MBA Students Present Consulting Projects in Madrid

In March, 43 Georgetown McDonough MBA students traveled to Madrid, Spain, for their Global Business Experience (GBE), as part of the culmination of the three-month course. During the trip, the students shared their final presentations with executives from companies such us Cabify, Deloitte, and Mobile Dreams Factory. Julia Fletcher (MBA ’16), a U.S. Navy reservist, consulted for global infrastructure and services operator Ferrovial.

“What is published in reports and posted to the Internet by governments looking to attract foreign investment can differ from the ground truth,” Fletcher said. “There is no substitute for interviews with subject matter experts. Moreover, making the effort to communicate with the clients in their language and to understand the culture in which their business operates is the ‘easy part.’ Learning that trust, integrity, and hard work are international was the best lesson of all.”

The week-long residency also included a visit to Fundacion La Caixa, where students heard from leadership on the complexities of managing the world’s third largest charity. The social purpose of La Caixa is a valuable example of serving others rather than strictly maximizing profitability, which exemplifies Georgetown McDonough’s mission and purpose.

The Global Business Experience has been present in Spain since 2013, when the first group of MBA students travelled to Barcelona to consult for companies such as Banco Sabadell, Roland DG, and Solvay.