For the first time in Fortune 500 history, women now lead over 10% of these top companies. Major corporations like IBM, Oracle Corporation, and General Motors are increasingly choosing female leaders, signaling a positive and growing trend in the industry.
Many women aspire to helm major companies, but reaching such heights requires a unique set of skills that are highly valued by employers. To support women in achieving their ambitions, Aula Magna Business School was established.
Aula Magna Business School stands as the first online international business school tailored for today’s and tomorrow’s digital female leaders. The school’s programs are designed to develop indispensable skills for women, providing an ideal learning environment for those aiming to reach new industry heights.
Clara Lapiedra, the Founder and CEO of Aula Magna Business School, was recently featured in “The Most Influential Women Leaders to Watch In 2023” by CIO Women. Here are some highlights from her compelling interview:
1. What inspired you to pursue this particular field?
My extensive experience in executive training revealed a significant gap: the need for current and flexible executive education tailored for women committed to their advancement. This insight led me to establish Aula Magna Business School during the pandemic. I recognized that female talent, supported by specialized training, could greatly impact today’s market.
2. What challenges did you face in the early years?
As of March 23, 2023, Aula Magna Business School celebrated its third anniversary. We have successfully conducted five editions of our flagship Executive Development Program (EDP), which enhances management skills, and launched the third edition of our Data Analytics for Managers (D4M) program, focusing on data-driven value creation.
Additionally, we offer bespoke programs for specific needs and, through The Equity Academy, provide the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Awareness Program in collaboration with the Stem Women Congress team. This training equips participants with the essentials for implementing equality, diversity, and inclusion policies in their organizations.
These initial years have been marked by exponential growth, with over 92% of our graduates receiving promotions within six months of completing their studies. This success demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach and its impact across Europe, Latin America, and the United States.
3. Could you outline your professional background?
Often described as a serial entrepreneur by those familiar with my work, my journey began in the strategic consultancy sector. I hold an MBA from ESADE and have completed a General Management Program at IESE, with studies conducted in Italy, England, Germany, and the USA. Currently, I serve as the CEO & Founder of Aula Magna Business School. Additionally, I am the founder of the Wompreneur community and serve as Stanford’s official ambassador for the Women in Data Science (WiDS) program in Barcelona and Madrid, which will mark its third edition this summer.
Moreover, I have been recognized as one of the Top 10 Women CEOs of 2023 by iEra Women Leaders for my contributions to executive education for women on an international scale.
4. How has your education influenced the development of your enterprise?
After graduating, I pursued further studies abroad in Italy and the United States, and spent some summers in the UK and Germany. I noticed that in executive programs focused on management skills, women often constituted less than 20% of the participants, as highlighted in a Harvard Business Review report. Experiencing this firsthand, I identified these gaps and aimed to address them by making executive programs more approachable for women. This includes enhancing content flexibility, fostering participant connections, and ensuring that the content remains relevant and up-to-date.
Traditional educational cases are few and often outdated, given the rapid advancements in digitalization and globalization. At Aula Magna Business School, we address this by developing our own cases that are concise and relevant to current contexts.
5. When was the company established?
Aula Magna Business School was launched during the pandemic, a period that highlighted entrepreneurial resilience. This challenging time necessitated a shift to digital education for both children and adults, proving that innovative approaches to learning and training were possible even in a disruptive and evolving market.
6. What was the vision of your company when you started?
The vision of Aula Magna Business School has remained steadfast: to combat gender bias through specialized training courses. Our core mission is to serve as the pioneering business school tailored to the needs of emerging markets. We were established as a dedicated space for women executives, entrepreneurs, and ambitious professionals seeking growth.
Aula Magna is committed to advancing women’s education across various fields via our unique e-learning model. Our up-to-date courses emphasize equality, equity, sustainability, and digitalization, reaching a global audience. We believe in nurturing talent, regardless of gender, through continuous content updates and ongoing training.
Beyond education, Aula Magna aims to facilitate networking and collaboration. Our alumni often highlight the school’s role in fostering connections and professional development in a supportive and respectful environment. Notably, we proudly support Stanford’s annual ‘Women in Data Science’ events in Barcelona and Madrid.
7. What is the reason behind your company’s long-standing success?
Our enduring success can be attributed to our ability to address the specific needs of female executives, businesswomen, and entrepreneurs from the outset. As our alumni frequently state, “We are the formula that works.” We have consistently listened to and responded to their requirements by offering products and services tailored to their immediate needs.
From our founder Clara Lapiedra to our teaching staff, the Aula Magna team understands what students seek in executive programs because we have experienced it ourselves. Our courses are delivered by female experts who convey their knowledge in a clear, practical, and accessible manner, adapted to each individual’s needs.
We effectively identified a key market niche at the right moment. Women entrepreneurs and executives needed a business school that was digital, diverse, and sustainable, with a comprehensive roster of educators and speakers dedicated to enhancing their careers with professionalism, rigor, and a commitment to gender equality. This approach has cultivated a community where women gain valuable knowledge and create impactful synergies for themselves and their organizations. Ultimately, advancing gender equality benefits everyone, not just women.
8. How has the entrepreneurial landscape evolved in the post-pandemic era?
The number of women entrepreneurs has notably risen, particularly in Spain, which boasts nearly 24,000 start-ups. This represents 4% of active Spanish companies. Female entrepreneurs are increasingly establishing their presence in this growing sector, with their participation having surged by 15% over the past three years, now making up about 30% of the total.
Despite this progress, challenges remain, particularly in the STEM fields where female representation is still limited. According to a recent UNESCO study, only 28% of researchers in science are women. Additionally, the Spanish Ministry of Education reports that women make up less than 25% of students enrolled in engineering programs.
Clara Lapiedra emphasizes this issue because at Aula Magna Business School, we are committed to nurturing female STEM talent. This initiative supports companies in building inclusive and diverse teams, ultimately boosting their productivity and performance.