Isabel Fernandez-Mateo
Adecco Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship; Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship
BA (Carlos III, Madrid) MSc (UPF, Barcelona) PhD (MIT)
Isabel Fernandez-Mateo is the Adecco Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship and Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School. She is an expert on how relationships influence career outcomes—particularly in hiring, job transitions, and career advancement. She also studies gender diversity in the executive labour market, examining the organisational and social barriers that prevent women's access to positions of leadership. Her research interests include economic sociology, inter-organisational relationships, price setting processes, market intermediaries, and labour market inequality and employment relationships. Her work has been published in leading academic journals such as Administrative Science Quarterly, American Sociological Review, American Journal of Sociology, Management Science, and Organization Science. She currently serves as Department Editor of Management Science (Organizations Section).
Professor Fernandez-Mateo has taught in various degree programmes at London Business School, including the required core Strategic Management course for the full time MBA and Executive MBAs, as well as two electives: "Building your Career Strategy" and "People Analytics." She also teaches on the PhD programme.
A native of Spain, she holds a BA from Carlos III University in Madrid, an MSc from Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, and a PhD from MIT.
Academic and professional experience
Adecco Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, London Business School (2007)
Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, London Business School
Department Editor, Management Science (Organizations Section)
Awards and honours
Sucheta Nadkarni Award for Outstanding Publication on Women Executive Leadership, Strategic Management Society (2020)
W. Richard Scott Award for Distinguished Scholarship, American Sociological Association, Organizations, Occupations and Work Section (2020)
Best OMT Published Paper of 2017 Award, OMT Division, Academy of Management (2018)
Outstanding Publication in OB Award, OB Division, Academy of Management (2018)
Meritorious Service as Associate Editor Award, Management Science (2013)
W. Richard Scott Award for Distinguished Scholarship, American Sociological Association, Organizations, Occupations and Work Section (2013)
INFORMS–Industry Studies Association Best Paper Prize (2012)
Outstanding Reviewer Award, Editorial Board, Academy of Management Review (2007)
Best Paper Award, Careers Division, Academy of Management (2005)
James D. Thompson Award for Best Graduate Student Paper, American Sociological Association, Organizations, Occupations and Work Section (2004)
Teaching portfolio
Our teaching offering is updated annually. Faculty and programme material are subject to change.