Five minutes with the faculty: Isabel Fernandez-Mateo

What first sparked your interest in your field?

After graduating from college, I worked for one year in finance, assisting traders who were dealing in options and futures. I found the intellectual aspect of the job interesting, but I was puzzled by the social dynamics among employees, and between employees and managers. I found out that I was more interested in understanding those than in the financial instruments themselves, so I applied to graduate school to get a PhD in management.

What’s one thing students or colleagues might be surprised to learn about you?

I am not sure if it would come as a surprise, but I was the first person in my family to finish high school – and then go on to university. It’s an experience that has shaped my perspective on education and the opportunities it creates, and it’s something I am very grateful for.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I have received is simple but invaluable. My dissertation advisor used to say, “It is a marathon, not a sprint,” and “There are no shortcuts to knowledge.” At the time, it felt like common sense, but over the years, I’ve come to appreciate just how true it is. That mindset has shaped both my research and my teaching.

And the worst?

As for the worst advice – early in my time as an academic, someone suggested I cut my hair so it would not be a distraction to students while I was teaching. I decided not to take that advice, as anyone who has seen me can probably guess.

What’s your go-to productivity trick or daily habit?

My brain just does not work properly unless I exercise, so I make sure to start every day with a run, weights, Pilates, or yoga. It helps me clear my head and sets me up for a much more focused day.

What’s a skill or hobby you have that would surprise your students or colleagues?

I am a big fan of science fiction. Whether it’s books, movies, or TV series, I like exploring different visions of the future and the questions they raise about society, technology, and human nature. It’s a fun escape, but also a great way to think about things I care about in a different way.

If you could have dinner with any significant figure, who would it be and why?

If I could gather a group for a dinner – or maybe more of a girls’ night out – I would invite Hypatia, Ada Lovelace, Hedy Lamarr, and Dolly Parton. Hypatia was a philosopher and mathematician in ancient Alexandria, who pursued knowledge in a time when women were not exactly encouraged to do so. Ada Lovelace was basically the first computer programmer, long before computers even existed. Hedy Lamarr was both a Hollywood star and a genius inventor – her work helped pave the way for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. And then there’s Dolly Parton, a legend in music, business, and philanthropy. With Dolly there we would even have some music for the evening.

What’s the most unexpected or unusual place your research has taken you?

My research focuses on organisations in Western countries, so it does not usually take me to particularly unusual places. That said, I did spend several months collecting data in a company located right next to where the TV show The Office is set. Luckily, that office was not nearly as dysfunctional – but it was certainly interesting.

What’s the most bizarre or unexpected fact you’ve come across in your research?

Not bizarre, but definitely unexpected. A few years ago, I worked on a study of price setting in the Champagne industry with Amandine Ody-Brasier, a former PhD student at London Business School and now a professor at McGill University. We discovered that in this traditionally male-dominated field, women growers were charging significantly higher prices for their grapes than their male counterparts. At first, we were surprised, but we soon learned that their exclusion from men’s social networks actually worked to their advantage. Since discussing money was frowned upon in those circles, male growers did not openly share information. Women, on the other hand, built their own networks, exchanged business insights, and shared pricing strategies – allowing them to set better prices and ultimately do much better.

Interview by Sophie Haydock