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Javier Navarro and Manuel Ferrer: Two decades promoting the alumni community in the Community of Valencia

After years of dedication to the Esade Alumni Community of Valencia Club, Javier Navarro (Lic&MBA 85) and Manuel Ferrer (Deloitte 07) are examples of careers marked by commitment, generosity, and the drive to strengthen bonds among alumni
Javier Navarro y Manel Ferrer

For two decades, Javier Navarro and Manel Ferrer have contributed to promoting academic, business, and networking activities and have consolidated one of the most active alumni communities. We talk with both of them to survey the most important milestones in their careers and discuss the challenges the Club will face in the upcoming years.

 

Javier Navarro: “We have to keep the Esade flame alive in Valencia”

For more than sixteen years, Javier Navarro has been the chair of the Board of the Community of Valencia Club, leading an intense schedule of activities that has combined lectures, professional gatherings, charitable initiatives, and networking activities. With Javier as chair, the Club has strengthened its role as a meeting point for alumni in the region.

- How did your relationship with Esade Alumni begin, and what motivated you to get actively involved in the Community of Valencia Club?

My relationship with Esade Alumni began very early on, back in the 1990’s. After finishing my degree at Esade Barcelona and spending a year in the United States, I came back to Valencia to start my career. At that point, I understood that staying connected to Esade Alumni was the best way to keep up-to-date academically and remain connected to the alumni community.

- What has your role been on the Board, and what do you think is your most important contribution in all these years?

I was chair of the Board from March 2010 to March of this year. For sixteen years, I’ve tried to keep up constant activities that are relevant to alumni. During this period, we’ve organized more than one hundred events of all kinds: academic, business, cultural, charitable, and fun.

I am particularly fond of the hiking days, which we’ve been holding for ten years now. It’s become one of the Club’s traditions. I also recall with satisfaction several memorable Annual Meetings, with speakers like Joaquín Duato, CEO of Johnson & Johnson; the mountain climber Edurne Pasaban; Toni Nadal; the adventurer Andreu Mateu; and the expeditioner Sebastián Álvaro. Plus, our collaboration with the Valencia Tennis Club has enabled us to spread the word about our activities and reach new audiences.

- Based on your experience, how has the Community of Valencia Club changed in recent years in terms of its activities, participation, or alumni profile?

The pandemic was a turning point. During that period, in-person activities waned while online sessions became more common. Over time, we have found that in-person gatherings are still essential because alumni really value the opportunity to gather and share experiences face-to-face.

The interest in masterclasses geared to skills development has also increased. Topics like public speaking, optimizing your LinkedIn profile, and more recently, taking advantage of artificial intelligence have attracted a great deal of participation. Plus, social media have heightened the sense of belonging and facilitated communication with the alumni community.

- What makes the alumni community in the Community of Valencia special, and what unique value does it bring compared to other regions?

After Catalonia and Madrid, the Community of Valencia is one of the regions with the highest number of alumni, with around 2,000 members. One unique feature is that Valencia has hosted the PLD (Program for Leadership Development) for three decades, so approximately half of our alumni come from this program. Plus, having professors from the PDL participate in our activities brings major added value. This enables us to adapt much of our programming to the academic calendar and offer top-tier content.

- What are the main challenges that you think the Club is facing today, and how would you like it to evolve in the upcoming years?

The main challenge is keeping the presence and spirit of Esade alive in Valencia. This is why I think it’s essential that the PDL keep being held in the city. New business schools have cropped up, but Esade still has a place of its own and a very solid community in Valencia. It’s also important that those of us who have been affiliated with the Club the longest step back and bring new generations onto the Board. The participation of younger alumni is crucial to guaranteeing the Club’s continuity and evolution in the upcoming years.

Javier Navarro y Manel Ferrer

 

Manuel Ferrer: “Participating on the Board allows you to give back and keep learning”

Affiliated with the Club for decades, Manuel Ferrer has contributed to developing countless training and informative activities aimed at strengthening the alumni network. He particularly stands out in his role as Technical Director of the Esade-Deloitte Executive Education programs in the Community of Valencia for 25 years.

- Do you remember the reason you got involved in the Club and joined the Board?

My connection originally came from Grupo Coop and Grupo Audit, two Valencian organizations that I led, which later joined Deloitte. We would organize lectures and training programs targeted at customers like Esade alumni, in which professors travelled from Barcelona to Valencia. I had a very close relationship with those professors, and they first spoke to me about the Esade Alumni Community of Valencia Club. So, I joined the Board and began a period of collaboration that has been extremely enriching.

- After so many years affiliated with the Club, what moment would you pinpoint as particularly meaningful?

I’ve always really valued the Board’s monthly meetings as spaces where we shared ideas, debated trends, and suggested new topics to address in our activities. I also particularly remember the lectures delivered in Valencia by Esade Barcelona professors, many of them affiliated with the PLD which was held in the city for years. Those sessions were extremely valuable for the alumni community.

- How have you experienced changes in way alumni connect, and how has the Club kept up with these changes?

The communication channels have evolved a great deal over time, and Esade has managed to keep up with these changes. I think it’s very positive for alumni to receive information on the Club’s activities via multiple platforms, because this facilitates broader participation and a more constant connection with the community.

- How do you think the Club contributes to the professional and personal development of its members in the Community of Valencia?

The Club plays an important role because it allows alumni to keep learning more and complement their training. Through lectures, gatherings, and activities, participants can learn more about issues related to strategy, marketing, finance, human resources, and information and communication technologies, among other fields. But in addition to learning, the Club also facilitates the exchange of experiences and the creation of extraordinarily valuable professional and personal relationships.

- What advice would you give the new generations of alumni, and what legacy would you like to leave in the Club?

The alumni network in the Community of Valencia is broad and will continue to grow as new generations join it. My advice is for them to get actively involved and to consider the possibility of joining the Board of Directors, because it is a very direct way to contribute to the community’s growth. Participating also allows you to contribute ideas and proposals, as well as learn, gain new experiences, and make new relationships that contribute enormously to your professional and personal development.

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