Dr. Marcela López Enríquez is a global strategist, researcher, and academic specializing in strategic management and the internationalization of higher education. With over 35 years of leadership experience across the United States and Europe, she has directed international operations and partnerships for leading universities and global organizations, driving institutional transformation, global engagement, and strategic innovation. She has designed and implemented visionary frameworks that connect academia, industry, and culture across continents.
Early in her career, she studied and collaborated closely with Igor Ansoff, the “founding father of Strategic Management,” and studied with Peter F. Drucker, the
“Father of Modern Management.” Their mentorship deeply shaped her
expertise in strategic design, organizational development, institutional transformation and sustainable
competitiveness — shaping her approach to global academic innovation. As Management Consultant and Head
of Strategic Operations at RBG Europe (The Rummler Brache Group) in Stockholm, Sweden, she
institutionalized Ansoff’s methodologies, developed a Strategic Management Department, and created new
executive training tools adopted across Europe and the U.S. She also taught courses in Strategic Management
grounded in the Ansoff School of Thought.
Before joining AEF, Dr. López Enríquez served at United States International University (now Alliant
International University), where she led the Graduate and Undergraduate Business Programs and directed the
university’s internationalization strategy. She later managed European Strategic Operations for a consortium
of universities in the United States, Australia, and Canada, forging strategic partnerships across Italy, Spain, and
Germany.
Since 2014, Dr. López Enríquez has also worked closely with Mexican artist Raymundo Sesma on ADVENTO, a multidisciplinary project exploring social architecture and creative collaboration. She directed the first Forum Italia–Mexico (2022–2023) at Milan Design Week, Salone del Mobile and the Bergamo - Brescia Italian Capital of Culture 2023, advancing cultural and creative exchange between Italy and Mexico. In 2021, she was appointed Ambassadress for the cities of San Diego and Monza as part of Michelangelo Pistoletto’s Third Paradise initiative, promoting socially responsible innovation through art and design.
At AEF, she leads initiatives that integrate education, innovation, and cultural diplomacy—creating inclusive, synergistic platforms and forward-looking ecosystems that foster creativity, collaboration, and global impact within higher education —connecting academia, industry, and global organizations to drive educational innovation and collaboration.
