Joan Vicens Sard — Associate Partner
Global higher education and business development professional with a track record of leading internationalization strategies, market expansion, and FDI projects across Europe and Asia. Currently serving as Associate Director for International Development at ESSCA School of Management, I specialize in campus expansion, executive education, international partnerships, and digital marketing. Over the years, I have: · Led the launch of ESSCA’s Spain and Luxembourg campuses, overseeing setup, operations, and long-term strategy. · Managed four international campuses and a team of 20+. · Built ESSCA’s International Executive Education division from the ground up, driving business growth and forging corporate partnerships. · Led international student recruitment, admissions, and digital marketing, leveraging analytics to enhance performance. · Facilitated high-impact FDI projects from Hong Kong, leading to over 100+ new hires in key industries like video-gaming, automotive, semiconductors, IT, life sciences, and PropTech. · Taught at top universities (Universitat Pompeu Fabra, FAU) in international business, transpacific trade, and economic history. · Worked in academic publishing, fostering relationships with global scholars in Asian Studies. Fluent in English, Spanish, Catalan, or Italian, and intermediate fluency in French and Mandarin, I thrive in multicultural environments and excel at bridging the gap between higher education, business, and government institutions. My expertise spans global strategy, international operations, digital transformation in education, and cross-border investment promotion. Always open to new collaborations in higher education strategy, global business development, and executive education programs. Let’s connect!
Stackforce AI infers this person is a Higher Education and International Business Development expert.
Location: Paris, France
Experience: 11 yrs
Skills
- International Business Development
- Higher Education Administration
- Business Development
- International Relations
- Economic History
- Cultural Exchange
- Fdi
- Market Expansion
- Economic Policy
- Academic Publishing
- Editorial Development
- Customer Relations
- Executive Education
- International Recruitment
- Marketing & Outreach
Career Highlights
- Led international campus expansions in Spain and Luxembourg.
- Built ESSCA's Executive Education division from scratch.
- Fluent in multiple languages, enhancing multicultural collaboration.
Work Experience
La Vanguardia
Book Reviewer with Expertise on International Relations and Asia-Pacific Studies (1 mo)
ESSCA
Associate Director for International Development (3 yrs 9 mos)
La Vanguardia
Book Reviewer with Expertise on China and International Relations (1 mo)
Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Barcelona
Associate Professor (2 yrs 8 mos)
ACCIÓ
General Manager / Investment Promotion (South China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan) (2 yrs 11 mos)
The University of Hong Kong
Acquisitions Editor (10 mos)
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
International Marketing and Recruitment (MBA Department) (4 mos)
China Studies Programme Executive (1 yr 11 mos)
Kaifeng Senior High School
Teacher of Foreign Languages (1 yr 4 mos)
Casa Asia
Internship (3 mos)
Oozebap
Volunteer (4 mos)
Generalitat de Catalunya
Internship (1 mo)
Global Asia
Internship (2 mos)
Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-N
Spanish Lecturer (3 mos)
Telefónica Learning Services
Formador (1 mo)
BBVA
Bank Teller (1 mo)
Education
MA in Chinese Studies at Universitat Pompeu Fabra
MA in International Relations at Macquarie University
Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) at Universitat de Barcelona
Exchange Student at the Centre for China Studies at The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Postgraduate degree on African Societies and Development at Universitat Pompeu Fabra
DBA at Luiss Business School