Team

The secret to our success

Our people are everything. We are a team of specialists with a wide variety of professional experiences in multiple areas and sectors, most of them hailing from some of the most prestigious business schools. We are ready to be part of your team. Together we will turn your opportunities into successes.

JOAN RIERA
PRESIDENT

“The secret is the team. To surround ourselves with the best, has proved to be the key to our success. Anyone who can surpass us in something is welcome to join”

He graduated in Business Administration and MBA from ESADE (Lic&MBA program) and from the Business School Johnson School at Cornell University (Ithaca, New York). He is a real estate agent, and has complemented its executive education at ESADE (Management and Property Management Companies) and IESE (Developing Innovation Company).

Joan is Managing Partner of Active Development and professor of entrepreneurship and innovation in the Department of General Management and Strategy ESADE. He is president of the ESADE Alumni Innovation Club and founder and board member of the network of ESADE Business Angels. He is an investor and advisor for technology and fast-growing companies. He is co-author of the book Emprende Tu Propia Aventura and active lecturer in international forums.

He created his first company with only 23 years. In his extensive international experience he has created 7 companies and has worked in UK and USA, through banking, consulting and multinational companies. He was founder and first General Director of the innovation business park ESADE CREAPOLIS, coach of more than 400 entrepreneurs, and organizer of the first Forum of investors from Spain in 2004. With more than 15 years of experience, he has worked in innovation projects with companies such as Telefonica, Boston Scientific, Pfizer, Danone, Servihabitat/La Caixa, Puig, Novartis, PWC, Abbott, Bodegas Torres, BBVA, Palladium Group, Solvay or Adif

More About Joan
JORDI PLA
GENERAL MANAGER

"Customers demand excellence and great results. To do this, we have a good team, knowledge and motivation”

He has a degree and MBA from ESADE and IESE PDG. He has developed a long international career in the world of marketing, advertising and communications. He has had managerial responsibilities in Spain, United States and several European projects.
 
He is academic collaborator for ESADE. He is also active lecturer and independent director of several business initiatives, as well as an active participant in the commercial sector business forums and entrepreneurship. He has been an entrepreneur and private investor.
 
More About Jordi
NACHO GALLARDO
SENIOR MANAGER

“Perseverance will prevail where everything else fails! Passion for innovation and growth and the ability of a talented team makes working at Active Development a pleasure”

Lic&MBA by ESADE, specialized in Marketing, Sales and Business Strategy. Experience in an International Marketing Agency (5 years between Paris and London). Nacho is also a ESADE academic collaborator and associate professor in the MBA ESIC, where he coordinates the Investment Forum and advises the investors club.
 
Private investor in start-ups in different accelerators and incubators, as well as an active speaker. He has been an entrepreneur and Director in the consulting area.
More About Nacho
JORDI RIERA
MANAGER MIAMI OFFICE

“The worst execution is the one that is not done”

Jordi leads Active Development for USA. He has more than 10 years experience in Marketing and Sales in the USA and in international companies in diverse countries. Jordi has also experience in Business Development for Asia, New Zealand and Australia.
 
He has the BA Honours International Business by the University of Westminster ( London, UK ) and also has studied in programs from the London School of Economics and Instituto de Empresa.
 
More About Jordi
RICARD HUGUET
SENIOR MANAGER

“It is more fun being the pirate than joining the Navy”

Ricard has a degree in Pharmacy and MBA at MIT Sloan School of Management with emphasis on innovation. He is co-instructor with Henry Chesbrough and Ken Morse at ESADE. His specialties are in the area of turning technology into business and commercial development.
 
In 2003 Ricard was appointed Director of Innovation for the city of Barcelona. He is an entrepreneur, private investor and active speaker.
 
More About Ricard
CARLOS LÓPEZ
SENIOR MANAGER

“Great work is performed not by strength but by perseverance”

PADG at the Instituto de Empresa. he estudied Management and Business Administration at the UIB. Businessman and entrepreneur expert in the area of corporate finance.
 
He has been Director of Corporate Banking for financial institutions in the Balearic Islands. Founder of a company for outsourcing Financial Management services to SMEs.
 
More About Carlos
CATALINA DARDER
SENIOR MANAGER

“Teamwork, leadership and communication, the essence for the success of any project”

MBA from ESADE. She has worked in the private sector and has also been an entrepreneur. She highlights its experience in Banking (mainly Risk Analysis) and treasury management..
 
She has developed several business projects and currently performs tasks of Financial Consulting and Project Management
More About Catalina
Ximena Martínez
Senior Consultant

"To be innovative is to break the limits that you impose on your mind, is to find the best version of yourself to open new possibilities in your environment"

Specialist in Talent Management, People Development, Selection and High Performance Teams. Degree in Psychology from the Universidad del Desarrollo in Santiago de Chile. Certified in international assessment tools, as well as in coaching by Rafael Echevarría's school.
 
Her teaching and research activity focuses on the evaluation of the person, new talent development techniques and Human Resources management. She is an active lecturer in corporate entrepreneurship and talent management forums.
 
She has developed her career in the field of clinical, organizational and business psychology. With more than 10 years of experience in HR Management and Management. The case of Vodafone stands out, where he assumed responsibility for Human Resources in the field of distribution, creating and developing high-performance commercial teams in highly competitive environments with complex sales processes.
 
 
More About Ximena
SAAD HAMOUMI
MANAGER MOROCCO OFFICE

“Business development is the key for the survival of any business”

Doctor in Economics from Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. Currently he is the President of Harvard Moroco Consulting, specializing in business development and business Support Company. Previously he was president of the Commission PME in GCMS.
 
 
More About Saad
IRENE MARIJUAN
CONSULTANT

“The important thing is to not stop questioning. There is a reason why curiosity exists”

She has a Two Degrees in Business Administration and Law at ICADE (Madrid), specialized in Finance and Business Strategy. She has worked in diverse consulting firms and also in a start up. She has huge experience and now is working on her current "adventure" in Active Development.
 
 
More About Irene
Gabriela Salcedo
CONSULTANT

“A person that never made a mistake, never tried something new”

Gabriela has a degree in Administrative and Management Sciences from "Universidad Tecnológica del Centro" (UNITEC). She is also a graduate of Bournemouth University where she obtained a master´s degree in Marketing Management, and also from Royal Holloway University of London, where she obtained her second master´s degree in Finance. Gabriela has worked in the area of Marketing and Sales of diverse industries. She currently works as a Consultant in Active Development.
 
 
More About Gabriela
Natalia Jiménez
OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE

“An objective without an operations plan is just a will or a wish”

CFGM graduate in Administration and Management, and currently studying for CFGS Administration and Financing at Puig Castellar Institute. She was in a ERASMUS program working as an Administrative in an Institute and collaborating with children’s volunteer projects in Venice, Italy. Natalia is currently working on skating projects for the future, as she was a professional athlete for 16 years. She will soon start marketing and advertising and expand her knowledge.
 
 
More About Natalia