Mònica Casabayó Bonàs
Esade Business School
“For me, Monica has been more than a professor. She has been a mentor who influenced the way I see myself and the world. She has the ability to empower, to lead, to see the potential in students even when others don’t and do exactly what it takes to help them develop it.
“She has always been an example of a strong, inspiring personality who is teaching not only theory, but the way to actually apply it in the world, including the values and the attitude that come with it. Monica helped me with projects beyond university with her expertise and feedback, and, most importantly, with genuine attention and encouragement. It pushed me to take risks, to ask the right questions, and to see leadership as a responsibility. Monica’s influence will stay with me past graduation because of her lasting effect on my confidence, self-perception, and outlook on the world.” – Irina Avdeeva
Mònica Casabayó Bonàs, 50, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing at Esade Business School, with over 24 years of teaching experience. She transitioned gradually from the business world to academia, and after completing her PhD in Artificial Intelligence and Consumer Behaviour at the University of Edinburgh in 2005, she decided to dedicate herself fully to Academia.
Casabayó combines academic rigor with real-world engagement through applied research and consulting projects for organizations including La Caixa, MAPFRE, Camper, Mahou San Miguel, Danone, Decathlon, The Vegetarian Butcher, LinkiaFP or Panot Mobility. She believes that connecting academia with business enhances both learning and impact.
At Esade, she has served as Academic Director of the BBA program and has led the creation and management of BITLASI undergraduate degree for the past five years, whose first class graduated in 2025. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes human-centered education, ethical leadership, and experiential learning.
Her research focuses on Transformative Consumer Research using AI techniques, with projects exploring youth engagement in cause-related campaigns and the societal impact of materialism.
Beyond academia, Casabayó supports cancer research and child protection initiatives and serves on the board of the Vicki Bernadet Foundation, which aims to eliminate child abuse. She also contributes to socially responsible networks such as B for Good Leaders, Ashoka, and Ship2B.
A regular contributor to El Periódico, Forbes, Ethic, and La Vanguardia, she promotes values-driven marketing and leadership. Throughout her career, Casabayó has bridged marketing, AI, and the humanities to help future leaders navigate complex challenges with ethical awareness and social purpose.
BACKGROUND
At current institution since what year? 2005
Education: Lic & MBA at Esade Business School, PhD from the College of Humanities and Social Science at the University of Edinburgh, (ITP) International Teaching Programme by London Business School.
List of Undergraduate courses you teach: Marketing Foundations, How to build a brand with purpose, Marketing Insights: An Action-Oriented Approach, Personal Branding.
TELL US ABOUT LIFE AS A BUSINESS SCHOOL PROFESSOR
I knew I wanted to be a business school professor when, In 2002, shortly after graduating, one of my former professors invited me to be a guest speaker in his Marketing and Sales course for executives at Esade, to talk about e-commerce and its impact on retailing. I really enjoyed that day. Demanding, but fun!
What are you currently researching and what is the most significant discovery you’ve made from it? My research is motivated by a desire to better understand human behavior and spans three main areas. The first, and most developed line of research, always in collaboration with Dr. Juan Francisco Dávila (Universidad de Piura, Lima) examines materialism and the main factors that influence it among young people. This research attracted coverage on TV news and in the media during Christmas time, highlighting efforts to reduce consumerism and promote family time, which makes it particularly meaningful to me, as it had a tangible positive impact.
The second line of my research, which I have pursued for over two years, we analyze to what extend cause-related marketing campaigns can unintentionally harm the cause. The third, just beginning, explores sarcasm and irony in social media reviews to improve data interpretation. In both areas, I collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including mathematicians and engineers, applying advanced AI techniques to achieve our research goals.
If I weren’t a business school professor, I’d be a secondary school teacher.
What do you think makes you stand out as a professor? My motto is: “I am less worried about the planet we leave to young people than about the type of young people we leave to the planet,” and this serves as my compass in everything I do. Education is my vocation, and I am fortunate to dedicate myself to it.
Since choosing academia over the FMCG sector, I have committed to going beyond traditional teaching and research metrics, striving to inspire students while challenging them to reach their best. I aim to foster personal and professional growth through rigorous marketing knowledge, critical thinking, grounded values, and self-confidence, using technology and interdisciplinary methods thoughtfully to enhance learning. Beyond the classroom, I keep my door open, supporting students personally and walking alongside them as they navigate challenges.
Moreover, I try to remain consistent and aligned in what I say, believe, feel, and do.
One word that describes my first time teaching: Amazingly Rewarding
Here’s what I wish someone would’ve told me about being a business school professor: You never know what someone is going through. Be kind (not nice)
Professor I most admire and why: Prof. Josep Maria Lozano is distinguished by his critical spirit, depth of reflection, and dedication to guiding young professionals. He embodies strong values, making principled decisions with humility, sensitivity, and a rare balance of ego, serving as an inspiring example for others.
TEACHING BUSINESS SCHOOL STUDENTS
What do you enjoy most about teaching business students? Their curiosity, their refusal to accept the status quo, the need to respond to the various dilemmas they encounter, their ability to make decisions and learn from mistakes, their problem-solving skills, and their potential to create and make an impact in the business world
What is most challenging? When you see a student in class who studies business because he/she isn’t sure what to study and mistakenly believe it will lead to a higher salary, or because their family pressured them to choose this degree instead of the one he/she truly preferred.
In one word, describe your favorite type of student: Curious
In one word, describe your least favorite type of student: Arrogant
When it comes to grading, I think students would describe me as rigorous but fair
LIFE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
What are your hobbies? Playing guitar, hiking in the mountains, and having intriguing, open-ended conversations with close friends.
How will you spend your summer? I’m not sure yet. Most likely, like every year, the four of us will spend five days together as a core family, enjoying quality time, and then we’ll go la Vall d’Àneu, close to friends and extended family.
Favorite place(s) to vacation: Some remote place in nature with my family
Favorite book(s):
Esquirol, J. M. (2013). L’escola de l’ànima. Barcelona: Editorial Empúries.
Navarro, J. (2010). Dime quién soy. Barcelona: Plaza & Janés.
Sandel, M. J. (2009). Justice: What’s the right thing to do? New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
What is currently your favorite movie and/or show and what is it about the film or program that you enjoy so much? I’m not really into movies. When I watch one, it’s usually because I’m alone and don’t have to negotiate with the men in the house. Then I go for what we call ‘mom’s movies’, the kind that let me switch off, make me smile, and (here’s a hint) almost always feature Julia Roberts.
What is your favorite type of music or artist(s) and why? I like practically all kinds of music. I don’t have a favorite genre. Depending on the moment or how I feel, I listen to classical, opera, guitar music, Spanish pop, Italian, or French classics…it varies. I like to think that our lives have a soundtrack, and that songs are always there. If I had to choose one artist, it would be Leonard Cohen, because his songs have appeared at the most important moments of my life.
THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS
I If I had my way, the business school of the future have much more of this: I would emphasize human-centered education that humanizes technology rather than turning people into robots. It would prioritize curiosity, social and emotional intelligence, communication, and ethical decision-making as core competencies (not just soft skills) essential for coexisting with intelligent machines.
I would expand our collective intelligence by embracing artificial intelligence and other innovative technologies not as ends in themselves, but as tools to address humanity’s most pressing global challenges. Multidisciplinary collaboration would be fostered, with departments working together, approaching topics from multiple perspectives, sharing knowledge, cultivating experiential learning, and providing mentorship.
I would call upon committed professors to implement meaningful education and accompany each student on a transformative journey, encouraging them to reflect on their purpose, take responsibility for their actions, and recognize how business decisions impact not only companies but also people and the planet.
In my opinion, companies and organizations today need to do a better job at … Walk the talk, act with consistency and coherence, and leverage profits not only for financial results but also for positive impact on society and the planet.
I’m grateful for having both the faith and hope that guide me and to be able to make a living doing what I’m passionate about.
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