Xavier Oliver

Biography

Xavier Oliver is professor at IESE Business School, at the ISEM Fashion Business School, and in the Faculties of Communication and Economics at the University of Navarra.  Prof. Oliver completed IESE's Program for Management Development in 1979, the Strategic Marketing Management Program at Harvard University in 1985 and the Senior Management Program (SMP) Omnicom University, Babson, Mass. EEUU (2005/2006). He earned his Ph.D. in Advertising from the University of Navarra.  His career started off at the United Nations in 1974, when he conducted a study on emergency situations in the Middle East. He also worked for the World Council of Churches (Jerusalem, 1975) and the World Health Organization (Copenhagen, 1975).  He has been Chairman and CEO of BBDO Spain, a holding company with 1,200 employees and 13 commercial communications companies. He has been a member of the board of directors of BBDO Worldwide and BBDO Europe for 24 years. He created and for a number of years managed BBDO University, a corporate university with four campuses worldwide. After 32 years of service, he left BBDO to devote himself to teaching and his winery and consultancy.  Previously, he held the positions of president of the European Advertising Agencies Association - EAAA - (1999-2000) and the Asociación Española de Agencias de Publicidad - AEAP - (1990-1994). He has also been a member of the jury at numerous prestigious advertising and film festivals such as SAWA (Cannes, 1984), FIAP (Brazil, 1985) and the New York Festivals (1988). He was a founding member, advisor and jury member of the Asociación de Autocontrol de la Publicidad (Advertising Self-Regulatory Body). He was the founder and the director (from 1986 to 1996) of El Sol, the festival of advertising.  Prof. Oliver has written and contributed to books published by the United Nations and IESE Business School, such as (1997) and Ethics in Marketing and Publicity (1998). His last three books are: "Publicidad: no thank you!", "Atrapados por el consumo" and "Marcas que sueñan. Solo las empresas que sueñan sobresalen". At IESE, he has developed various cases in the areas of marketing and strategic branding.

Research Interest

Areas of Interest * Brands and brand development * Commercial Communications * Ethics in marketing and advertising