Luis de Guindos and José María Álvarez-Pallete call for a resilient Europe and people-centred AI at Comillas

Comillas Pontifical University hosted the EMS 2026 (Engaged Management Scholarship Conference), one of the leading international gatherings of researchers, executives and academic leaders committed to research capable of generating a real impact on organisations and society. The conference, organised by the EDBAC (Executive Doctorate in Business Administration Council) under the theme “Bright Ideas, Lasting Impact”, was held at Comillas ONEXED, the university’s School of Executive and Continuing Education.

Luis de Guindos, former Vice-President of the European Central Bank and future director of the new Chair in European Economic Policy at Comillas, and José María Álvarez-Pallete, former Chairman of Telefónica and Co-Director of the DIGNUM Centre for AI Ethics and Data Rights at Comillas, were the two distinguished speakers. Both reflected on the impact of artificial intelligence, data and the geopolitical context on the economy and society.

During his speech, de Guindos conveyed a message of confidence in Europe’s future, despite the international situation. “The European Union’s economy is showing greater resilience than is usually perceived,” he stated. The former Vice-President of the ECB also highlighted the strength of the European financial system and expressed optimism about Europe’s ability to make the right decisions in times of uncertainty.

Artificial intelligence became one of the key themes of the meeting. Álvarez-Pallete argued for the need to place people at the centre of technological transformation and warned of its social challenges. “Technology must serve human dignity. Personal data is a human right and cannot be expropriated,” he asserted, whilst calling for a new social contract capable of addressing challenges such as inequality, disinformation and the concentration of technological power.

In addition to the debates on the economy and technology, EMS 2026 highlighted the role of DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) programmes as tools for driving impactful applied research. In this regard, Teresa Corzo, conference chair of the event, emphasised that “hosting this event represents an extraordinary opportunity to position Madrid and Comillas as an international hub for the generation of impactful knowledge”, underlining the importance of strengthening collaboration between academia and the business world.

The opening ceremony was also attended by the Rector of Comillas Pontifical University, Antonio Allende SJ, who recalled the institution’s transformative mission. “Our DBA in Management and Technology was created to train senior management professionals who not only wish to manage organisations successfully, but also to understand them more deeply and improve them through rigorous research,” he said.