Manuel Muñiz

Who Is Manuel Muñiz?

Manuel Muñiz is a prominent academic, diplomat, and expert in international relations with extensive experience in teaching and managing high-level institutions. Rector of IE University in Madrid and a Professor of Practice of International Relations. As Rector, he leads the formulation and implementation of the institution’s strategic
vision, strengthens IE’s research ecosystem, and oversees its international expansion. He also serves as Chair of the
Board of IE New York College. His career focuses on innovation, disruption, political economy, and global governance.

What is his Background?

Manuel Muñiz served as Dean of IE School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs (2017-2025). In 2023, he was elected President of APSIA, the association that brings together the world’s leading schools of diplomacy and public policy, becoming the first Spaniard to hold this position. That same year, he was appointed Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy Program at the Brookings Institution. He served as Secretary of State for Global Spain at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation (2020-2021), where he led the areas of Strategic Foresight, Economic Diplomacy, and Communications, and coordinated the drafting of the 2021–2024 Foreign Action Strategy. He also oversaw the development of the National Strategy on Technology and Global Order, which laid the foundations of Spain’s technology diplomacy. In addition, he was responsible for Spain’s 2020 presidency of the OECD. Prior to his time in government, Dr. Muñiz worked at Harvard University, where he directed (2015–2017) the Transatlantic Relations Program and later served as Senior Associate and co-founder of the Project on Europe and the Transatlantic Relationship at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs (2017–2020).