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Alvaro Linares: The best of both the business and Art Worlds

I think both my good and bad personal experiences—even though the bad ones did cause me to leave art for a period of time—and what I learned from them are reflected in my work. I am currently studying at IE University and am looking forward to seeing where the Bachelor in Business Administration can take me.

Alvaro’s passion for art began when he was eight years old. His mother noticed his ability and decided to sign him up for art classes—this was where it all began. As his projects become bigger and more elaborate, Alavro seeks to encourage people to get out there and live their dreams. One of his dreams is to connect with people and have his art be inspiring to them. Apart from art, Alvaro wanted to become knowledgeable about the business aspect of his creativity. 

Alvaro chose to come to IE University because of IE Business School’s world-class positioning in business studies and the work-life balance on offer. IE University allowed him to obtain an enriching academic background while pursuing his artistic passions outside of the classroom. He believes that IE University is different from other more traditional higher education options available, and was drawn to the fact that it’s an institution that supports entrepreneurs and pushes people to pursue their passions. As an artist, he believes he needs to understand business law, economics and data analysis, so studying the Bachelor in Business Administration was a natural choice. 

“IE University is a place that supports entrepreneurs and pushes those with the spark to pursue their projects.”

Throughout his studies so far, Alvaro has found contract law particularly helpful alongside his art. He has recently been signing art contracts and even though he has a manager who supervises this aspect, Alvaro likes to be able to understand everything in his business. So far, Alvaro’s experience at IE University has been “wonderful, to say the least”. He has learned about different aspects of business and has enjoyed being able to pursue his own projects alongside his program. 

Alvaro believes that art should not only mean something to the artist, but also inspire those who see it. As part of his belief of art as an experience, he has organized shows to present his art to the wider community. These shows have unlocked a greater passion and there are many more on the horizon.

When reflecting on the idea behind his art, Alvaro explains that it’s a representation of life in a simulated form. He believes there are two types of people in the world: those who don’t stray from their comfort zone and there are those who lead a “think different” lifestyle. His own “think different” lifestyle is inspired by the Apple Think Different campaign, which showcased historical icons who changed the world thanks to thinking differently. Alvaro concluded that “you can’t become the best version of yourself by staying in your comfort zone.” He chose to dive deeper, find his own path to become the best version of himself. His family has also been very supportive of his projects and continuously encourage him to take his art a step further. 

Currently exploring the art of developing NFTs, Alvaro maintains his policy that whatever he does is of a high quality. His NFTs will be new and unique, but will hold the same value as his physical art, noting that he’s working on something big to launch this side of his art.  In the future, Alvaro hopes to develop his art into a Disney-like operation where any and all generations can learn a lesson from it. He hopes that his artwork will continue to be a source of inspiration for people to pursue a “think different” lifestyle.

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Abdul is originally from Pakistan, but has lived and studied around the world. His global education experience has made him eager to learn about different cultures and has allowed him to gain new perspectives.

He moved to the US for a year when he was 15 as part of the Kennedy Lugar Youth Exchange & Study program. After this, Abdul attended the United World College in the Netherlands to complete his International Baccalaureate high school diploma. In fact, he earned a full scholarship to study there—one of his greatest achievements considering the low intake of Pakistani students each year. Building upon his international outlook, Abdul chose IE University thanks to its tight-knit community and his program’s professional approach, which he believes has helped him greatly on his educational journey. What’s more, Abdul believes that IE University’s focus on being analytical and efficient is not something that all universities offer. He also enjoys working with others so that he can learn from their experiences and take his understanding of the world beyond the classroom.

Outside of his studies, Abdul takes part in a range of activities. He was a class representative for two academic years, and worked his way up from a member of the academic committee, to advisor to the president, and finally to president of the student government in 2021. He has also interned in the IE University Marketing Department, is the founder and director of IE Think podcasts, and is the campus director for the Hult Prize. Moreover, Abdul is a valued member of the hockey team. His other hobbies include tennis, reading about the banking industry, day trading and exploring philosophical questions.

Abdul is not afraid to dream big and strive for the best, but stays away from the idea of being a perfectionist. In the not too distant future, he sees himself working as a financial analyst alongside his master’s. He then plans to start his own firm that combines both customer service and research to create a customer-centric banking system.

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