The new education

Andreas Schleicher is Director for Education and Skills, and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris.
He initiated and oversees the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and other international instruments that have created a global platform for policy-makers, researchers and educators across nations and cultures to innovate and transform educational policies and practices.

He has worked for over 20 years with ministers and education leaders around the world to improve quality and equity in education. Former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said that Schleicher “understands the global issues and challenges as well as or better than anyone I’ve met, and he tells me the truth” (The Atlantic, July 11). Former UK Secretary of State Michael Gove called Schleicher “the most important man in English education” – even though he is German and lives in France.



Before joining the OECD, he was Director for Analysis at the International Association for Educational Achievement (IEA). He studied Physics in Germany and received a degree in Mathematics and Statistics in Australia. He is the recipient of numerous honours and awards, including the “Theodor Heuss” prize, awarded in the name of the first president of the Federal Republic of Germany for “exemplary democratic engagement”. He holds an honorary Professorship at the University of Heidelberg.

Javier Rodríguez Zapatero is a co-founder of ISDI and has been Executive Chairman since January 2017. Since 2009, ISDI’s mission is to contribute to digital transformation and create a competitive ecosystem by training digital professionals, promoting digital talent, disseminating knowledge, and supporting entrepreneurs and the digital transformation of companies. It was the first Spanish digital business school and now has a presence in Madrid, Barcelona, Mexico and the USA (Silicon Valley).

For almost 9 years, until December 2016, Javier was the Managing Director at Google Spain, Portugal and Turkey and Google Middle East. He developed the commercial offering through mobile advertising and promoting the acquisition of digital skills - both on a company-wide and individual level - in order to ensure that Spanish society could reach a high level of digital maturity. During his tenure at the company, Google Spain became recognized as one of the top subsidiaries of Google Europe.

Javier is also Director of the Board for EVO Bank since March 2017, working to speed up the digitization and adaptation of the organization towards more innovative models.  He invests in technological projects, is a mentor in different acceleration programs and a member of various associations and foundations.

His professional career has been largely linked to the Internet, having filled various executive positions at Yahoo! Spain from May 2000, becoming Vice President of European Sales for the company in 2006.  He also worked in marketing and sales areas for Johnson Wax and Procter & Gamble between 1991 and 2000.

In November 2020 he published his first book, “Por una España Digital”, a roadmap in which he addresses the structural problems of the Spanish economy and society with a large dose of optimism and a recipe for success: digital transformation.

Born in Córdoba, Rodríguez Zapatero holds a degree in Economics and Business Administration with a focus on Finance.  He also holds a postgraduate degree in Audit. He is a member of several information technology associations and has taught on various MBA programs.  He has received several awards related to his work in the world of marketing and the Internet. He is married and has two children.