Who

You are a high-potential manager early in your career.

What

• Prepare and position yourself for a higher level of responsibility
• Increase your global awareness, business knowledge and capacity to exercise leadership responsibly
• Integrate and apply your learning to your company through a real-life project
• Get ready for IMD's Executive MBA degree

A bridge to IMD's Executive MBA degree
As a graduate of BOT, you can apply to IMD's Executive MBA program through advanced standing by joining the program during the Foundation stage for the distance learning module. Requirements for BOT applicants: 2 years minimum after completion of BOT, at least 10 years work experience, age between 33-45, functional responsibility.

Duration

4 weeks: 2 modules of 2 weeks each with additional pre- and post-program support

Our participants

Most BOT participants are young, ambitious managers (usually with 5 to 10 years of business experience) who are looking to boost their careers and take on greater responsibility. They are generally functional experts, or managers of a function or a project, and want to meet other talented young executives from a range of industries to engage, challenge and explore with them.

A typical BOT class has 25 to 35 participants from 15 countries, speaking 12 native languages. Most participants are in their thirties.

Team opportunities
Why not use the program as a launch pad for an organizational improvement or change project? Bring together managers from different units or regions in your organization. Develop a common approach, a common language and build on this shared approach by sending executives to the same program over time.

The following companies have put their trust in IMD in the past by sending participants to BOT:

- Aegon
- A.P. Moller Maersk
- Rio Tinto
- Danske Bank
- DSM
- INDAP
- Tetra Laval Group
- Rabobank
- Visa
- Al-Faisaliah Group
- Heerema Group

What

Businesses are struggling to deal with economic, political and social turbulence around the world. Private and public organizations are confronted with financial instability, new competitors and severe operational difficulties. The next generation of leaders will face a more complex range of challenges and must develop their capacity to lead responsibly.

If you are a high-potential young manager, the Building on Talent (BOT) program will give you the tools, insights and hands-on experience to take on greater risks and responsibilities. The program prepares you in three ways:

• It deepens your understanding of business fundamentals (finance, innovation, marketing, operations and strategy)
• It provides a solid foundation in the principles of leadership and a unique opportunity for self-development
• It consolidates your learning through an "action learning" integrative project carried out between the modules

If you feel ready to move up in your career – if you want to make a difference – BOT will accelerate your progress and prepare you for your next career move.

A bridge to IMD's Executive MBA degree
As a graduate of BOT, you can apply to IMD's Executive MBA program through advanced standing by joining the program during the Foundation stage for the distance learning module. Requirements for BOT applicants: 2 years minimum after completion of BOT, at least 10 years work experience, age between 33-45, functional responsibility.

How

BOT is the first step on a long-term journey of personal development. It is an intense and deeply rewarding experience. The program will stretch you, taking you beyond your routine perspectives and customary boundaries.

The learning approach is highly informal and interactive. It includes thought‑provoking assignments, real‑life case discussions, extensive individual and group work, challenging high-intensity outdoor leadership exercises, and supportive individual and group coaching.

The between-module “real world” integrative project will consolidate your learning and deepen your self-awareness by integrating your business knowledge and leadership experiences through an action learning project. Participants can choose to work either on an individual project or in a team project (when several people from the same organization participate in the program).

Post-program coaching helps ensure key learnings from the integrative project have a lasting impact both on you and your organization.

Our Faculty

Our Faculty members are recognized world authorities in their fields. They divide their time between teaching, research and acting as consultants to international companies. They remain on top of the latest management trends.

You can expect timely, innovative learning activities, materials and content in all IMD programs.

In this section, you will find important information on the program fee, application, invoicing, cancellation and transfer. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our program advisors.

Fee

The program fee (which is mentioned on the overview page) includes tuition, teaching materials, and lunch on weekdays. Travel or living expenses are not covered. You must settle your own hotel bills, both when in Lausanne and on off-campus assignments, as well as all dinners and lunches on weekends when applicable. IMD reserves the right to modify the program fee at any time.

Tentative reservation

To make a non-binding reservation, send us a completed tentative reservation form. This carries no obligation and is not a substitute for the formal application form.

Application & invoicing

Your application is forwarded to the program director who will evaluate it to ensure that the program corresponds to your objectives and profile. This can take approximately 1 week.

The information & registration office will notify you of the outcome of your application. If you are accepted, they will send your acceptance letter and invoice fee together by priority mail.

From this point, your enrollment will be considered firm by both you and IMD.

Please pay the program fee within 30 days of the invoice date and no later than the commencement of the program. If you register within 1 month of the start of the program, you must settle the invoice immediately without exception.
Payment can be made by bank transfer or credit card.

Up to six weeks before the program start date, a program coordinator will contact you with information on hotels and pre-program preparation. Please note that IMD reserves enough rooms for each participant on the program.

If accepted, you understand that you must be completely free of professional duties while attending this program and that you must attend all scheduled sessions and activities.

Substitution

A participant can be substituted on the same program session without incurring any fees. The substitute needs to apply and be admitted.

Note: Once you have paid the program tuition fee, if you do not attend another program within 24 months, the program fee will be forfeited.