The leadership challenge of customer centricity

An IMD masterclass on customer centricity and leadership in action

In a world where products can be replicated and strategies quickly imitated, true competitive advantage lies in how deeply an organization understands – and organizes itself around – its customer. Yet customer centricity is often reduced to a slogan, rather than lived as a discipline that shapes culture, business models, and leadership choices.

During this in-person masterclass, held in Zurich, Professor Stefan Michel, Dean of Faculty and Research at IMD, will guide you through a dynamic exploration of what it really means to be customer-centric. Using a provocative case study, we will challenge assumptions and discuss how senior leaders must connect seemingly separate domains – customer insight, culture, strategy, and leadership – in real time, under ambiguity.

What we’ll explore:

• Why customer centricity requires more than superior service – and demands clarity about which clients you are truly designed to serve.
• How cultural values shape and constrain strategic choices.
• Why leadership is the integrative force that aligns customer focus, organizational culture, and economic logic.

This session reflects the essence of the IMD Executive MBA experience: not learning isolated functional topics but connecting the dots in real time. Through reflective practice and debate, you will experience how IMD develops leaders who think holistically and act decisively.

After the masterclass, you are invited to join an information session about the Executive MBA program. You will have the opportunity to connect directly with our Program Advisors and Alumni to gain:

• Details about the program structure and learning journey
• Insights into how the IMD Executive MBA can accelerate your leadership impact and align with your career ambitions
• A clearer understanding of how IMD’s distinctive approach develops leaders who can connect the dots when it matters most

Agenda:

• 18:30 – 19:00: Registration & welcome
• 19:00 – 19:50: Masterclass with Professor Stefan Michel “The leadership challenge of customer centricity”
• 19:50 – 20:20: Presentation of the IMD Executive MBA
• 20:20 – 21:45: Networking cocktail
  
  Please note, this event will not be recorded. This is a unique opportunity to experience the IMD learning journey live.