IMD business school for management and leadership courses

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On campus program
Foundations for Business Leadership

Sharpen your enterprise thinking to lead the whole business

On campus program

Foundations for Business Leadership

Sharpen your enterprise thinking to lead the whole business

Location
Lausanne
Length
3 weeks
Fee
CHF 25,000
Next program starts
24 August 2026
From functional expert to general manager

Most managers excel within their function. But stepping up to general management demands something bigger: the ability to see the whole business, make decisions across disciplines, and lead in a world of increasing complexity and disruption without a roadmap.

Foundations for Business Leadership is designed to close that gap. Over 20 intensive days, you broaden business acumen to gain a solid cross-functional understanding. You learn to set, challenge and defend strategy. You develop an enterprise mindset to lead a business end-to-end, and you hone managerial effectiveness to get results through people.

You harness AI as a practical management tool, engage with the latest thinking on ecosystems and non-market strategy, and apply the new insights directly to your own business context. Hands-on simulations plus integrative and reflective exercises ensure what you learn stays beyond the classroom.

You leave confident and equipped to set direction, lead across functions, and perform at a significantly higher level. See full content.

Master the cross-functional fundamentals

From finance to strategy, build the fluency and skills needed to step up to general management.

Lead with an enterprise mindset

See your whole business in action and develop the organizational insight to turn strategy into execution.

Sharpen your managerial effectiveness

Mobilize your people and align resources as a competitive advantage to deliver results that drive impact.

Harness AI to solve your business challenges

Use AI as a practical management tool to tackle your most pressing business problems throughout the program.

Commit to measurable improvement

Set a personal performance agreement at the start of the program and leave with a clear target to track your impact back in your business.

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Participant profiles

You are an experienced manager who wants to develop cross-functional business skills to become an effective general manager or business leader. Typical profiles include Country Manager, Regional Manager, Business Lead, Functional Manager, or Department Manager.

Profile of recent cohorts (average data)

16

years of experience

41

average age

14

industries

24

nationalities

Experience IMD for yourself

Join a complementary masterclass or information session and dive into topics such as leadership, AI, strategy, and more. You’ll discover more about how we teach and explore our executive programs along the way. See all upcoming IMD events.

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“I wanted to strengthen the way I lead and become future ready”.

Matteo Spampatti, VP and Head of R&D at the Hilti Group, realized that to be ready for the next step, he needed something more – especially in terms of strategy, finance, and leadership. Read his full Foundations for Business Leadership story.

More participant reviews
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Dagmar Fässler-Zumstein

Head of Corporate Communications, Berner Kantonalbank, Switzerland

59 brilliant professionals from 27 countries has become an incredible journey among friends. 20 days of broadening cross-functional knowledge and insights on dynamic business strategies, corporate finance, creating value through operations and investments, global supply chain management, creating new value for customers, navigating market shifts and designing the business system for sustainable development, and more. We were challenged and encouraged by numerous case studies and exciting simulations. We scrutinized our ideas and concepts and thoroughly tested our assumptions. It was an incredible journey!

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Cody Almond

Professional Hockey Player, Lausanne Hockey Club, Switzerland

I jumped right into the deep end with so many accomplished executives and managers. I gained a lot of insights during those rich exchanges. I started to find my stride and gain confidence in this new landscape, learning who I am off the ice and how others view me in the corporate world. Read Cody’s full FBL experience here.

Nurani Nimpuno - IMD Business School
Nurani Nimpuno

Head of Global Engagement, LINX (The London Internet Exchange), Sweden

My financial knowledge expanded significantly. I discovered my capacity to quickly develop new skills, and recognized the value of my experience and critical thinking when applying what I had learned. The feedback from my peers was also immensely beneficial.

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Pedro Pessoa

Business Developer & Strategist, Investment FP&A, GFH, Portugal

Truly exceptional caliber of instructors – their passion and expertise bringing every session to life, inspiring my journey. Sharing insights, debating ideas, and learning from each other’s unique perspectives has been nothing short of inspiring.  I carry with me not just newfound knowledge, but a network of incredible individuals I’m proud to call friends.

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Barbara Schmidt-Ley

CEO and Board Member, Dima Service, Switzerland

I’ve attended courses and training on most of these topics before. However, covering all the topics in 20 consecutive days made me understand the general management approach much better (rather than learning separately over a longer time period). The simulation and integrative exercises allowed me for the first time to be able to really use them because I understood the natural flow and direction.

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Marcos Agulleiro Canosa

Head of Financial Planning & Analysis , Ferroglobe, Spain

The team reflection was a very powerful tool for me, understanding where I belong within the corporate world. The professors were excellent, but I also learned a lot from my classmates. Great people, I couldn’t be happier with my experience!

Philomena Tan

Business Manager, Nestlé Products Sdn Bhd, Malaysia

Foundations for Business Leadership has given me a new perspective in my quest to build on my business acumen. It opened my eyes to the true spirit of entrepreneurship using effectuation versus causal thinking. I believe this will benefit big FMCG organizations to be more effective and efficient.

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Rafael Contador

Vice President LATAM, Corbion, Brazil

My top takeaways are 1) gaining a deep understanding of data and AI technology and its application; 2) re-visiting financial concepts and applying to the simulations; 3) networking with brilliant executives from different cultures and industries.

Véronique Athané Ryser

Executive Director, SIG, Switzerland

Foundations for Business Leadership is a mind-opener, which relentlessly forces you to question the way you think about your business. The program is an opportunity to strengthen your business knowledge while living a memorable multicultural experience.

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Pascal Tea

CEO, Downtown Studio, Switzerland

The entire program was incredibly valuable. With my background in marketing & communication, I significantly expanded my knowledge in finance, strategy, and supply chain, while also developing a broader, helicopter view of business operations. The opportunity to share insights was enriching, and teamwork allowed us to learn quickly and efficiently. This collaborative environment greatly enhanced my leadership skills and overall effectiveness.

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Ahmed Rashad Riad

Senior Director, Strategy and Industry Development, Huawei, Switzerland

It’s a profound transformational journey. My key takeaways are 1) Global insights with a diverse cohort: engaging with 59 brilliant executives and business leaders from 27 countries has been a privilege. The diversity and depth of perspectives enriched every discussion, making the learning experience truly global. 2) Intense and comprehensive learning: 360-degree view of business leadership in a remarkably short timeframe: strategy, finance, marketing, digital transformation, supply chain, entrepreneurship, private equity, sustainability, AI, and operations. 3) Self-discovery and leadership growth: challenging my perspectives, pushing me to grow not just as a professional but as an individual, and a leader.

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Competing with everybody else is a thing of the past. Tomorrow’s leading companies see themselves as contributors in an ecosystem of market and non-market stakeholders. We prepare you to lead in this new world.

Read more

 

Florian Hoos Program Co-Director, Professor of Sustainability and Accounting
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After this program you will perform at a much higher level as a leader, using your resources as a competitive advantage to lead more effectively.

Katharina Lange Program Co-Director, Affiliate Professor of Leadership
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Next start & fee

Length: 3 weeks (20 intensive days including weekends). Offered four times a year.

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Program details
Location
Lausanne
Length
3 weeks
Price
CHF 25,000

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