I by IMD - First-person Business Intelligence from the Brightest Thinkers

Latest insights

Dispelling the myth of the irreplaceable founder

9 hours ago • by Tim Quigley in Talent • 12 min read

Beware biased narratives about founder CEOs’ unique abilities. They must prepare the business for life after their departure, says IMD’s Tim Quigley. ...

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How family offices can support philanthropy

9 hours ago • by Camille Korschun, Peter Vogel in Family business • 6 min read

For many enterprising families, wealth creation and giving have operated separately. A family office can help connect the two, turning shared values into more coherent impact. ...

Six executive roles that AI will not eliminate

9 hours ago • by Faisal Hoque, Paul Scade , Pranay Sanklecha in Leadership • 13 min read

Much of the work executives carry out is mechanical, and can be reduced to algorithmic execution, but there are two types of ownership that will remain under human control; to thrive, today’s...

Human emerging through digital data, illustrating the importance of preserving human judgment, clarity and agency as AI shapes the way we work and lead

5 ways to use your human advantage in the AI age

November 12, 2026 • by Andrew Sharman in Brain Circuits • 3 min read

Harness the human advantage in the AI era. Learn five practical steps to boost clarity, energy, and agency for sustainable leadership....

Learn to ‘read the air’: how to build emotional capability into your organization

November 12, 2026 • by Eugene Cha-Navarro in Leadership • 15 min read

Eugene Cha Navarro explores how organizations can turn human understanding into an operating system for repeatable competitive advantage....

The KitKat effect – Building emotional capability into your organization

November 12, 2026 • by I by IMD in Leadership • 1 min read

Empathy is not just a leadership necessity. It’s vital for organizations too. In Issue 25 of I by IMD, discover why empathy is not just for leaders, how to build a star...

A blindfolded woman and man flying through a turbulent blue sky. Credit: Midjourney V8 @ paulandcat.

Flying blind: Scenario planning in a climate-disrupted world

November 11, 2026 • by Thomas Gauthier, Andrew J. Hoffman in Strategy • 11 min read

Business leaders are imagining possible futures without confronting the real risk of systems breakdown, argue Thomas Gauthier and Andrew Hoffman....

What to do when your old boss is your new chair

November 11, 2026 • by Michael Watkins in Brain Circuits • 3 min read

Renegotiate the CEO-chair relationship and set clear boundaries to align strategy, culture, and leadership styles....

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Pomilio Blumm: 116 years of reinvention

November 10, 2026 • by Alfredo De Massis in Innovation • 5 min read

Alfredo De Massis explores how Pomilio Blumm balances family business succession, innovation, international growth, and entrepreneurial legacy....

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Trump lost congress. What changes for global business?

November 10, 2026 • by Tim Quigley in Geopolitics • 2 min read • Podcast available

After the US midterms, what changes for global business? IMD President David Bach on trade, AI, uncertainty, and the new rules of leadership....

Effective AI governance means knowing what to stop. CIOs should assess their AI portfolio consistently, scale initiatives that create value, and end those that do not

CIOs: Are you ready to kill your AI darlings?

November 10, 2026 • by Achim Plueckebaum, Michael R. Wade, Konstantinos Trantopoulos in AI • 3 min read

CIOs: learn a disciplined framework to stop underperforming AI pilots, consolidate initiatives, and govern AI for lasting value....

Business leaders from two groups come together, reflecting the role of HR in aligning people, culture and talent during M&A integration

For M&A success, bring HR into the room

November 9, 2026 • by I by IMD in CHRO Circle • 8 min read

For successful M&A, bring the CHRO in from day one. Discover how culture, talent retention, and organizational design unlock deal value....

Democrats have dealt Trump a crushing blow. Here’s what it means for business leaders

November 6, 2026 • by David Bach, Richard Baldwin, Tim Quigley, Arturo Bris in Artificial Intelligence • 9 min read

With Democrats seizing control of Congress, IMD’s experts unpack what business leaders should expect on tariffs, AI, and corporate scrutiny (plus how to respond)....

Climbing the corporate stairs demands patience and aptitude

What does it take for a CHRO to become CEO?

November 6, 2026 • by I by IMD in Career path • 6 min read

Explore what it takes for a CHRO to become CEO, from rare transitions to building P&L credibility and external stakeholder experience....

How much judgment has your board already ceded to AI?

November 5, 2026 • by Abraham Hongze Lu in Governance • 10 min read

Boards should ask how far AI may shape their judgment, and how they would detect errors in its output, says Abraham Lu....

Do your leadership programs lack micro-experiments?

November 5, 2026 • by Chloé Christopoulos, Michael Watkins in Brain Circuits • 3 min read

Move from insight to action with micro-experiments: a proven approach to turn leadership development into verifiable behavioral change....

aerial view of a river weaving through a mountainous landscape, illustrating how feedback and information rarely move directly through an organization, but are shaped by relationships, trust, and perceived risk

What CEOs don’t hear and why it matters

November 4, 2026 • by Anand Narasimhan in CEO Circle • 6 min read

Learn why feedback is relational, not just a channel, and how fixing candor costs can unlock honest conversations in leadership....

The CHRO six-pack for AI implementations

November 4, 2026 • by Amit Joshi in AI • 4 min read

CHROs, assemble: six practical moves to master honest AI adoption, win staff buy-in, and keep transparency, upskilling, and safety at heart....

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The youth backlash: Can business afford to ignore it?

November 3, 2026 • by Hana Milanov in What Matters Most • 2 min read • Podcast available

Young people are losing faith in the future. IMD's Vanina Farber explains why business leaders must rethink their role – and act before it's too late....

China innovation IMD Alumni Symposium 2026

What does it really take to compete in China?

November 3, 2026 • by David Bach in Innovation • 8 min read

What can companies elsewhere learn from China's fiercely competitive automotive industry? IMD President David Bach explores the lessons from a conversation with VOYISL founder and CEO Brian YinJen Chen....