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IMD Master Of Business Administration program

Developing reflective and responsible leadership skills for your future.

IMD Master Of Business Administration program

Developing reflective and responsible leadership skills for your future.

 - IMD Business School

Introduction

Discover the potential of the IMD MBA program, an investment in your future that goes beyond a traditional degree.

This one-year transformative journey broadens your career prospects with practical, global business exposure and insights into sustainable growth.

Our emphasis on reflective responsible leadership and personal development combined with real-world application and hands-on international experience ensures that you graduate ready to take on the world.

With the IMD MBA, you are not just learning for a year, you are preparing for a lifetime of success. Immerse yourself in this dynamic environment and shape the business leader you aspire to become.

Future-proof your career with a forward-thinking and flexible MBA program.

Immerse yourself in an MBA journey where leadership and sustainability form the bedrock of your learning. With career development entwined within your curriculum, IMD’s MBA program amplifies your professional trajectory.  

The MBA is equivalent to 90 ECTS.

Schedule timeline

Explore the usual annual timeline for our MBA program and get a glimpse into the daily routine of an MBA student.

Pre-program

Preparation

January – June

Build your foundations

July

Summer break

August – November

Implementation and exploration

December

Graduation

Daily routine

Experiential labs and projects run throughout the year, starting with a mountain experience in the Swiss Alps. However, during regular class time, the schedule for a typical day during the first half of the program is outlined below. In the second half of the year, your main focus will be on putting your knowledge into practice, particularly during the International Consulting Projects (ICP).

08:30 – 11:30: Morning Class – Actively participate in discussions, interact with professors and classmates.

11:30 – 13:30: Lunch Break – Enjoy a meal at the on-campus restaurant and seize the opportunity to socialize with your peers.

13:30 – 16:30: Afternoon Class – Engagements, discussions, group collaborations, with occasional guest speakers.

Pre-program

Before starting your IMD MBA adventure, our participant services team offers support for a seamless transition to Swiss life.

 - IMD Business School
Relocation
Our participant services team provides personal assistance to simplify your move. They’ll introduce you to our trusted partners for logistics like insurance, banking, and Swiss visa support.  
 - IMD Business School
Course work
Get ahead by preparing for key subjects like finance, leadership, and accounting. At the same time, start shaping your career profile to enable a smoother transition when the MBA program officially begins.
 - IMD Business School
Housing
We’ve partnered with local housing agencies to assist you with off-campus accommodation just a stroll away. Whether coming alone, sharing with a friend, or bringing your family, we’ve got you covered.
 - IMD Business School
Opening week
Network and meet your MBA team, explore Lausanne and the campus, and then head into the mountains to launch the sustainability stream. Begin your adventure with us!
 - IMD Business School
Relocation
Our participant services team provides personal assistance to simplify your move. They’ll introduce you to our trusted partners for logistics like insurance, banking, and Swiss visa support.  
 - IMD Business School
Housing
We’ve partnered with local housing agencies to assist you with off-campus accommodation just a stroll away. Whether coming alone, sharing with a friend, or bringing your family, we’ve got you covered.
 - IMD Business School
Course work
Get ahead by preparing for key subjects like finance, leadership, and accounting. At the same time, start shaping your career profile to enable a smoother transition when the MBA program officially begins.
 - IMD Business School
Opening week
Network and meet your MBA team, explore Lausanne and the campus, and then head into the mountains to launch the sustainability stream. Begin your adventure with us!

Experiential projects

Over 40% of the program is experiential, ensuring hands-on experience in applying new skills. Explore the tabs below and scroll to the right for more details from internships to International Consulting Projects (ICP) and more.

  • Leadership
  • Sustainability
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Innovation
  • Digital Analytics
  • Discovery Expedition
  • Internship
  • ICP
  •  - IMD Business School

    Leadership is woven into the entire MBA program

    Leadership is seamlessly integrated into the IMD MBA curriculum, promoting sustainable growth and impactful change. From core courses to electives, the program emphasizes leadership development at all stages. You will learn to lead teams, organizations, and communities with a focus on sustainability. Through immersive experiences and collaboration with industry leaders, you will gain practical skills and strategic insights. IMD’s holistic approach ensures that you emerge as an effective leader, driving sustainable business practices.

    The year-long leadership journey is your steppingstone to not just being a leader but becoming a change-maker. Here, we focus on fostering key personal development and leadership skills that will amplify your reflective and responsible influence and set your career on a fast track. 

     We’ll equip you with the skills, tools, and self-awareness that are integral to evolving into thoughtful, responsible leaders who can navigate the challenges and complexities of business in our rapidly shifting world. 

    You can look forward to experiential exercises, personalized coaching, collaborative learning, and interactive classroom activities. Exposure to business leaders across industries and practical application prepare you to address real problems across business and society. 

    • Coaching: Group coaching, individual coaching, as well as optional PDE (personal development elective) coaching – 1,000 minutes (about 16 and a half hours) – dive deep into self-analysis with individual sessions conducted by one of our psychoanalysts or personal development coaches. These coaching experiences will build your self-awareness and offer insights into your unique leadership style. 
    • Leadership Lab: Step outside the campus for a 2-day team-building retreat with professional leadership coaches. This immersive experience enhances your understanding of group dynamics, effective leadership, and the influence they have on performance. 
    • Peer Evaluations: Learn where your strengths shine and where you have room to grow through structured peer feedback. Regular insights from your peers are a key part of our MBA program, fostering an environment of continuous learning. 
    • Real-World Projects: Apply what you’ve learned across a vast array of projects and labs to explore the influence you can wield across different cultures, organizations and situations. 
    • The Eight Pillars of High-Performance Leadership: Uncover how trailblazing leaders take calculated risks, inspire trust, spark change, and create opportunities that drive success during a two-day immersive session with Professor George Kohlrieser.   
    • Right vs. Right debates: Develop your ability to deal with ethical dilemmas and make difficult moral decisions as a leader through a series of half-day debates oriented around topics such as ethical versus business dilemmas 
     - IMD Business School

    Sustainability is woven into the entire MBA program.

    IMD’s business perspective integrates sustainability into leadership development, emphasizing sustainable growth, purposeful change, and real-world challenges. The MBA program combines leadership with hands-on experience in tackling sustainability issues, collaborating with corporations and emphasizing the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) certification. IMD aligns career aspirations with the planet’s needs, fostering purposeful prosperity through leadership and sustainability.

    Develop essential sustainability skills throughout the year and engage in thought-provoking debates that are crucial for future leaders. Expand your critical thinking capabilities and sharpen your ability to make difficult and informed decisions with confidence and insight.  

    The ten identified competencies that have been woven into the curriculum in 2022 and 2023: 

    1. Stakeholder mapping and engagement
    2. Impact measurement and reporting
    3. Sustainable finance and risk management
    4. Sustainable operations and sourcing
    5. New business models
    6. SDG comprehension and embodiment
    7. Building resilient and adaptive organizations
    8. Analytics and technology for sustainability
    9. Responsible consumption and sustainable growth debate
    10. Environment and social debate

    Mountain experience weekend 

    Kickstart your sustainability journey with WBCSD experts (World Business Council for Sustainable Development) in the Swiss Alps. Over the course of 2.5 days, you and your fellow classmates will engage in hands-on experiential activities that will leave you inspired and motivated to make a positive impact on our planet. Brainstorm innovative ideas, discuss the actions needed to reduce emissions, and discover which businesses have played a pivotal role in shaping these sustainable solutions.  

    The COP28 simulation  
    Professor Knut Haanes 
    Experience the excitement and challenges of a global climate summit during this two-day simulation with industry and government experts. As delegates, activists, and journalists, you’ll assume various roles to gain firsthand insight into the intricate dynamics and tough decisions involved in multilateral negotiations. Brace yourself for thought-provoking exercises that shed light on the critical role and interplay of economic activities in relation to the climate crisis, supported by the United Nations. 
     
    Sustainability and Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Committees 
    Volunteer to join this committee of students to explore and drive both existing and innovative initiatives that foster a more sustainable and inclusive society. Through collaboration with IMD stakeholders and shared insights, you will contribute to shaping a brighter future, where environmental responsibility and equality thrive. 

     - IMD Business School

    Delivered by Professor Benoît Leleux.

    Nurture your entrepreneurial mindset by working in the dynamic world of early-stage, high-tech startup ventures from January to April. You will gain hands-on experience helping a local startup company, collaborating in teams and deepening your understanding of the challenges and opportunities in this environment.

    With strong ties to EPFL, our projects span diverse sectors, addressing issues like redesigning financial models, go-to-market strategies or sustainability impact. 

    In the 2022 Swiss Top 100 report, twenty-eight of the top 100 Swiss startups were IMD Startup Competition winners, with 18 having worked with EMBAs and 10 with MBAs.   

     - IMD Business School

    Delivered by Professor Julia Binder and Professor Florian Hoos.

    We bring innovation to life in a week-long action learning project that enables you to discover, practice and apply different innovation methodologies to help one of our partner organizations* overcome core challenges.  

    Innovation is key for the long-term survival of the firm as it is a constant signal to the financial markets that an organization is creating value for its customers, stakeholders, and increasingly on ESG dimensions.  

    Through hands-on workshops, inspiring guest lectures and a 2.5-day hackathon you will learn how to apply design thinking and other problem-solving skills, sharpen your ability to analyze opportunities, and refine your pitch presentation abilities through concrete training.  

    * Previous examples include: UEFA, Aquarius and Logitech innovation.

    Supply Chain - IMD Business School

    Delivered by Professor Amit Joshi.

    Mastering emerging technologies with generative AI in our MBA program


    Emerging technologies, with a prime focus on generative AI, are seamlessly embedded into our MBA curriculum. An in-depth module delves into its strategic applications, practical use, and ethical dimensions. Additionally, the program incorporates a variety of MBA electives addressing the vast landscapes of technological transformations and AI-specific discussions.

    Unlock your potential to navigate the digital challenges the world faces, transitioning from mere digital survival to true innovation. As executives confront pivotal decisions in an ever-evolving digital environment, our goal is to enhance your understanding of contemporary business models, data analytics, and the intricate interplay between technology and sustainability.

    Engage in hands-on learning by taking on a competitive team project. Within this, you’ll delve into the spheres of Big Data, Machine Learning, and AI, leading up to a presentation of your insights to a select external jury.

     - IMD Business School

    Delivered by Professor Omar Toulan.

    Two one-week trips focus on engaging where the future is being shaped by visiting innovative tech hubs as a whole class and developing your global awareness. 

    A leader today needs a global awareness of innovation opportunities, technology, business models and environments. 

    The discovery expeditions allow you to discover and explore innovative hubs with the rest of your class. You will increase your global perspective and understand together how challenges and opportunities are shaping the future of business. 

    Objectives 

    1. Address the risks of the largest business transformation of our time. 
    2. Use learnings to reflect on the opportunities and challenges of innovation and globalization. 
    3. Develop a point of view on how to make a positive impact. 

    Singapore MBA discovery trip

    1:10
    IMD MBAs embark on a unique Discovery Expedition, where students explore captivating destinations and gain invaluable insights. Previous students have ventured to Buenos Aires, Silicon Valley, New York, London, Dubai, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Cape Town, carefully selected to offer diverse business experiences. Interact with local leaders, immerse yourself in industries, and broaden your perspectives. Join this transformative journey and expand your global mindset with the MBA Discovery Expedition.

     - IMD Business School

    Optional internship from: 1 July to 25 August 2024. 

    At IMD, we offer you an optional summer internship, designed as a practical bridge to the professional world. This initiative allows you to directly apply your academic skills in real-world business settings and demonstrate your capabilities in a practical context. By engaging directly with the industry, you will have the chance to network with seasoned professionals and industry leaders. 

    Tailored for ambitious students like you, the internship program aims to enhance your resume, prepare you for the permanent job market and provides a platform for you to connect with potential employers. 

     - IMD Business School

    Delivered by Professor Omar Toulan

    In collaboration with international companies and non-profits, students work in groups to develop strategies, recommendations and solutions on key challenges facing organizations. IMD actively looks for opportunities with organizations that have sustainability-focused needs.  
    7 of 16 ICP’s (to date) have sustainability related focus topics or challenges incorporated within project scopes 

    Spend 7 weeks working with multinationals to implement your skills in a global setting and provide concrete recommendations to top management on a current issue they are facing. 

    This is a critical part of your learning where you connect your new skills to practice in a global setting. It is an analytical and collaborative process, where each team is supported by a member of the Faculty to ensure you clearly set expectations with clients, plan your work appropriately and zoom in on the key issues. 

    IMD was the first MBA program ever to run International Consulting Projects. Since 1980, over 700 projects have been undertaken for 400 diverse companies worldwide. 

    Over seven-eight weeks, you help to resolve an issue being faced by a multinational, working with the top management in a team of 5-6. There are no classes during this time, so your focus is 100% on delivering results.

    • Phase 1 : Outside-in Context analysis – key factors for success. 
    • Phase 2 : Company analysis – strategy context and value creation. 
    • Phase 3 : Issue analysis – recommendations. 
    • Phase 4 : Implementation design. 

    Core classes

    Sustainability and the latest digital trends are integrated across the core classes.

    IMD’s MBA core modules provide foundational business knowledge and highlight the interconnectedness of various fields. The curriculum involves active participation in case studies, fostering a learning environment that values diverse experiences and teamwork. Guest speakers contribute unique insights, and assessments ensure knowledge retention before moving forward.

    Faculty may change annually for fresh perspectives. The program also tests your abilities in real-world challenges through integrative exercises and a crisis management simulation. Your solutions are evaluated by an external jury providing insightful feedback.

    Further enhancing your communication skills, Dramatic Resources offer guidance to improve presentation skills and professionalism, including body language, vocal tone, and overall demeanor. This holistic approach ensures you’re ready for a robust, future-proof career.

  • Strategy
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Finance and economics
  • Career development
  • leadership
  • Operations
  • International Strategy
    Professor Niccolò Pisani

    Dive into the International Strategy class at IMD, tailored for those keen to navigate the intricacies of global business. In an era marked by rapid globalization, digital innovation, and sustainability imperatives, this course offers insights into harnessing global opportunities and facing multifaceted challenges. Drawing from collaborations with industry leaders like ArcelorMittal and Heineken, the class bridges academic rigor with real-world relevance. Whether you’re aspiring to steer a multinational or pioneer change in international sectors, IMD’s International Strategy class readies you to make a global impact. Join us and chart your path in an interconnected world.

    Strategy
    Professor Omar Toulan

    Explore external environment evaluation, internal configuration for competitive advantage, and engage in real-world cases covering stakeholder engagement, resilient organizations, and sustainable operations. Gain valuable insights from industry experts through a panel discussion, illuminating practical aspects of successful strategies.

    Strategy Beyond Market
    Professor David Bach

    Immerse yourself in a course that highlights the significance of stakeholder engagement and explores the possibilities of reimagining capitalism for a more inclusive and sustainable future. Delve into three captivating case studies that tackle pressing issues, such as diversity, equality, and inclusiveness.

    Entrepreneurship
    Professor Benoit Leleux

    Embark on a transformative journey into the world of entrepreneurship, where you’ll explore the essential skills needed to start, acquire, grow, rejuvenate, and harvest entrepreneurial businesses. Gain valuable insights into the unique challenges faced by entrepreneurs in developing countries, including sustainable development, managing opportunity overload, and prioritizing based on value chain and competitive advantages. Dive into the realms of Emerging Market Entrepreneurship, Lifestyle Entrepreneurship, and Affinity Financing.
    Startup Project: Prepare to develop a deep understanding of new venture requirements, leading to your immersive startup project
    IMD Venture Award: Showcase your own entrepreneurial ideas for a chance to win this prestigious award, which offers substantial financial support and mentorship.

    Accounting
    Professor Florian Hoos

    Unlock your potential as a savvy business manager with our comprehensive toolkit for deciphering and crafting both internal financial reports and public external financial statements. Dive deep into the world of sustainability and discover how it can give you a competitive edge, exploring everything from corporate social responsibility (CSR) to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices.

    Economics
    Professor Ralf Boscheck

    Delve into the intricate world of economic forces shaping industries and markets as you explore the fundamental concepts of micro- and macro-economics, trade theory, and political economy. Gain a deeper understanding of how these forces impact competition and influence crucial aspects such as economic growth, income distribution, and resource utilization.

    Finance
    Professor Arturo Bris & Salvatore Cantale

    Delve into the core concepts of Finance and Capital Markets as you explore the delicate balance between risk and return, project valuation techniques, and strategies for financing operations and fueling growth. Discuss topics such as green bonds, sustainability-linked bonds, and the performance of ESG companies’ stocks as you gain valuable insights into the realms of mergers and acquisitions and behavioral finance.
    In addition, obtain your PRI impact investing certification to ensure you have the latest thinking in responsible investment.

    Career Development
    CDC team

    Take charge of your career trajectory with the support of our Career Development Center and subject-matter experts, who will guide you in defining your career vision and crafting an effective job search strategy. Engage in a series of workshops and receive personalized career advice to equip yourself with the necessary skills for networking and interviewing with recruiters.

    Business & Society
    Professor Knut Haanaes

    Discover the intricate dynamics between business and society as you delve into the global roles of influential stakeholders like NGOs, international organizations, and governments. Engage with inspiring guest speakers who bring real-world insights to the table. Experience firsthand the significance of the United Nations by participating in our exclusive visits as part of your preparation for a COP simulation.

    Leadership
    Professor Jennifer Jordan

    Uncover the guiding values that drive your leadership style and learn how to leverage the power of diversity and trust to enhance team and organizational performance. Dive into thought-provoking segments that explore the essence of being a responsible and reflective leader. Engage in two dynamic forums centered around environmental and societal debates, fostering a deeper understanding of the complex issues that leaders face today.

    Negotiations
    Martin Fellenz

    Unleash your persuasive prowess and sharpen your negotiation skills in a dedicated workshop designed to help you thrive in various scenarios. Master the art of stakeholder mapping and engagement, understanding how to effectively navigate complex relationships and engage in stimulating environmental and societal debates to refine your abilities while gaining insights into pressing issues of our time.

    Marketing
    Professor Frédéric Dalsace & Amit Joshi

    Gain a comprehensive understanding of market dynamics as you delve into the art of utilizing market knowledge to drive business success. Learn to identify and analyze sources of sustainable competitive advantage and craft effective digital marketing strategies. Discover how to build resilient and adaptive organizations in the face of evolving challenges.

    Operations
    Professor Ralf Seifert

    Expand your knowledge of supply chain management by delving into essential concepts and exploring successful implementation strategies. Explore the realm of sustainable operations and sourcing, as well as the intricacies of digital supply chain management. Guest speakers provide additional insights on the future of supply chain management and its alignment with sustainability goals and the SDGs.

    Electives

    Students must choose a minimum of 4 electives and can select up to 5.

    Through our electives, delve into areas such as sustainable finance, accounting, leadership, data and AI, marketing, or luxury.

    Expand your knowledge in specific areas that are of interest to you through the wide range of electives available. Our faculty take advantage of latest research, trends and interests to adapt the topics offered each year with recent examples including electives that focus on sustainable finance, accounting, leadership, data and AI, marketing, and luxury.   

  • Leadership
  • Sustainability
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Innovation
  • Operations
  • Finance
  • Strategy
  • Executive Presence
    Heather Cairns-Lee

    This elective reveals the invisible power necessary to project greater leadership, influence others and drive excellent business results. In this highly interactive and energizing elective, you will also discover the guiding principles of improvisation and inquiry to build trust, collaboration, flexibility and respect.

    Leading Dual Transformations – Leading Teams, Stakeholders and Self
    Katharina Lange

    Explore different leadership styles and discover how your values can help you to build more resilience. Gain insights into how to build, participate in, and lead effective teams, and understand how leaders shape team decision-making and performance in competitive and time-sensitive situations.

    Purposeful Leadership: A New Era
    Zhike Lei

    Now more than ever, companies need leaders who are aligned with purpose – both their own and their organizations’– for long-term impact and the development of sustainable practices. Through lectures, case discussions, role playing, and experiential learning, get equipped with the tools and methods to become an authentic, effective leader who can step up to more challenging roles and lead on a greater purpose, a set of values, and key leadership principles.

    Repacking your leadership toolkit for the challenges ahead
    Martin Fellenz

    In a highly interactive, challenging, and fun way we will explore topics that include “Leadership assumptions and your sustainable leadership proposition”, “Leading when you don’t have the answer”, “Leading for learning and success/Leading the experimenting organization”, and related topics.

    How to Speak Money
    José Parra Moyano

    This is a unique, interactive, and fun elective that aims to help you gain a deeper understanding of the essence of money. You will walk away from the course knowing how to speak about money in a variety of different contexts, and thus, being able to excel in your next negotiation, job interview, cocktail, party, or even during informal chit-chat at the tennis club.

    Movers, Shakers, Preachers & Pragmatists
    Ralf Boscheck

    Review, identify or confirm your own moral compass by discussing a range of dilemmas that will help you to recognize and build confidence in your own moral intuition.

    ESG: The hard and soft skills to become a sustainability champion
    Florian Hoos

    This elective offers a unique combination of ESG hard and soft skills. While you can learn many hard skills to improve a firm’s ESG dimensions, most corporations struggle with the soft skills needed to successfully transform themselves into ESG champions. To this end, this course helps you to internalize concrete soft skills related to the human factor of the ESG transformation that accompany best practice organizational tools and frameworks.

    M&A and PMI
    Patrick Reinmoeller

    This elective focuses on how to succeed with M&A and post-merger integration to transform companies. Explore corporate strategy and the critical coordination and integration of shared activities across business units to achieve higher corporate objectives and command premium valuations.

    Reforming Marketing for a Sustainable Future
    Frédéric Dalsace

    This elective examines ways to transform marketing into a positive force of change for the future by reviewing current practices and systematically investigating possible avenues to develop new, or “alter”, marketing practices. This is all the more important as formidable environmental and societal challenges lie ahead of us at the level of the planet.

    Intro to alliances and system collaborations
    Knut Haanaes

    No company can shape the future alone, even the most powerful corporations must work with supply chain partners, the public sector, and international organizations on climate. These ventures require new leadership skills and an understanding of non-market players. In this elective, we will dive into three such players; the World Economic Forum, WWF International, and the World Business Council for sustainable development.

    How to get your Message Across with Clarity, Confidence and Flair
    Dramatic Resources

    Explore how the actor’s toolkit can help overcome nerves and create impact when communicating in public and under pressure. You will have the opportunity to rehearse new behaviors for more effective communication in both formal situations to large audiences, as well as in smaller meetings with clients and colleagues.

    Starting your dream business
    Julia Binder

    Explore new venture creation in an experiential way and talk to entrepreneurs about best practices in the early stages of starting a business. Challenge your creativity, push your entrepreneurial thinking, and get equipped with the tools and methods to turn your ideas into reality.

    Late-stage entrepreneurship elective: buyout, expansion and turnaround opportunities
    Benoît Leleux

    The elective is designed to help you get a better understanding of the various issues relevant to the engineering of a buyout or turnaround, looking at business/financing plans, valuation techniques, alternative business models, possible sources of equity and loan financing, trade sales, deal structures, incentive management, etc

    Advanced problem-solving
    Arnaud Chevallier

    Explore various aspects of decision-making, including dealing with uncertainty, calibrating your risk appetite, and engaging others for optimal results. Develop a solution to a problem of your choice, with feedback and guidance to improve your mastery of problem-solving tools.

    Mindfulness for Life Retreat
    Anand Narasimhan

    Mindfulness is a megatrend in corporate and organizational Life. In this elective, derived from the Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy tradition, we look at key factors that make the practice of mindfulness a useful “ally” in dealing with the ups and downs everyday life.

    Leading Innovation And Mastering Change Management To Elevate Your Career
    Louise Muhdi

    In a highly interactive elective, you will focus on how to build a true culture of innovation, overcome resistance to change, and drive positive results through people. Additionally, you will work on a new real-world case study focusing on a leading company in the renewable energy industry.

    Next-Generation Data Leadership
    José Parra Moyano

    This is an innovative elective designed for aspiring leaders who want to make a difference in the data-driven business world. You will gain a deep understanding of the data economy and be equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to build sustainable data-driven business models that can foster growth and innovation in tomorrow’s economy. Furthermore, you will reflect on the societal implications of increasingly using data and AI in the economy, with regard to inequalities, privacy, democracy, and individual freedom.

    Fundamental of Luxury Brands Management
    Stéphane J.G. Girod

    Many of you are interested in pursuing a career in a luxury brand. This elective will equip you with the pillars of luxury management so that you understand what competing in the luxury space means and how the success factors of luxury brand desirability will keep changing.

    Digital Transformation: Past, Present, and Future
    Michael Wade

    Learn how the digital transformation topic has shifted and changed over the years, and the technologies themselves by exploring examples that cover the good, the bad, and the extremely ugly. You will learn as much about what NOT to do as you will about best practices.

    ESG: The hard and soft skills to become a sustainability champion
    Florian Hoos

    This elective offers a unique combination of ESG hard and soft skills. While you can learn many hard skills to improve a firm’s ESG dimensions, most corporations struggle with the soft skills needed to successfully transform themselves into ESG champions. To this end, this course helps you to internalize concrete soft skills related to the human factor of the ESG transformation that accompany best practice organizational tools and frameworks.

    Business for Business Marketing
    Frédéric Dalsace

    The traditional B2B Marketing model still in use today originated in the early 60s and was by large a “by-product” of the B2C world. By contrast, throughout this class we will work on a new “B4B” model, which seeks to develop a: phygital ecosystem aiming at selling outcomes for customers.

    M&A and PMI
    Patrick Reinmoeller

    This elective focuses on how to succeed with M&A and post-merger integration to transform companies. Explore corporate strategy and the critical coordination and integration of shared activities across business units to achieve higher corporate objectives and command premium valuations.

    The Global Business of Sports
    Niccolò Pisani

    Develop industry-specific knowledge and analytical frameworks to comprehend the revenue generation and competitive landscape of sports entities and professional leagues. You will explore economic and societal drivers, analyze competitive models, identify success factors in a post-COVID-19 world, and learn directly from top sports industry executives.

    Digital Resilience
    Öykü Isik

    Cybersecurity is not a new discipline and we now have access to great and affordable technology, and huge amounts of data to help us understand the problem space better. Explore the role of business leaders in building digitally resilient organizations and gain the critical tools needed to help navigate the uncertainty associated with digital risk landscape.

    Intro to alliances and system collaborations
    Knut Haanaes

    No company can shape the future alone, even the most powerful corporations must work with supply chain partners, the public sector, and international organizations on climate. These ventures require new leadership skills and an understanding of non-market players. In this elective, we will dive into three such players; the World Economic Forum, WWF International, and the World Business Council for sustainable development.

    Fintech and the New Financial System
    Arturo Bris

    Gain an extensive overview of the current fintech landscape. We investigate the impact of AI and Data Analytics in banking and pay special attention to blockchain and the token economy. We also pay attention to the regulatory aspect of Fintech, understanding that Fintech means different things in China and in Europe or the United States.

    Mastering the art of impact investing: Balancing risk, return and impact
    Vanina Farber

    In this hands-on elective, you will acquire a practical, in-depth understanding of how to align investment strategies with intentional impact objectives. Through a series of real-world case studies, you will conduct due diligence for a venture philanthropist, evaluate gender lens investment criteria for a finance-first impact investor, explore the intricacies of designing a humanitarian bond to attract private capital for humanitarian needs, and assess the potential of blended finance facilities to drive the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at scale.

    Venture Capital
    Karl Schmedders

    Gain valuable insights into the inner workings of the venture capital industry and unlock the secrets of venture assets as an alternative investment for institutional investors. Benefit from the expertise of IMD’s Venture Asset Management Initiative (VAMI), a leading platform for practical thought leadership in making ventures a viable asset class for institutional investors like pension funds, family offices, and insurance companies.

    The Global Business of Sports
    Niccolò Pisani

    Develop industry-specific knowledge and analytical frameworks to comprehend the revenue generation and competitive landscape of sports entities and professional leagues. You will explore economic and societal drivers, analyze competitive models, identify success factors in a post-COVID-19 world, and learn directly from top sports industry executives.

    Business Economics
    Ralf Boscheck

    Look back over microeconomic perspectives and macroeconomic development to better understand the root causes and potential consequences of the current global political and economic disorder as well as conceivable, feasible and likely scenarios that current actions could promote or help avoid?

    Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives
    Salvatore Cantale

    Explore a selected number of advanced topics in derivative markets from analyzing the options strategies available to investors to the challenging task of pricing options, linear contracts (forwards and futures) and credit risk measurement and management.

    Top Team Dynamics
    Anand Narasimhan

    This fast-paced course offers up a rich brew of concepts (from corporate governance, social psychology, and psychodynamic theories), as well as exercises and contemporary case studies, to enable you to generate insights on playing the role of a top team executive effectively.

    Competitive Strategy for the Digital World
    Mohan Subramaniam

    This elective will introduce you to the future of competitive strategy, now taking shape. It will expose you to new business models that enable legacy firms to harness the newfound power of data and digital ecosystems from their prevailing infrastructures. It will also show how to envision and shape a firm’s digital transformation journey.

    Fundamental of Luxury Brands Management
    Stéphane J.G. Girod

    Many of you are interested in pursuing a career in a luxury brand. This elective will equip you with the pillars of luxury management so that you understand what competing in the luxury space means and how the success factors of luxury brand desirability will keep changing.

    Digital Transformation
    Didier Bonnet

    Unravel the intricacies of executing a seamless digital transformation implementation in organizations, from strategy formulation to execution. Delve into the vast array of levers available to uncover new digital sources of value and innovative business models and explore the nuances of crafting digital strategies in both B2C and B2B contexts.

    Reforming Marketing for a Sustainable Future
    Frédéric Dalsace

    This elective examines ways to transform marketing into a positive force of change for the future by reviewing current practices and systematically investigating possible avenues to develop new, or “alter”, marketing practices. This is all the more important as formidable environmental and societal challenges lie ahead of us at the level of the planet.

    Leading Innovation And Mastering Change Management To Elevate Your Career
    Louise Muhdi

    In a highly interactive elective, you will focus on how to build a true culture of innovation, overcome resistance to change, and drive positive results through people. Additionally, you will work on a new real-world case study focusing on a leading company in the renewable energy industry.

    Digital Transformation: Past, Present, and Future
    Michael Wade

    Learn how the digital transformation topic has shifted and changed over the years, and the technologies themselves by exploring examples that cover the good, the bad, and the extremely ugly. You will learn as much about what NOT to do as you will about best practices.

    The Global Business of Sports
    Niccolò Pisani

    Develop industry-specific knowledge and analytical frameworks to comprehend the revenue generation and competitive landscape of sports entities and professional leagues. You will explore economic and societal drivers, analyze competitive models, identify success factors in a post-COVID-19 world, and learn directly from top sports industry executives.

    Digital Resilience
    Öykü Isik

    Cybersecurity is not a new discipline and we now have access to great and affordable technology, and huge amounts of data to help us understand the problem space better. Explore the role of business leaders in building digitally resilient organizations and gain the critical tools needed to help navigate the uncertainty associated with digital risk landscape.

    Creating Strategy Scenarios
    Patrick Reinmoeller

    Scenario analysis is widely used by organizations and companies across the public and private sector to enable leaders to make better strategic decisions under uncertainty. This hands-on elective integrates best practices and opportunities to apply scenario methodology in interaction with practitioners and companies.

    The Strategic Role of Creativity in times of transformation
    Heather Cairns-Lee

    Unleash your creative potential through a dynamic blend of structured, clear, and inspiring, yet novel short lectures, class conversations, and creative experiences on a journey of discovery. You’ll learn to grasp and leverage the power of creativity as a key strategic tool for your career and future organization.

    Guest speakers

    IMD’s MBA class frequently hosts influential guest speakers. Throughout the academic year, our curriculum is enriched by distinguished guest speakers who contribute to subject streams and events. Roughly half of these speakers share insights on sustainability, occupy sustainability-centered roles, or play a significant part in their organizations’ efforts towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    See below featured guest speakers.

  • 2023
  • 2022
  • Christoph Aeschlimann 2 - IMD Business School

    Christoph Aeschlimann
    CEO of Swisscom

    Christoph Aeschlimann, Head of Swisscom and CEO of Swisscom Ltd, brings deep IT, management, and market knowledge to telecoms. With degrees from the Swiss Federal Institute and McGill University, he’s guided Swisscom towards industry leadership since June 2022.

    Filip Dames 2 - IMD Business School

    Filip Dames
    Founding Partner Cherry Ventures

    Filip Dames, founder of a proto-NFT marketplace and part of a popular online retail startup, has deep-rooted startup experience. His strategic leadership at Berlin-based seed fund Cherry Ventures led to multiple successes, earning him accolades like German Start-up Investor of the Year and a spot on Forbes’ Midas List Europe 2022.

     - IMD Business School

    Luigi Rizzo

    Vice Chairman of Investment Banking, Morgan Stanley

    Serving as the Vice Chairman of Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley in London, Professor Luigi Rizzo possesses an illustrious career spanning over three decades in the investment banking arena. His experience has been marked by numerous significant leadership roles and involvement in some of Europe’s most monumental corporate finance and M&A transactions.

     - IMD Business School

    Ong Ye Kung

    Minister for Health, Singapore

    Ong Ye Kung, Singapore’s Minister for Health, represents Sembawang GRC in Parliament, a role he’s undertaken since September 2015. His political tenure includes key positions like Minister for Transport and Education, as well as involvement with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He currently chairs the Chinese Development Assistance Council. Before his political ascent, he led the Singapore Workforce Development Agency, played a crucial role in the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, and was a strategic asset at Keppel Corporation. Mr. Ong is a proud alum of IMD in Lausanne.