IMD Board Director Diploma
Gain and certify the necessary skills to excel as a modern board member
Much of what is required for a board to be effective can be achieved through the right education. Board education is key to growing excellent individuals into great value-adding board members and transforming a group of individuals into a board that is a major competitive advantage for a company.
An effective board can help companies overcome blind spots in strategy and raise awareness of external risks. It can also connect with governments, society, and other stakeholders, and build trust in ways that executive teams cannot. Today’s overstretched chief executives and senior executives need the support and abilities of boards to handle the increasingly complex world around them.
IMD has elevated board practice for more than four decades, drawing on the research of our Global Board Center. Our programs offer the breadth and depth of knowledge necessary for board members to make a truly meaningful contribution in their roles.
On campus, three 2-day programs
Your pathway starts with three short thematic programs focusing on key areas that bring value to the boardroom. You select the ones that are most relevant to your needs, aspirations and fields of interest.
Choose any three from the below:
- Strategy Governance for Boards
- Stakeholder Management for Boards
- Boards and Risks
- Team Dynamics for Boards
- Digital Transformation for Boards
- Finance for Boards
- Driving Sustainability from the Boardroom
- The Role of the Chair
- Women on Boards
As you embark on your diploma journey, you will have a coaching call to reflect on your learning objectives and their implications for how you will approach your learning throughout.
On campus, 3-day program over 4 days
Our flagship board program is tailored to your interests and requirements, with parallel
sessions devoted to specific subjects. Before starting High Performance Boards, you can
discuss your personal needs and expectations with the program director and share the
challenges your board is facing.
You can also start your journey with High Performance Boards and participate in the short thematic programs afterwards.
The final phase of your journey is an assessment of your full portfolio of learning activities
(assignments, quizzes, and learning journal reflections), required to earn your IMD Board
Director Diploma.
Candidates eligible to earn a distinction can also take an optional “Grand Oral” exam. They are
invited to participate in an hour-long discussion about board principles and practice with a panel of distinguished board members.
Throughout your learning journey, you will engage in a range of activities aimed at supporting your development of key governance capabilities and prompting reflection about the implications for you as a board member.
Hear what our diploma graduates say
IMD board diploma graduates speak about their learning experience, just after receiving their diplomas.
Board Member/Chair, various companies and alternative investment funds, Switzerland and Luxembourg
Preparation meets opportunity! The IMD Board Director Diploma prepared me to assume substantial board mandates and make a real difference in the world of corporate governance. IMD’s international reputation, practical and modular approach, and outstanding faculty are undoubtedly best in class.
Non-Executive Director, Elliott Scott HR and Member of the Board of Advisors, Lifeed, Italy
Governance is an opportunity to take a forward-thinking approach and future-proof organizations. The IMD Board Director Diploma is about exactly that.
Executive Chairman, Thejo Engineering Limited, India
The different programs of the IMD Board Director Diploma have empowered me to make real use of the learnings around board processes, team dynamics and managing politics. With global participants and targeted learning, this diploma shows you what is truly achievable for your board.
Non Executive Board Member and Chair of the Sustainability & Ethics Committee at Stora Enso, Finland
I had been on a board before but wanted to be effective and clearer on the role and governance of a board. The IMD Board Director Diploma gave me the skills and confidence for my next mandate.
CEO, APM Terminals and Independent NED & board member, The Netherlands
I was looking for programs that would really provide the framework for my board work. The IMD Board Director Diploma offered the rich content and the modular learning that I was after for my roles on various boards.
Vice-Chair Board of Directors, Vontobel Swiss Financial Advisers AG, Switzerland
The IMD Board Director Diploma honed my governance experience and skill set and broadened my perspective. I now have a better awareness of where I could have blind spots and the actions I can take to work on them.
Build your personalized learning journey from a combination of programs covering multiple topics – see journeys from alumni.
- Stakeholder Management for Boards
- Strategy Governance for Boards
- High Performance Boards
- Boards and Risks
- Assessment
- IMD Board Director Diploma
- High Performance Boards
- Digital Transformation for Boards
- Team Dynamics for Boards
- Finance for Boards
- Assessment
- IMD Board Director Diploma
- High Performance Boards
- Team Dynamics for Boards
- Digital Transformation for Boards
- Finance for Boards
- Assessment
- IMD Board Director Diploma
