IMD business school for management and leadership courses

In 2022, Novo Nordisk was transitioning from its longstanding focus on diabetes treatments to multiple therapeutic areas while navigating other important challenges: • Changing market, competitive and regulatory environments • Dramatic growth due to blockbuster medications for diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular health • Increasing complexity b…

The Tropical Landscapes Finance Facility Sustainability Bond (TLFF I) was initially celebrated as a best-in-class example of sustainable finance. Issued in 2018, this $95 million financial instrument aimed to create a promising future: sustainable natural rubber plantations in Indonesia that balanced ecological preservation, local livelihoods an…

The case describes Legendary Foods Africa, a food-tech company founded in 2020 in Ghana by Canadian entrepreneur Shobhita Soor. Legendary Foods Africa is focused on farming, processing and selling palm weevil larvae products for human consumption. Palm weevil larvae, a traditional local food, are rich in protein, healthy fats and essential nutri…

The case examines the entrepreneur-led carve out and buyout of dss+, DuPont’s safety and sustainability consulting division, by Gyrus Capital and dss+ management team. dss+ (formerly “DuPont Sustainable Solutions”) played a pivotal role in high-risk industries such as oil, gas, and chemicals, providing critical consulting services at a time when…

The case places participants in the role of Helge Lund, chair of BP, on 4 October 2023. Only weeks earlier, BP’s chief executive officer Bernard Looney had resigned over undisclosed relationships with colleagues. Looney had been the principal architect and public face of BP’s 2020 strategy to transform BP from an international oil company into a…

The case investigates the supported search fund model pioneered by Novastone Capital Advisors (NCA) through which mid-career executives can achieve their dreams of becoming entrepreneurs though the acquisition of an SME. NCA provides support through the various phases of the program, from talent selection, training, target searches, due diligenc…

Senior leaders rarely get their most important work done by issuing orders. A CTO cannot compel a partner firm, a dean cannot order a faculty to embrace a curriculum, a ministry cannot be forced to share data. On the questions that matter, outcomes depend on people with agendas and loyalties of their own. This note details a two-part discipline …

Founded in 1920 as a modest trading house in the Arabian Gulf, Zamil Group has grown into one of the Middle East’s most diversified business groups, with activities spanning manufacturing, petrochemicals, real estate and investments. As the portfolio expanded and some operating companies were listed or divested, the family gradually shifted from…

The case chronicles the acute leadership crisis that erupted during the final minutes of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final match. It presents a real-world dilemma in which formal authority clashes with informal influence, and deeply held values are pitted against team solidarity. The central conflict revolves around Sadio Mané, a globally res…

This short case exercise presents a rare but critical real-world business scenario: A large, multi-country, multi-site beauty company wishes to evaluate its capability to execute a major product recall. The need for a recall may be due to an internal quality issue or one caused by quality defects from a supplier. The CEO has seen a competitor st…

Examine the Nvidia founder-CEO dilemma and why boards must plan CEO succession to avoid irreplaceable leadership risks.

IMD’s Tim Quigley explores the myth of the founder CEO. Contrary to the myths, CEOs should reject celebrity and prioritize their businesses’ long-term futures.

Family offices, family philanthropy, impact investing, governance, next-generation engagement, and strategic giving: Connecting family wealth to purpose.

Leaders should delegate mechanical execution to AI but retain ownership functions that will remain critical to organizational differentiation.

Lead wisely in an AI-driven world: five simple actions to nurture clarity, protect energy, and enhance personal and team agency.

Build emotional capability through everyday routines that strengthen empathy, improve judgment, and turn human understanding into competitive advantage.