Executive Summary
In 2014, Valmet – a new organization born out of a de-merger in a seemingly unsexy, unwanted industry of capital equipment and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries – sought to make the most of its leadership development programs. How? By turning the company into a confident, forward-looking technology front-runner where the leaders truly saw how they could execute their part of the strategy with real impact.
Valmet partnered with IMD, a top-ranked business school, to co-create a unique leadership development journey that helped it build capability and confidence at four levels: individual, interpersonal, cohort and organizational. This journey was developed around six critical design principles: creating two programs in parallel for senior managers and high potentials with connections between the two; mentoring of
high potentials by senior managers; building around the participants’ individual business challenges; addressing or resolving these challenges in each session; ensuring CEO and Executive Team support and sponsorship; and measuring impact on all levels throughout the process.
The journey exceeded the expectations set out at the beginning, not simply based on impressions and testimonials but in terms of real impact. Not only were individual capabilities built, but also 62% of the mentoring relationships continued well beyond the end of the journey; cohort networks improved by over three times because of the program, and substantial financial impact was achieved (between 5 and 167 times depending on the definition). Overall, by early 2018 Valmet had outperformed the Helsinki OMX and Global Industrials index by 62% since the end of 2014, and it was on its way to reaching its stated 8%–10% EBITA targets by 2020.
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Leading global operations through complexity and change in 2025 means embracing AI and ML to streamline supply chains and meet rising demands.
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Building vs Buying Talent - CHRO Circle
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In the Building vs Buying Talent debate, internal growth reduces CEO risk—if leadership development and succession planning are aligned. Ric Roi shares how.
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Repairing reputational damage: don’t go the way of Boeing
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The price of innovation: Will Medacta compromise its DNA by embracing robotics?
Summary
Medacta Group SA is a rising star in the orthopedics market, achieving global success through innovative products and techniques, with a particular emphasis on minimally invasive techniques that bring meaningful value to its patients. With its approaches such as Anterior Minimally Invasive Surgery (AMIS) for hip replacement and Kinematic Alignment for knees, Medacta offers high-quality techniques, supporting tools and cutting-edge implants. It also offers personalized surgeon education through the Medacta Orthopedic Research and Education (M.O.R.E.) Institute. Medacta is situated in an evolving landscape, with competitors including Stryker and Zimmer Biomet investing heavily in robotic technologies. Technological advances are being made in data-driven planning tools – including augmented reality – and research institutes are looking for the most advanced solutions as demanded by many hospitals and surgeons. Despite these trends in the industry, Medacta's CEO, Francesco Siccardi has concerns regarding the value of existing robotic systems, noting their lack of proven benefits in patient outcomes or cost reductions, especially in a context of increasing emphasis on value-based care and sustainability. The case explores the opportunities and challenges confronting Medacta as they decide whether to enter the orthopedic robotics market. The company wants to continue to differentiate itself and drive growth in line with its foundational principles of patient care, operational excellence and sustainable innovation. Today, Francesco faces a critical decision around whether now is the time to enter the robotics market and, if so, how Medacta should do so to preserve its culture and stay true to its DNA.
Reference
IMD-2663
Copyright
©2025
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
Medacta Group
Industry
Healthcare, Medical Device
Available Languages
English
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7 Ways to Restore Morale and Boost Performance at Work
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Tired teams, wasted weekends, and unread reports—here are 7 ways to restore morale and reignite performance. Avoid unnecessary reporting and non-essential tasks.
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Strategy Meets Execution - Supply Chain
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10 years of exclusive surveys reveal top supply chain strategy challenges—and how tools like AI, ML, and digital twins are reshaping the path forward.
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Uncover AI use cases and opportunities with 4 clear imperatives that align data with business value. Avoid pitfalls and ask the right questions.
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Tariff wars: How business leaders can survive and thrive
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Stay ahead in a shifting global economy. Learn how to build resilient supply chains, manage currency risks, and adapt strategies for long-term business success.
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Your company (and your life) in the hands of an AI agent?
Summary
The case study introduces an original way of exploring the many questions and concerns around AI adoption in business. Based on a true story, it discusses the dilemma of AI implementation through Joe, the CIO of ParcelFlow. Joe is getting ready to...
Reference
IMD-2666
Copyright
©2025
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Industry
Healthcare, Medical Device;Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals
Available Languages
English
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Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Omnipotent leaders - Fighting Back - Systems
Summary
Omnipotent leaders may seem untouchable, but systems crack. From mass mobilisation to quiet non-compliance, discover how pressure builds and where resistance begins.
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