INTERVIEW
our five-year tenure as chair of AMBA & BGA finishes in October; what would you describe as some of the highlights of your time there? “As my stint as chair of AMBA & BGA comes to a
close, I am filled with pride and gratitude, recognising that all of my achievements are the result of dedicated teamwork by both the international management board and the full-time AMBA & BGA professionals, led by CEO Andrew Main Wilson. “I would like to highlight three milestones that stand out in particular. Firstly, the introduction of the Business Graduates Association (BGA) in 2019 expanded our outreach, focusing on societal impact, entrepreneurship and the ethics of business schools and graduates. “Secondly, amidst the challenges posed by the Covid pandemic, we achieved substantial business growth, showcasing our team’s and member institutions’ resilience and adaptability. “Lastly, the move to the new AMBA & BGA global headquarters represented a moment of growth, empowering us to enhance services and support our global community of business schools and graduates. “As I pass the torch to Professor Wendy Loretto, I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to AMBA & BGA’s growth. I have full confidence in her leadership to navigate future challenges and identify new opportunities for continued success.” You have held the position of professor of international management and marketing at WU (the University of Economics and Business) in Vienna since 1997; can you elaborate on how marketing has evolved over the past 25 years to become the ubiquitous phenomenon that we experience today? “I would say the role of marketing has always been key for almost all companies. As far back as 1991, Regis McKenna emphasised its importance in his Harvard Business School article entitled, Marketing is Everything. Some 30 years later, the American Marketing Association named its 2018 winter conference, Integrating Paradigms in a World Where Marketing is Everything . “That said, marketing has undergone a significant transformation over the years, driven by technological advancements and shifting consumer behaviour. It has been revolutionised by digitalisation and the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI). These technologies enable marketers to target and tailor o ers to individual consumers
Bodo Schlegelmilch’s work was recognised by the Academy of Marketing Science earlier this year
Ambition SEPTEMBER 2023 | 17
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