INTERVIEW WITH THE DEAN
“We’re using AI through our Transversal Skills initiative to help students understand what they’re good at, bolster their analytical insights and communicate ideas. At the same time, the human element remains central through projects, role‑playing and classroom discussions. We’re developing leaders who can work with and shape AI, rather than leaders who will be replaced by it.” IMD is heavily practice-oriented and deeply connected to senior corporate leadership. What are the biggest advantages of leading an institution that operates so closely alongside the real-time needs of global enterprise? “IMD was founded by businesses to develop leaders who can transform organisations and to partner with global enterprises on leadership development. “That has huge advantages, particularly during periods of rapid change. To remain relevant, we need to be at the cutting edge of thinking about how AI is transforming work, while helping leaders navigate geopolitical fragmentation and trade wars and departments because the issues global enterprises confront aren’t accounting, marketing, finance or strategy challenges – they are innovation, transformation and leadership challenges. All of them cut across traditional academic disciplines. understand what Gen Z is looking for in the workplace. “It also affects how we’re set up. We have no academic “Our executive education focus also means we’re exposed to the most volatile part of the sector. Travel disruptions can prevent participants from coming to our programmes, while economic downturns or rising energy prices can quickly affect leadership development budgets. “I sometimes get a little jealous of peers at schools with much bigger degree programmes because their revenues are more stable. Then again, I know they’re a little jealous when they see how quickly, flexibly and pragmatically we can work with business leaders on really interesting challenges – and how little bureaucracy we have, which helps us be much more nimble.” The topic of sustainability has been embedded into MBA programmes around the world; how integral is it, do you think, to the concept of leadership? “I believe sustainability is fundamentally a leadership challenge. For the most part, we have the technologies to
decarbonise the global economy and ways of preserving water and biodiversity. What we lack is leadership in business and government to create the conditions to deploy these solutions at scale. That is the real tragedy and urgency of this moment. “I’m 100 per cent convinced we’re going to get to a low or zero-carbon economy, where the value of nature – including its economic value – is reflected in the decisions we make. We’re going to get there not because it’s the right thing to do – we’re going to get there because it’s the smartest, most efficient and economically beneficial thing to do. The low or zero-carbon economy is a superior equilibrium, not just for people in post-industrial countries but around the world, the problem is it’s taking too long to get there. “Senior executives, board members, asset owners and asset allocators need to understand that the longer we wait, the more opportunity we miss. With the right leadership, I’m confident we can create a more sustainable, inclusive and prosperous world.”
With all the economic and geopolitical upheaval that the world is currently facing, do you believe there is still room for optimism when it comes to the future of the global business school sector? “Education is inherently optimistic. People come to
The school operates from Lausanne, but extends its reach with strategic hubs in Singapore, Shenzhen and Cape Town
us from all over the world with different backgrounds and ideas. They come because they have hope and because they’re optimistic about the future. They want to change something; they might want to take their business to the next level, start an enterprise or pursue a career in another part of the world. You undertake education because you have some expectation of positive outcomes in the future. “Being at IMD and seeing how seriously so many leaders think about the future has made me more optimistic. There is a caricature of senior business leaders as being selfish and caring only about their salary, bonus and profits. That’s just not true – the overwhelming majority of leaders I meet want to do the right thing for all their stakeholders. Very few people wake up in the morning thinking: ‘How can I do real damage today?’ People want to make a positive difference. “I remain bullish and optimistic about the future. Business schools play an important catalytic role in helping people get better at making that positive difference, overcome challenges and make it happen. That’s why I feel so fortunate to be working at IMD at this point in time.”
Ambition • ISSUE 5 • 2026 15
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