EDITOR’S LETTER
CONNECTING THE DOTS
EDITORIAL Head of editorial Colette Doyle c.doyle@amba-bga.com Content editor Tim Banerjee Dhoul t.dhoul@amba-bga.com
It is essential that we employ joined-up thinking to equip today’s business students for tomorrow’s world
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Art editor Sam Price Sub-editor Heather Ford
hat do a skills-based approach to work, the importance of AI in higher education and the need for business schools to partner with industry have in common? These were all key takeaways from this year’s AMBA & BGA global conference, recently held in Berlin and reviewed in this issue. Analytical thinking was identified by Essec dean Vincenzo Vinzi as the top skill sought after by employers, according to the World Economic Forum’s latest Future of Jobs Report . The same study showed that some 63 per cent of companies complain about the mismatch between the available expertise and their needs. The Essec dean highlighted key emerging skills such as cybersecurity, environmental stewardship and sensory-processing abilities as essential for MBA graduates. GMAC CEO Joy Jones referenced research showing that skills such as strategic thinking and problem-solving are considered to be more important than ever before, given how quickly organisations are adopting new technologies. In his session, ESMT president Jörg Rochell urged schools to grasp the opportunity “to equip future leaders with the skills they will need to navigate the challenges of tomorrow”, while Cappfinity’s Abi Parker noted that demand for green and AI skills tripled from 2017-2023 and doubled for broader digital skills during the same period. When it comes to AI, education is one of the few key sectors in which the technology creates an outcome for the customer that is “not only more efficient, but vastly superior”, maintained Kunal Saigal of the IU International University of Applied Sciences. Olivier Malafronte, a lecturer at the Côte d’Azur University, revealed that students who actively engaged with an AI coach on two courses involving business simulations significantly outperformed those who did not. Looking at the benefits of academia-industry partnerships, Kevin Ellis, a former senior partner with responsibility for EMEA at professional services firm PwC in the UK, told delegates that organisations must collaborate with business schools “to attract the best talent”. One hugely successful example of such a partnership was showcased by the University of Edinburgh Business School and UK bank NatWest Group. Representatives from both institutions discussed this award‑winning project focused on internal climate education and cultural transformation.
Insight, content and PR manager Ellen Buchan e.buchan@amba-bga.com CORPORATE Membership director Victor Hedenberg v.hedenberg@amba-bga.com
Head of membership Debbie Kemp d.kemp@amba-bga.com
Commercial relations director Max Braithwaite m.braithwaite@amba-bga.com
Head of marketing and communications Leonora Clement
Senior marketing executive Edward Holmes
Head of IT and data management Jack Villanueva
Colette Doyle , Editor, Ambition
Head of events Carolyn Armsby
THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS
HR and employer relations manager Aarti Bhasin Finance and commercial director Catherine Walker
Chief executive officer Andrew Main Wilson
PIERRE CASSE
GENEVIÈVE HOURIET SEGARD
DAN PEARSON
GREGORY RICHARDS
Executive assistant to the CEO Amy Youngs a.youngs@amba-bga.com ACCREDITATION ENQUIRIES accreditation@amba-bga.com
PETER RODGERS
PETER TODD
LARISA YAROVAYA
Copyright 2025 by Association of MBAs and Business Graduates Association ISSN 2631-6382 All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. While we take care to ensure that editorial is independent, accurate, objective and relevant for our readers, AMBA accepts no responsibility for reader dissatisfaction rising from the content of this publication. The opinions expressed and advice given are the views of individual commentators and do not necessarily represent the views of AMBA. Whenever an article in this publication is placed with the financial support of an advertiser, partner or sponsor, it will be marked as such. AMBA makes every opportunity to credit photographers but we cannot guarantee every published use of an image will have the contributor’s name. If you believe we have omitted a credit for your image, please email the editor.
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Ambition • ISSUE 4 • 2025 7
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