The Executive Management Programme INSEAD gives you renewed knowledge for the development of your company

Leverage for a career – practical knowledge at the highest level – tangible theory – strategic tools – strong network relations – a professional and personal springboard.

Here is a sample of what participants have to say about the value of the Executive Management Programme

Simon Lindberg

VP head of global project execution, FLSmidht

Simon Lindberg, who is Vice President at FLSmidth, is today responsible for global project management in FLSmidth’s Cement division.

A short time ago, he participated in the Executive Management Programme, where the first module takes place in Denmark and the two following at INSEAD in France. And this particular choice is strongly linked to the specific tasks and challenges he encounters in his daily life.

– My motivation for participating in the program was twofold. Firstly, due to my more practice-oriented education, I have continuously focused on furthering my education within the strategic and managerial subject area. And in that context, I knew that INSEAD was a strong partner. But also related to the very specific development areas of intent at FLSmidth, especially with a view to the green transition and strategic projects, it was my clear opinion that these were subject areas that were covered in the training. In other words, it fit well into the world I’m looking into.

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The best teachers
He describes the yield and quality of the education as top quality.

– On the INSEAD program I have made the acquaintance of the most talented teachers I have ever met, and in this connection I experienced the program director, Andrew Shipilov, as being quite special. The professors are enormously strong theoretically, but manage to involve the practical world and also have a great understanding of our background as well as our challenges and issues. I have gained a great deal of knowledge about green conversion and digitization, and in our work to develop FLSchmidt into a “frontrunner” in the field, this has been particularly relevant.

Specifically, the FLSchmidt boss highlights three main points that have been particularly valuable to him.

– The collaboration throughout the entire training course and the community with managers across many industries has been absolutely outstanding for me. We were given a confidential space where we could discuss issues and challenges and spar with each other, and we still meet regularly and would like to continue to do so. Next, I will highlight the tool part in relation to concrete tools within digitalisation, innovation, sustainability and strategy, which have already proven to be useful. And last, but not least: the joy of the talented teachers I met on the programme, he says before concluding:

– The program has also helped me to remember to stop once in a while. Spending time looking through my documents and checking up on what we went through in terms of tools and presentations. It inspires me to do things in a different way and ensures that I don’t just end up in the “old hamster wheel”, but manage to think in new ways.

Marlene Würgler

Head of Unit, Center for Patient Involvement 

Marlene Würgler is a trained sociologist and is currently unit manager at the Center for Patient Involvement in the Capital Region. 

She recently participated in the Executive Management Program INSEAD. The program consists of three modules, with the first taking place in Denmark and the two following at INSEAD in France. 

– I had the program recommended by previous participants, who among other things emphasized that the participants consisted of a very good mix of both private and public managers – and that the program offered high-quality teaching with skilled teachers. I was curious to gain a deeper insight into the requirements that are related to carrying out a top management function, and at the same time I wanted to be professionally trained to become more skilled at working with strategic goals and change management. I myself experience, in connection with the changes we are faced with having to implement, that this is often difficult. And with the enormous challenges the healthcare system faces in the future, we must become even sharper from a management perspective to understand and execute on strategic goals, she says about the motivation for participating in the training program. 

Marlene Würgler emphasizes that the benefits of the top management program have been many-sided. 

– One of the most important benefits for me has been the opportunity to mirror my leadership in the leadership of others. Talking to many other managers and hearing about their everyday life and their challenges has been extremely valuable, and has given me many reflections and a greater insight into my own leadership. The level was high and with great commitment from all participants, and the interaction with both teaching, discussions and group work worked well. On some of the course days I experienced some of the most excellent teaching ever, and it was a luxury to be a part of, she says. 

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Concrete learnings to take home 

Specifically, the top management program has given her a number of key learnings, which she can take directly home and apply in her daily job. 

– First of all, I would like to mention the new tools I have acquired in my toolbox regarding management, strategy and innovation – tools that can help me in my work on a daily basis. A concrete example is the session with Jesper Klit on communication, which I think was absolutely outstanding. Next, I have gained a deeper understanding of leadership development and the leadership role – and the complex psychology behind it. It has given me a new insight, which is not just good for me, but for the whole organisation. Including the importance of ensuring feedback loops between managers and employees and creating space for reflection. 

– All in all, the new knowledge and inspiration comes in handy in relation to a strategy process we are facing in my organization and thus in my department. The tools I took home will definitely have an impact on how I manage to execute on the strategies and create value for all stakeholders. 

 

Psychologically safe environment 

In terms of networking, Marlene Würgler also highlights the participation in the top management program as particularly positive. 

– I experienced that we had an enormously good team, where we had fun together, both professionally and socially. I really enjoyed being away, and we have already agreed to meet – also before the previously agreed reunion. We were able to build a fantastic community, where there was great openness and a high level of psychological security, and where you dared to say something and offer your story, and I experienced that as a huge strength. I could use a 4th module on the education, she says as a concluding comment – and with a twinkle in her eye. 

Rasmus Grønborg Bak

CEO, DSH Wood

Rasmus Grønborg Bak is director of DSH Wood and has strategic responsibility for the company as well as for growth and development across the many different countries and cultures with which the company is in contact.

– The company has a good foundation and we are doing well. But it is now that we wanted to make a change, and that was the reason why I wanted to participate in the Executive Management Programme INSEAD, where I would have the opportunity to meet like-minded managers who are in the same situation as me. Additionally, I already have a strong network internally within the industry, but I wanted to expand this.

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Knowledge, learning and “spirit in the air”

Rasmus Grønborg Bak was particularly surprised and impressed by the environment he met at INSEAD.

– The experience I had at INSEAD, was much better than expected. The business school exudes learning and knowledge, and there is so much “spirit in the air”. The teachers are highly motivated and they deliver top quality teaching. What also made a big impression on me was how great the commitment was from the other participants. It was really exciting to meet different people from both family businesses, capital funds, public organizations and other companies. Everyone has a different starting point, and that inspired me to look at things from a different angle, he explains and adds:

– The most important thing I take home relates to the teaching of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and digitalisation. It requires considerable resources to implement these things, but it is also enormous how much it can move if you dare to be ambitious in this area. Next, I have gained access to new knowledge within a large number of subject areas as well as a large number of practical tools within the strategic and managerial subject area.

Light the fire

The learning from the program will be applied both in the short and the long term.

– There are things that I have already put into use, but there are also things that have a 5-10 year perspective. Among other things, digitization and data collection are more important to us than ever before in our organization. And for me it has been extra fuel on the fire to be away and gain knowledge about this specialist area.

Also from a network perspective, the program has made a positive contribution, he emphasizes.

– The network has been crucial, and there are five participants I have had close contact with afterwards. Increased togetherness strengthens relationships, and the project task we did together between modules 2 and 3 has also shown this. The project task was based on my company, where we looked at the possibility of digitizing the processes in DSH Wood, which would be a huge step. It is extremely valuable – and a rare opportunity – to sit down with a competent group of sparring partners and dive deep into such a case. I have built up an important network and have some people I can reach out to if I need it in the future, concludes Rasmus Grønborg Bak.

Trine Øvergaard Østerbye

CCO, Kementec

In terms of education, Trine Overgaard Østerbye has a master’s degree from the University of Copenhagen in biochemistry, and for 20 years her career focus has been biotech and diagnostics.

– It is precisely my educational and experiential background that is the reason why I chose to participate in the Executive Management Programme INSEAD. I had a need to develop as a manager and gain a greater base of theoretical knowledge within the business field. With my scientific background, theoretical knowledge in management and business development has increasingly become more important to me, in relation to my job and my areas of responsibility, she says, adding:

– In addition, I have colleagues who have participated in the program and recommended it to me, and I myself have also participated in masterclasses organized by the Executive Forum, where I have made the acquaintance of, among other things, teachers from INSEAD.

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Development of business strategy

Trine Overgaard Østerbye describes the program as a good combination of both theoretical perspectives and more hands-on practical tools in relation to daily challenges and issues.

– The professional level was high, and the teachers were incredibly competent. If I have to highlight one of the most important learnings for me, it is related to the framework of tools I have been presented with and can use to further develop and revise our business strategy and processes. In addition, the innovation part was extremely useful and an important piece in Kementec’s future development. Even small innovations can make a difference and mean that you manage to differentiate yourself from the competition, she says.

But also from a network perspective, she comes home with “plus on the account”.

– It is really interesting to meet other managers who are in similar positions. At first I was a little disappointed that there were no other participants in the biotech or pharma industry, but that turned out to be completely irrelevant. The issues, dialogues and discussions we had together were equally relevant and applicable, regardless of which industry we came from. The group work we had between modules 2 and 3 also gave good perspectives on how important it is that you don’t sit alone and develop a strategy, but that it is extremely important to utilize the various skills and angles you have available, says Trine Overgaard Østerbye before finishing:

– I really think it is healthy to be a “student” again. Coming to INSEAD and experiencing the international environment on campus and being “forced” to be in that mindset for a few days is absolutely rewarding. It provides a more intense experience, and you come home with more learning than if you had attended a purely Danish programme. And I am looking forward, not least, to re-union with my fellow students.

Jacob Dupont

CEO, Bruun Rasmussen Kunstauktioner

Jakob Dupont is managing director of Bruun Rasmussen Kunstauktioner and participated a number of years ago in the Executive Management Programme, where the first module takes place in Denmark and the subsequent two at INSEAD in France.

– At that time, I had accumulated a lot of experience internally at Bruun Rasmussen, but in terms of my technological background, I was also aware that I lacked a bit of a business-oriented perspective in my education. I was therefore looking for an intensive top management program from the “top shelf” with a practically oriented content that I could apply quite concretely in relation to my strategic and managerial considerations, he says and adds:

– The program had a fantastic set-up with content that was completely up-to-date. Some universal issues were raised, and all participants were asked to contribute their own experiences and challenges, which was rewarding for all parties. Subsequently, I have also kept in touch with a number of my fellow students, which has been very positive.

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Since then, the education has had a great impact on how well he has been equipped to handle the company’s strategy development projects.

– Specifically, I have used the knowledge I gained through the program in relation to the development of our entire “low-end” market – i.e. the auctions where customers have the opportunity to sell from home. I could start from the literature and the books I had with me from the education and directly apply the methods from there in relation to the strategy development I was facing. What I had in my luggage was an enormous fine ballast to carry with me in this process.

Frederik G. G. G. Nielsen

Retail Director Magazine

Frederik G. G. G. Nielsen is retail director at Magasin and responsible for the seven physical department stores in Denmark, which entails responsibility for 1,500 employees. He has a background from the Danish defence, subsequently Dansk Supermarked and since 2003 Magasin. First as HR director, and after a number of years in a more commercial position in the sales organization. In 2013, Frederik also participated in the Executive Management Programme INSEAD. To this day, the program is still “with him” and has an impact on how he handles his job.

– The most important thing I have taken with me from the Executive Management Programme is the ability to create a good process in strategy work. On the programme, we prepared a project assignment with pre-analysis and various strategic scenarios, which were then to be presented to the other participants. This process and working method has followed me ever since and is something I use when working on strategic projects. In addition, I became very aware of seeing the synergy in my team and being aware of utilizing the available skills across the organization. In conclusion, I found it very inspiring and instructive to gain networking relationships across other industries. It has given me a much broader perspective, and it is something I still cultivate, says Frederik G. G. G. Nielsen.

Signe Jarvad

Chief of staff strategy, HR and organization

Copenhagen Municipality, Culture and Leisure Administration

Signe Jarvad has completed the Executive Management Programme INSEAD in autumn 2020. She is chief of staff in the Culture and Leisure Administration in Copenhagen municipality and responsible for supporting functions within strategy, HR and organization.

– I was looking for a top management course that could contribute to my further development as a public manager. And although the program at INSEAD may have a focus on the private sector, I had a clear idea that it could also be interesting for my perspective and area of interest in relation to strategic management and business development. I felt that it could be enriching and inspiring to get some concrete tools and commercial approaches and put these into a public context, explains Signe Jarvad and continues:

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– The level of the program and the professors was really high and very inspiring, and not least the global perspective and view was interesting. I found that I had to do a lot of “translation work” in relation to my context in the public sector, but it was definitely also a rewarding and inspiring exercise. Usually, a commercial enterprise starts from ONE bottom line, while I have several to deal with. Furthermore, I think that the lecturers were particularly good at accommodating the fact that people come from different starting points and from many different, even smaller, organisations.

New network and new perspectives

Some of the key learnings that Signe Jarvad highlights as the most important are linked to learning about strategic business development and the preparation of market analyses.

– The new perspectives I have gained are really interesting to me in a public context. In the Culture and Leisure Administration, we only succeed if we manage to cooperate with many others. I have gained a new perspective on how to run an organisation, and in particular I have strengthened my understanding of how we can approach different partnerships and develop these going forward. In conclusion, the program has given me a new network that extends beyond my own industry and geography. It has undoubtedly been useful to see the world from other perspectives, she concludes.

Jonas Dahl

Hospital Director, Randers Regional Hospital

“Jonas Dahl, who is hospital director at the Randers Regional Hospital, an emergency hospital with 1,800 employees and an annual budget of DKK 1.1 billion, has just completed the Executive Management Program INSEAD.

– I wanted a theoretical insight into the world I deal with for everyday life, with management, strategy and communication as the focal point. However, it was important to me that it was a practically applicable and case-based education, which I had heard was the case, explains Jonas Dahl.

He emphasizes, among other things, the high level of the professors and the positive aspects with a new and fruitful network of like-minded people.

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– I experienced that the academic level of the teachers and professors was extremely high, but that was also the case for the other participants in the program. They represent a large bouquet of professions, and you should not underestimate how important it is to get knowledge and contacts into other industries. It was extremely exciting and inspiring to hear about other people’s challenges in relation to strategy, management and communication – and interestingly, that it is not so different, depending on whether you come from a private or public company. There was tremendous willingness to listen to and learn from each other, and it provides a really good and strong learning environment, says the hospital director and continues:

– I have, to a very high degree, gained a professional boost, which I feel I can spend for many years to come. One of my keylearings is clearly related to management communication, where we had an excellent session that was “second to none”. But also the learning about innovation and innovative design as well as strategy implementation has given me something in the backpack that I can use directly in my job. Last, but certainly not least, the learning and the fantastic network I have had with the other participants is eminent. Well, I have got more and more than I expected, ”concludes Jonas Dahl.

Executive Management Programme det fik jeg ud af uddannelsen

Malene Kjær

Global Marketing Director, Uhrenholt A/S

“For Malene Kjær, who is Global Marketing Director at Uhrenholt, the Executive Management Program has been a very exciting journey, both academically and personally.

– I had reached a point in my career, where I wanted a professional boost and the opportunity to polish my strategic, innovation and management level. The program has greatly developed me both professionally and personally, and after I have returned home I have been invited within the group management in Uhrenholt. Thus, the program has given me the last injection in relation to the fact that I was prepared to take this step – I have been briefly and well dressed for the new role, says Malene Kjær.

According to Malene Kjær, the program has to a high degree lived up to expectations – both in relation to the academic level and the level of the teachers.

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– I cannot remember before that I have experienced some professors who have been as profoundly professional, fascinating and inspiring as the ones I found on the Executive Management Program INSEAD. They have a tremendous ability to present some theories and pull them into something that can be put into practice. In this way, the theory is made tangible and directly applicable in one’s daily work, she says and continues:

– A lot of participants were really good, and I’ve got a very invaluable network to draw on. The whole process has, to a very high degree, lived up to expectations, and it also suited me very well that it was a concentrated course that was affordable over time in combination with a demanding job. This is a process that I will have no hesitation in recommending to others in my situation – it has been worth all the time, Malene Kjær concludes. “

Lars Rudkjøbing

Chief Business Development Officer i ScanCom

Lars Rudkjøbing has completed a year-long educational journey under the auspices of INSEAD with a so-called Certificate in Global Management. The education was kick-started in 2014 with participation in the Executive Management Program INSEAD, and over the past years he has built in stages with a number of executive programs at INSEAD, which together make up the Certificate in Global Management.

– The background for starting this learning journey in the field of management, initially with the Executive Management Programme, was that I was somewhere in my career where I needed to further my education and get some tools in place. The course was fantastic and gave blood on the tooth in order to learn even more and build on top of the first program, says Lars Rudkjøbing

Lars Rudkjøbing describes the whole process as a very important learning journey that has matured him on both the personal and professional level.

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– I have been challenged humanly and intellectually both through the teaching, new tools and the many talented and competent people I have met on the programs – and it is all used and effected in relation to ScanCom. The essence is precisely that you plan a course that suits the specific situation and the reality you are in. I have been equipped to handle managerial situations and changes that I otherwise would not have been able to. There is no doubt that the course has given me a ballast and a quantum leap and is a direct contributor to where I am today, he says before concluding:

– One of the things I have really noticed about the INSEAD courses is the relationship that the professors manage to create for real situations. You get some input that is directly applicable in relation to your own job situation. As you get older, you are generally less receptive to learning as you are biased, and this is one of the conditions that teachers are extremely adept at challenging. In short, the last seven years are a completely unique journey of change, for which I am deeply grateful.

Søren Gerber

CEO, DMT Group

Søren Gerber, CEO of DMT Group, has participated in the Executive Management Programme INSEAD. DMT Group is a trading company for industrial machinery with activities in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and the three Baltic countries. Søren Gerber took over as director in January 2020, but has for a number of years been director of the Danish subsidiary in the group.

Leverage for new CEO role

– I became acquainted with the Executive Management Programme via LinkedIn, and requested information to familiarize myself with the program content and read more about how previous participants assessed the training. The program’s focus on the strategic and analytical part of it as well as management and change management was some of what I fell most for. I was looking for a top management program that I could use as a lever in relation to my relatively new role as CEO of DMT Group, and both the content itself and the connection to the business school INSEAD was extremely relevant to me, says Søren Gerber.

– The yield I have received has been really good. The teachers and professors are fantastically inspiring and the level is extremely high. No matter what we participants asked, the professors could live into our specific issues and provide an explanation. They were down to earth and so they were good at challenging us so that there was a constructive and good dialogue between us.

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Strong networking relationships

According to the DMT Group boss, there are three main elements in particular that he brings home from the top management program.

– The strategic approach to change, both in terms of how to think and perform the strategic analysis work, was very exciting. Next, the many tools I have gotten into the toolbox have been extremely useful, and in conclusion, I would like to highlight the network with like-minded people. We are ready to help each other with challenges and issues when needed. In addition, it was enriching to meet people from so many different business areas and markets and with such different approaches. The new skills help me run a healthy business and develop it in the future, he says, before concluding:

– The program is generally well and professionally organized, and the length and intensity are well suited for a busy leader – you get a good amount of knowledge compressed in the foreseeable future.

education senior executives

Mikael Justesen

Managing Director, TV2 Nord

“For Mikael Justesen, getting ripped up in some habits and mindset was an important reason for choosing to participate in the Executive Management Program INSEAD.

– I needed to get new inspiration and immerse myself and then the course as an opportunity to spend time for myself. One of my main tasks in everyday life is to see new opportunities and give inspiration to my employees, so that the prospect of being inspired by the “best” within the management and strategy area, notably in a compressed course, played an important role for me. , says Mikael Justesen in TV2 Nord.

According to Mikael Justesen, the process has already characterized the strategic work in the company.

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– There are a number of very specific things that have become different in TV2 Nord’s strategy due to this program. I have got a back catalog and a new mindset to solve specific issues, and it has really been good. In addition, the teachers and professors are insanely proficient, really in top class. They are very knowledgeable and have a tremendous ability to convey this knowledge – a combination that is in nothing less than world class, says Justesen.

The program has also been a success in a network perspective.

– We all came from very different companies, both in terms of industry and size, but ALL had something to contribute, and I think that the level of fellow students was very high. There are many I will keep in touch with in the future, concludes Mikael Justesen. ”