THE LEADING INTERNATIONAL GUIDE TO EXECUTIVE MBAS & MANAGEMENT EDUCATION

INC
TO L
PM UDES
BA QS
GU CA
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IDE ER

SPRING/SUMMER 2011
EXECUTIVE
What an
EMBA
can do for you

Social
Networking
for Executives

Defining
EMBAs -
a QS Lexicon

EMBA E x c l u sive ews

e rvi
BOOTCAMP i n t
ADMISSIONS TIPS
EMBA

Preparing for
Opportunities
 EXECUTIVE MBA

CONTENTS

Credits Editor’s
Editor
Dawn Bournand
dawn@qs.com
Note
Editor-in-Chief & Sales
Hina Wadhwa- If you have found your way to the QS
Gonfreville TopExecutive Guide, chances are
hina@qs.com you have at least been thinking Dawn Bournand
about what it would be like to get Editor, QS TopExecutive Guide
Contributing Editor back in the classroom and enhance
Spencer Matheson the knowledge you have already accumulated in your
professional life. Congratulations, in that simple act of reflection
Senior Features Writer you have already taken the first step towards moving your career
Ann Graham forward! Now it’s time to build upon that.

Production Manager First comes the research. Through publications like this,
Katy Webster
events like the QS World Executive MBA Tour and websites
like www.topmba.com/emba you can begin to explore what
Research and Paris Sales Office
Production Assistant 73 boulevard de is possible. Continuing your education can be a small or
Bridget Garahan Sébastopol gigantic step depending on how far you want to take it. A one
Khoury 75002, Paris day workshop on leadership does not take too much reflection
France but dedicating 12-24 months of your life, while juggling work,
Design Tel. +33 145 66 59 21 relationships and home life, to pursue an Executive MBA
Teresa Arevalo Fax +33 145 66 99 80 requires a whole lot more: self-searching; conversations with
Tim Gillen colleagues, supervisors, family and yes, even an all-important
UK Sales Office look at the financial investment. In short, this is simply not
Editorial Consultant 1 Tranley Mews, an overnight decision.
Ross Geraghty Fleet Road
London NW3 2DG Next comes some action-taking. After you have completed the
General Production Tel. +44 20 7284 7200 research phase, you will have narrowed down your choices and
Manager Fax +44 20 7284 7201
may even have an idea about which EMBA programs would be
Ed Winder
good for you. Now it is time to sign up for those test prep classes,
take some campus visits and reach out to a few alums from your
top school picks. Get active and get clear, make sure this is the
right step at the right time for you.

Finally, get ready for the ride of your life. As you will read in
our current student and alumni profiles, if you decide an
EMBA is right for you, the period ahead will be one of the
most challenging, exciting and enriching times of your life.
The EMBA will not only offer you an undeniable step up in
your career (the ROI for some programs is as short as 18
months), you will also gain a brand new network of friends,
Advertisers colleagues and academics to help you in the next phase of
IFC Forbes Russia your career. The personal growth and self-discovery, though
40 Viadeo
often not the direct intention for pursuing this advanced
2 International Herald 48 Women & Work degree, will be an undeniable part of your EMBA experience.
Tribune 52 Diversity MBA Enjoy the ride!
10 QS World Executive 56 Nouvel Economiste
MBA Tour 64 L’AGEFI To your EMBA success,
16 ALPHA 70 Cadrexport
Dawn Bournand
34 BFM 80 ExecuNet Editor, Career and Life Coach

TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 1

Learn more
on Mondays.

Every Monday the new Education section in the

International Herald Tribune opens your eyes to
the trends shaping the world of higher education
so you can take advantage of the latest thinking.
Pick up a copy this Monday at your local newsstand
or subscribe at subs.iht.com

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 EXECUTIVE MBA

CONTENTS

Contents
TopExecutive Guide
4 Preparing for opportunities 46 When women lead
An insider’s look into what it takes to move forward Women’s unique abilities and the strategies they use.
and get your career on the fast track.
50 What I wish I had known
6 What an EMBA can do for you Take advantage of the wisdom gained by EMBA alumni
A look at the positive impact an Executive MBA as you prepare for your Executive MBA journey.
can have on your career and life.
54 Undergoing transformation – EMBA trends
8 IESE-Global EMBA focus The latest Executive MBA trends as seen by Jason A.
IESE’s Global Executive MBA program is at the Price, MS, MBA, founder of EMBA World.
forefront of GEMBA programs – learn why.
57 Leadership under pressure
12 The need to be international An insight into leadership and crisis management.
Business schools are creating innovative ways
to keep pace with business globalization. 58 Hidden costs of an EMBA
A look into the full costs of this worthwhile investment.
14 Kellogg-WHU – EMBA network focus
Kellogg-WHU Global Executive MBA creates a 60 EMBA reading list
network around the world with more than 50,000 Ready, set, EMBA! Get a jump start with this pre-EMBA
graduates in over 90 countries. reading list.

18 ESCP Europe – EMBA curriculum focus 62 QS World Executive MBA Tour bootcamp
One EMBA program, five places, six paces. A focus on your application in the third article in our
‘bootcamp’ series.
20 Defining EMBAs – a QS lexicon
The terms an Executive MBA candidate needs to know. 65 Five ways to influence and impact
Five ways to influence and impact your friends,
24 Financing your future colleagues and clients.
Discover where to find finance and scholarship offers for
your Executive MBA. 86 Statistical review
An at-a-glance comparison of EMBA programs from
27 The EMBA experience around the globe.
From the boardroom to the classroom and back – these
students and alumni share stories of why they chose an Program profiles
Executive MBA.
66 Athabasca University, Centre for Innovative Management
67 Cranfield School of Management
36 Social networking for executives
68 EML Executive Development
The what, where, why and how of today’s social
networking opportunities for executives. 69 Emory University, Goizueta Business School
71 ESCP Europe
38 Twitter tips for executives 72 ESSEC & Mannheim
A crash course on Twitter for professionals and executives. 73 Georgetown-ESADE
74 HEC Paris
41 Top ten tips for LinkedIn 75 HECTOR School of Engineering and Technology,
Ten tips for mastering LinkedIn and getting Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
successfully networked. 76 IE Business School
78 IESE Business School
42 In with the new job search 79 INSEAD
Out with the old and in with the new! Uncover new 80 Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA
ways to search for executive jobs. 81 Melbourne Business School
82 Nottingham University Business School
44 Women and the Executive MBA 83 OU Business School
Yes, the balancing act can be done: alumni and current
85 Warwick Business School
students tell you how.

TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 3

 EXECUTIVE MBA
APPLICATIONS
OPPORTUNITY
Preparing for
opportunities
Ready, fire, aim…today’s top executives know that they have to prepare for
opportunity before it arrives. QS TopExecutive Editor, Dawn Bournand, takes a look
at the key to moving your career forward and getting it on the fast track
T
urn on the television set, surf over to
your favourite online news channel
or pick up the local newspaper and
you are bound to read or hear about
the doom and gloom of the economy and the
continuing financial chaos that goes along with
it. What would happen though if you decided
to tune all of that noise out and focus on what
is going right? How would it change your career
if you decided to look at life as an endless flow
of opportunities coming your way? Once you
realize that preparing for that next door to open
is your best bet, how do you go about doing it?
How do you prepare for opportunity before it
even knocks?
For many successful professionals today,
the first big step they take into that unknown
realm of possibility is signing up for an
Executive MBA. This is one action that shows
your superiors, your colleagues and even your
friends that you are optimistic enough about
your future to invest both your time and
money into preparing for what is ahead.
According to Bernie Zanck, Director of
Recruitment and Admissions at the Chicago
Booth Executive MBA program, “Our
approach to business education prepares our
students for all possibilities. Graduates leave
equipped with a mastery of business
fundamentals and a global network of friends
and colleagues. They emerge with a new way
of interpreting the world now and beyond,
transforming how they think, how they
network and how they impact.”
Have a plan
Setting yourself up for professional success isn’t
something that happens overnight. Most high-
level executives will tell you they took the time
4 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba
to plan out their path. Sure, they may have
gotten a lucky break or two along the way but
as Louis Pasteur said, “Fortune favours the
prepared mind.” Joan Coonrod, Assistant Dean
of Executive MBA admissions and marketing
at Emory University’s Goizueta Business
School agrees: “You must prepare yourself for
a life-long career, and build career resilience
into your planning. It’s not just about moving
up, it’s about moving laterally when necessary
and building a wide enough ‘base of value’ to
make you more marketable. You need to be
able to navigate the uncertainty that has
become a contestant in high level careers.”
Establishing the roadmap to where you
want to go and then taking small steps in that
direction on a daily basis is essential for
“Everything in our lives has moved into the ‘priority pile’. However,
planning takes not only time to strategize but also time to reflect. If
only individuals spent a few minutes a day thinking about their goals”
creating opportunities. As Francis Petit,
Associate Dean for Executive MBA Programs
at Fordham University, Graduate School of
Business Administration sees it, “I strongly
believe that individuals do not spend enough
time planning for their future. We live in a
‘wired’ world in which all of our stakeholders
want instant responses and gratification.
Everything in our lives has moved into the
‘priority pile’. However, planning takes not
only time to strategize but also time to reflect.
If only individuals spent a few minutes a day
thinking about their goals and also thinking
on what they have done today to move closer
to those goals. If that were to happen, I think
many individuals would have more
achievements in their lives.”
Opportunity disguised as change
Best made plans can sometimes be thrown
off course by the winds of change, though.
What is the best way to deal with sudden,
unexpected and seemingly unwelcomed
circumstances? According to Hannelore
Forssbohm, Senior Program Manager of the
Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA program,
“Opportunities are a matter of attitude: it
could be change that may not initially be
perceived as positive (e.g. reorganization
within a company); discovering, developing
and implementing a new business idea;
changing your line of work or personal
interest. These all are ‘opportunities’ in one
way or another; a chance to make a change,
for the better, for oneself, the company or,
in some cases, the world. Being ready and
courageous enough to absorb and act in a
new situation is one way that an Executive
MBA can help to prepare today’s managers
to be in a position to face and manage
whatever comes their way.”

Even when change comes in the form
of a crisis, favorable outcomes can still
occur. As Dean Coonrod points out, “In
2001, it was the tech/telecom bust – over
half a million jobs in those sectors gone. In
2008/09, it was real estate and financial
services that shed jobs. Preparing for
opportunities means being able to move to
where the opportunities are regardless of
your current industry expertise.”
The aftermath of a crisis can be a bit like a
forest after a sweeping fire: new growth will
begin. Stephen Adamson, Associate Director of
Admissions, for IE Business School’s
International Executive MBA, suggests,
“Preparing for opportunities in this context
means being ready to take advantage of the burst
of hiring and growth which will occur as the
crisis eases. As has always occurred, a huge
number of corporate and entrepreneurial
opportunities will be created and deciding to take
an EMBA once things improve may be too late.”
Broaden your horizons
Perhaps the real question, then, is where to
look for these opportunities that are sure to
show up. Maria Puig, Executive Director of
the IESE Global Executive MBA believes
that, “In our time, many business opportunities
are appearing at a global scale. Our Global
Executive MBA Program helps you develop
your global mindset and acquire the additional
skills needed to succeed in today’s increasingly
globalized and competitive business. Our
participants say that they feel better equipped
to identify business opportunities and to take
the necessary decisions to make these
opportunities valuable for them.”
As you see these opportunities appearing,
you may find that your current skills will not
be enough to take you to where your next
possible steps lie. Cristèle Fernand,
Admissions Director at the EMLYON
Business School, believes that “developing
new skills (both technical and behavioural),
enlarging your network and being able to
think out of the box” are essential
components of broadening your career path.
Not so coincidentally, these three elements
are all benefits of participating in an
Executive MBA program.
Though traditionally created to help
executives get the necessary training to work better
and smarter in their current positions, today’s
EMBA also focuses on preparing participants for
the constantly changing landscape of modern
business. Associate Dean Petit adds: “The EMBA
is a great vehicle for careers beyond management
in the Fortune 500. It allows you to think
differently about creating, delivering and
sustaining value within any industry. Such a
mindset can be very powerful.” And it can be very
valuable when considering what else is possible.
Invest in yourself
It comes down to thinking about your future and
how you can best invest in it. Director Zanck
affirms: “the Executive MBA is a transformative
EXECUTIVE MBA
OPPORTUNITY
experience and an investment in the future of one
of your organization’s greatest assets – you.
Investing in your education will prepare you to
become a more effective leader and equip you to
analyze and solve complex business challenges
because you’ve been taught to approach them.”
Beate Baldwin, Program Director for the
ESSEC & Mannheim Executive MBA, agrees
that “[pursuing an EMBA] means taking an
active part in your career as well as in your
personal development”. She also advises to take
full advantage of the EMBA networking
opportunities. “Conferences with alumni
associations, courses with academics and
business leaders, social events with Executive
MBA tracks at partner schools, leadership
courses, and individual and group coaching
sessions, all help our participants to get to more
self and social awareness and to grow personally.”
In the end, an Executive MBA is the
ultimate prep course for opportunity. Perhaps
Associate Dean Petit sums it up best when he
says, “Students will learn just as much, if not
more, on how to survive and excel in ‘the
process’ in addition to the content of a program.
Surviving the process is a learning experience
in and of itself. Learning how to take on these
risks will allow candidates to grow and be ready
for future professional challenges and
opportunities. Behind every great success story
in business usually lies a big initial risk. Imagine
if the founders of Facebook or Starbucks or
Cirque de Soleil weren’t brave enough to take
the risks? That is what it is all about!”
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 5
 EXECUTIVE MBA
APPLICATIONS
EMBA VALUE
What
an
EMBA
Contributing editor Spencer Matheson and QS EMBA research specialist Bridget
Garahan Khoury take a look at the real value of an EMBA and the impact it can have
on both your career and your life
F
or aspiring professionals with some
consequential experience under
their belts, there is an increasing
array of options available:
specialized master’s degrees and non-degree
general management programs have
multiplied in recent years, not to mention
CFA and other industry specific qualifications.
How are potential Executive MBA (EMBA)
candidates to decide what’s right for them?
If you’re interested only in obtaining a high
level knowledge of finance for example, then
an MS in Finance probably makes better sense
than an EMBA. But beyond such obvious
points, what else can be said about an EMBA
vs. other study? Francis Petit, Associate Dean
for Executive MBA Programs at Fordham
University puts it this way: “Overall, I tell
prospective students to imagine themselves on
an airplane jumping out with their parachute.
Wherever they land and whatever is in their
backpack they now have the “Business and
Management Survival Kit”. Their careers will
go in many different directions and the EMBA
will prepare them most effectively for this
journey. The more specialized degrees are
excellent but can also channel you and groom
you only for a specific area.”
Personal development and soft skills
An EMBA will teach you—amongst many
other things—how to analyze a financial
statement, and how to apply statistics to real
world problems—specific, and important
technical skills. However, even more critical
at senior levels of management, are the soft
skills, the kind of skills EMBA classrooms with
their cohort of students in senior positions,
excel in. Lamees Qasem, IESE GEMBA 2009
6 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba
can do for
graduate, describes how the soft skills have
impacted her career by “how effective I have
been building solid relationships with my
clients. I am more in-tune to their needs and
am learning to have a great ability to respond
and contribute when and where needed.”
The EMBA classroom prepares
students to manage more than one area, to
manage others’ performance effectively.
Personal development within the EMBA
may be hard to measure but it’s equally as
important as the technical skills. Nick
Mbuvi, IESE GEMBA 2009 alumnus, states
“Their careers will
go in many
directions and the
EMBA will prepare
them most effectively
for this journey”
that “It is a life-changing experience. You
quickly realize that the World you know, is
not the World you know. You deepen your
own perspectives whilst learning to
appreciate other people’s perspectives and
become a mature and well rounded leader!”
Mariano Janiszewski, Katz EMBA 2007,
adds, “…the gain in self-confidence allowed
me to pursue a novel challenge, accepting a
you
position with broader responsibilities in
another company. Immediately after
graduation I moved to the new position.”
Transition
Ebrahim Mohamed, Director of Executive
MBA Programs at Imperial College thinks the
question comes down to timing, that if you are
early in your career, a specialized course might
be appropriate, and that later on, an EMBA will
better help you springboard into a leadership
role: “The economy needs people with high
level integrating capabilities. The first stage of
your career will be characterized by functional
expertise - the type that a specialized masters
would support. When professionals hit a ceiling
they need to have more generalist business
skills to help them become more effective – this
is exactly where an EMBA is positioned. It is a
key ingredient to making the transition from
functional expert to business leader.”
This proved true for Kerry Watts,
Durham 2009 alumna, who found that the
EMBA was a great way for her to surpass her
former limitations when dealing with senior
managers and executive directors. Kerry
states: “This encouraged me to enhance my
education so that I would have the theory
behind the management and leadership
qualities, which I had observed in many of
those whom I regard as role models, to be
able to further my career in contributing to
the corporate and strategic workings in
improving healthcare.” When asked whether
or not the EMBA made an impact on her
career opportunities, Fabiana Prada Katz
EMBA alumna 2010, replies: “I believe I am
in my current position because I could
expand my field of expertise outside of

Finance through the EMBA, which provided
a more holistic view of a company and was a
key enabler for my marketing role.”
For those who have made it to the
business leader position, but soon realize that
they are not ready for management and
decision making responsibilities, the EMBA
can be a great way to bridge the gap.
Mariano Janiszewski, Katz EMBA 2007
alumnus, also saw that: “I joined the
pharmaceutical industry coming from academia
(I was a Professor at the University of São Paulo,
School of Medicine). In the beginning, my job at
Eli Lilly had a heavy technical context, but as I got
more involved in administrative, leadership and
business issues, I noticed I could benefit from some
formal business education. That impression turned
clearer when I was appointed Medical Director of
the Brazilian Affiliate. I realized that if I wanted to
take a fully active part in all decisions involving the
affiliate, I would need a more thorough
understanding of the corporate environment, and
the, company’s global and local strategies.”
Happily, in some schools it’s not even an
“either/or” proposition. Some EMBA programs
offer the opportunity to become a specialized
expert as well as a well-rounded business leader.
For example, at Chicago Booth (where students
can also look forward to an average salary of
$236,633USD per year when they leave the
program), students who wish to complement their
general management studies with a specialization,
may do so in either Finance or Strategy.
Rewards and opportunities
One of the benefits of
doing an EMBA is the
possibility of an economic
reward! According to the
Executive MBA
C o u n ci l s m o s t
recent numbers,
even in the
context of global
recession, an executive MBA still raises salaries
by an average of almost 10%. A poll taken by
the Financial Times states “of 3,348 students,
from 112 programs, calculated students’
average salary at the start of their EMBA as
$125,029USD – which rose to $136,722USD
on its completion, a healthy nine percent
increase, given the economic climate.”
“Once you have the
skills and the self-
confidence, it’s
important to make a
credible claim that you
want to step forward”
Choosing an EMBA can lead to many
networking opportunities as well as great long
lasting friendships. Nick Mbuvi had a classmate
visit him in his home country of Kenya last
summer and now “we are currently looking at
some business opportunities. We are also
exploring other business ventures with another
two of my classmates. We certainly keep in
touch and the social network has undoubtedly
been beneficial.” The close camaraderie and
group study methods of most EMBA programs
tend to create longer lasting bonds than most
specialized programs.
And as we’ve heard many an
EMBA alumni tell us, the
rewards go beyond the
financial aspects. François
Brown de Coulstoun,
Chicago Executive
MBA graduate
(2003),
believes that
EXECUTIVE MBA
EMBA VALUE
his Executive MBA degree gave him the
confidence boost he needed. “I would
encourage anyone who is wondering about an
EMBA to pursue the dream as far as they can.
Everyone knows that an MBA will return
professional and line management skills, a few
know an EMBA will return top management
skills and virtually no one realizes that stepping
forward to engage in a top-level international
program sends a clear signal to the rest of the
world. I am a volunteer, yet this last point is
crucial: once you have the skills and the self-
confidence, it’s important to make a credible
claim that you want to step forward.”
In a similar vein, Rebecca Blaine, who
pursued her EMBA at Fordham University and
graduated in 2009, confirms that her degree
gave her the confidence to lead teams and put
forward her ideas to the senior management
teams for company-wide initiatives. “Having
had a limited amount of experience in areas
such as finance and accounting, taking these
management courses has given me a multi-
faceted perspective for the projects and
initiatives that I am responsible for.”
So while specialist programs may
restrict options, EMBA programs open
them, and prepare graduates for diversity. In
2001 over half a million jobs in the
technologies and telecoms sectors
disappeared. In more recent years, real
estate and financial services have been hard
hit. During both recessions, EMBA
graduates were perfectly placed to move
where the opportunities were, regardless of
current experience.
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 7
 EXECUTIVE MBA
GLOBAL
APPLICATIONS
FOCUS
Real-world
experience
IESE Business School Global Executive MBA
L
eadership at a global level is no easy
task. In today’s business context, with
cyber-technology at our fingertips
and shrinking boundaries, the need has
never been greater for global executives to,
understand the dynamics of managing
across cultures and leading people across
time zones. To respond to the needs of
global leaders, business schools are
integrating experiential, worldwide-based
learning into their curricula, to bring the
world into executive classrooms and to push
executives out into the world. One such
exemplary business school is IESE which,
via the IESE Global Executive MBA, offers
executives on the rise the opportunity to
learn in a multicultural and diverse
Erick E Pereda
Class of 2012
“I have discovered that it is never too
late to learn. I am almost 38 years old
and I find myself challenged in all my
courses. I have not been overly
challenged by the general concepts
presented in the classes, but rather by the
new perspectives through which these
concepts are being presented.”
8 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba
classroom, in locations ranging from
Barcelona to New York, from the Silicon
Valley to the Bund.
“Now more than ever, the global
business world is calling for well-prepared
business leaders,” says Jordi Canals, Dean of
IESE Business School in Spain, “[leaders]
equipped with solid business skills, a global
mindset and a desire to make a positive
impact on society. The Global Executive
MBA program was specifically created to
develop this kind of leader.”
IESE Business School’s Global
Executive MBA (GEMBA) offers rising
business leaders, senior managers, and
professional executives the opportunity to Lamees Qasem
shape the world in their companies and
Class of 2009
boardrooms, st arting from within the
business school classroom. One look at “The most important point is to have
IESE’s GEMBA class profile (average great support from your partner. It is a
professional experience of 13 years; average tough and taxing period on everyone
age of 37) and interested candidates can be and somehow your family will have to
assured of not only a diverse group of see the value and appreciate the
students to interact with while studying, but sacrifices you have made.”
also an international network to liaise with
for years to come.
An entrepreneur in the biotechnology
sector, Nora Benhabiles was one of 40 discussions,” says the Corporate Banking
students in her GEMBA program, made up Director for Barclays Global Retail and
of 26 nationalities. “The social network Commercial Banking in East Africa says.
created is just tremendous!” enthuses “It was the most enriching experience I
Benhabiles, class of 2008 alum. “Classmates have been through to date.”
that become friends, teachers advising you “In this day and age, managers have to
for entrepreneurial projects, friends from think globally,” explains Maria Puig,
other promotions met during IESE events Executive Director of the IESE Global
or who people recommended...” Executive MBA . “Business deals are not
Benhabiles wasn’t the only one to only being done across the boardroom
experience just how “global” IESE’s t able, they’re being conducted across
Global Executive MBA is. Nick Mbuvi, continents, time zones, and cultures. A
Class of 2009, alum received his GEMBA successful manager needs to understand
alongside 36 students from 25 different the logistics involved in conducting
nationalities. “The best part was being in themselves, their business and their teams
class with some of the best brains from on the international stage, and we believe
different nationalities and disciplines, and the IESE Global GEMBA program
sharing ideas in class and during group prepares them for just that.”

Structure
IESE’s GEMBA is available in two formats
– monthly (19-21 months, with 15 residential
weeks) or bi-monthly (16-18 months, with 14
residential weeks), requiring professionals to
take up to 75 days out of the office. Delivered
via a mix of face-to-face interaction both on-
and off-campus, students have the flexibility
to fit their studies in and around their
commitments in the office and at home.
“We try to create a real community within
the program,” says Puig. “The program is
certainly manageable – the number of
successful alum who have completed their
GEMBA is evidence of that – but we’re aware
“Business deals are
not only being done
across the boardroom
table, they’re being
conducted across
continents, time
zones, and cultures”
that it requires significant commitment on
behalf of the individuals, and on behalf of the
school to provide them with a supportive
environment in which they can excel.”
Benhabiles agrees, and was lucky
enough to find that support within her
cohort. “Friendship in the GEMBA context
is so important; we have suffered together
with the high-speed program, the difficulties
of the modules, the rhythms of the exams and
high number of case studies to prepare while
working full time on the other side and
having our personal life to balance.”
But she also remembers some of the
great events that helped to consolidate
friendships. “We had a champagne contest in
Madrid, animated by the music band of one
of our classmates, an unforgettable karaoke
in Fuxing Park in Shanghai, and some great
dinners in Barcelona and Madrid. I have kept
in touch with many classmates and I am
longing to see them again!”
Across the globe
The key benefit of IESE’s GEMBA is the
global element, which is reflected not only
in the class makeup, but in the residential
modules which t ake place at diverse
international locations such as Barcelona,
Madrid, Shanghai, Bangalore, Silicon Valley
EXECUTIVE MBA
GLOBAL FOCUS
and New York City. Beyond the program is
the 30, 000-strong IESE alumni network
spanning across the globe in 100 countries.
The residential modules in all corners of
the globe were one of the highlights for 2009
GEMBA alum, Lamees Qasem. “To compete
on a global basis, you have to understand how
business works in different parts of the world,”
she says. “With the Global Executive MBA, you
gain practical multicultural knowledge and
therefore, a competitive edge,” the managing
director of Peninsula Consulting says.
IESE’s GEMBA t akes a general
management perspective. The broad and
challenging curriculum covers business
fundamentals, while exploring the latest Nick Mbuvi
trends in global commerce. Combined with
Class of 2009
modules in developed and emerging markets
a n d t h e i n -compa n y pr ojec ts a n d “The GEMBA has certainly given me a
entrepreneurial business plans, candidates major boost in my career and put me in
are empowered to make the best use of their a position where I am very at ease with
new business knowledge. What’s more, the exploring new opportunities both within
elective program allows students to tailor the the company and outside.”
program to their own specific needs.
“The benefits of the in-company
project were two-fold,” says Henning
Kluever, 2010 Global EMBA alum. “I was
able to generate valuable knowledge for my
organization [Kluever is Controlling
Manager for Daimler AG, Mercedes-Benz
Cars in Germany], and ultimately save the
company three-fold the course fees thanks
to this [in-company] consulting project.
This means a great payback in terms of
ROI,” he says.
Immediate impact
IESE prides itself on the personal approach
students can receive in the GEMBA
classroom, wherever in the world that
might be. Average class size is just 35, and
IESE’s approachable faculty maintain an
open-door policy. But what GEMBA
candidates really want – and what IESE
Nora Benhabiles
delivers – is the immediate impact of the Class of 2008
program into students’ every day “Having a GEMBA gave me cutting-
professional lives. edge training, and the chance to meet
“The program is specifically designed extraordinary classmates to work with
to benefit both the participant and the me on my entrepreneurial project; the
company right from the onset. During their GEMBA makes a difference.”
time here, executives will have access to
one-on-one coaching to help them
strengthen their communication and
leadership skills, while developing other
important personal areas such as self- Marco Valle agrees. The Global EMBA
leadership and achieving work/life balance. alum and Coffee Shop Business Director for
Participants will also utilise a wide range of Luigi Lavazza SPA says having a mentor who
self-assessment tools to help them clarify worked with him from the very beginning of his
their interests, abilities, values and program was a key benefit. “My mentor was an
management style,” explains the Executive invaluable source of support and encouraged
Director of the program. me to fulfil my professional potential.”
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 9
Grasp your future with an

EXECUTIVE
MBA
Meet admissions officers from
top Executive MBA programs

New York 19 Feb

Washington DC 23 Feb
Toronto 26 Feb
Moscow 3 Mar
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Dubai 8 Apr

REGISTER ONLINE AT: www.topmba.com/emba

 EXECUTIVE MBA
INTERNATIONAL
APPLICATIONS
The need to be
international
With the world becoming a more homogenized market by the day it is easy to slip
into the belief that doing business across borders bears little difference to doing
business in your home market
B
ut whilst it is true that ongoing
‘globalization’ has made international
markets less complex than in the past,
working globally still presents its fair
share of problems. With business schools at the
forefront of preparing the next generation of
business leaders for action, what is being done to
make truly international business more
attainable in the future?.
Offshore campuses
One of the main trends in the business
education world over the last few years has seen
many schools open ‘international locations’ in
order to spread their reach geographically.
From a purely commercial point of view, it is
obvious why schools would want to open
operations in new markets. With locations
outside of home territories, schools are
increasingly able to offer students ‘on the
ground’ business experiences in new markets;
something many aspiring business leaders see
as invaluable nowadays.
The first business school to declare itself
truly international was the French institution,
INSEAD. Even though they initially only had
a campus at Fontainebleau, the school was
always marketed as one with a global view.
However, in 2000 INSEAD decided to extend
their claim further by opening a second
campus in Singapore, and more have followed
since.
One of the most notable entrants to the
Executive MBA market over the last couple
of years has been the OneMBA, a coalition of
top business schools from North America,
Mexico, Brazil, the Netherlands and Hong
Kong. OneMBA students attend classes every
four to six weeks at their ‘home’ university as
12 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba
well as attending four international
‘residencies’, spread over the 21-month
program, where all other OneMBA students
are present. Each residency lasts seven or
eight days and at the end of the course you
earn two MBA’s: one from your home
university, plus the OneMBA issued by the
five partner schools collectively.
Keith Mahoney graduated from the
OneMBA Class of 2008 and says, “When I was
researching which business school to apply to,
my priority was to find an International
“Whilst it is true that ongoing ‘globalization’
has made international markets less complex
than in the past, working globally still presents
its fair share of problems”
Executive MBA program. I looked at some of
the top schools in the New York area, and
while they are strong academically, I found
their international programs lacking. For me,
taking US professors and students and offering
the same courses overseas doesn’t qualify as a
global curriculum. My take is that’s a field trip.
I wanted to hear local professors and
executives describe what it’s like to do business
in Europe, Asia and Latin America. That
learning is invaluable.”
HEC Paris has recently launched a new
executive education location in Doha, Qatar,
one of the most exciting locations in the Gulf
region. Many will now be aware that Qatar will
be hosting the soccer World Cup in 2022,
something many would not have thought
possible even a few months ago, but this is only
one of many initiatives that displays the
county’s enormous ambition. Education City,
where HEC will be offering their EMBA and
tailored executive education program, is part
of the wider Qatar 2030 vision which has set a
number of social, educational, and business
targets, for the country to achieve in order to
become a leading global nation.
The EMBA program, which will be
situated in Doha’s West Bay zone, has been set
up with the aim of developing a strong
pipeline of home-grown managerial talent
with an international perspective. This is
something sorely lacking in a region where
many companies are family-run.
Oliver Gottschalg, a professor of Strategy
and Business Policy at HEC Paris, says, “Qatari
business is, like the rest of the Middle East,
growing rapidly. Companies there are
becoming more diverse and more international
every year. As a result there is a real need for
business leaders who understand not only the
 EXECUTIVE MBA

INTERNATIONAL

country and the region, but also the global international exposure but can’t travel to a far- All the materials can be accessed remotely
economy and Qatar’s role in it. Our challenge flung campus on the other side of the globe on and exams can even be delivered and taken
is to accompany these organizations in their a regular basis, the ability to access course anywhere in the world. The only compulsory
growth, by training local and locally-based material online is a minimum requirement. But travel commitment is that students must be
leaders, thus contributing to the diversification how can you interact in a meaningful way with on campus for the school’s eight day seminar,
of the economy and its sustainability.” such a disparate classroom? held in September. The real difference
Ali Shaher, from the talent development Warwick Business School is a leader in though, is their new virtual classroom,
team at the leading Qatari telecommunications the field of distance learning and were ranked wbsLive, which allows students to fully
company QTel, sees the school’s role as vital to by the Economist as the best distance interact, not just with academics, but also
the success of the 2030 vision. “HEC Paris will learning EMBA in the UK, and third in the with fellow students anywhere in the world.
have professors on the Whether running
ground full-time, who campuses in a number
will be able to look at of international
how business is done “The international make up of the class locations, creating an
in Qatar, and help to internationally diverse
provide the tools for ensures that there is something new learned classroom at your
further international
growth and
from one another at every session” existing campus, or by
harnessing technology
diversification. The that will allow students
fact that they will be to interact across
based here means they will get a much better world. They are one of a few schools that continents as if they were sitting side by side
perspective on the local business culture and have built an Executive MBA program whch in a lecture room, it certainly seems that the
what they can add to it.” caters to those who simply cannot travel to business school world, much like the business
the campus regularly, whatever the reason. world, is becoming a smaller place.
Multi-cultural classrooms
But what about schools with only one location?
Most fall into this category, but many still claim
an ‘international perspective’. The international
diversity of the EMBA class is certainly one way
schools can claim to provide this perspective. The
Judge Business School, at the University of
Cambridge, is a case in point. Whilst ‘only’ having
a base in the UK, few can dispute the international
reputation that their parent university carries. But
it’s the fact that in an EMBA class of 52 students,
24 nationalities are represented that really sets
them apart. And with 40% of the students
(including one with a 20 hour door to door trip
from Kazakhstan) actively travelling from outside
the UK once a month for classes, it is difficult to
argue with the international pedigree.
Michael Salama, a VP in the tax
department at the Walt Disney Company in
California says that travelling to the UK to gain
international exposure has worked for him.
“The Cambridge EMBA really does offer a
practical global perspective on business. The
international make up of the class ensures that
there is something new learned from one
another at every session. When I board the
plane to return to Los Angeles afterwards, I am
confident I’ve made the right choice, and
comforted by the fact our learning and
connectivity with one another continues
seamlessly through the online learning
resources when we are not on campus.”

Bridging distances
Connectivity away from the campus is clearly a
big issue for the EMBA, and even more so for a
school’s international contingent. If you want

TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 13

 EXECUTIVE MBA
EMBAAPPLICATIONS
NETWORKING
Made in Europe –
Networked around the world:
Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA
P
articipating in and completing an
Executive MBA at a top-ranked
program has its benefits:
outst anding professors, extraordinary
classmates and a qualified alumni network
are only a few examples. Whether it be a
challenging situation in the office,
feedback on a new business idea, or simply
confirmation that one is actually thinking
along the right lines in terms of strategic
planning, exchanging viewpoints with
those who know where you are coming
from – and what you are going through - is
a rewarding effect of the extensive network
Isabel Von Korff
Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA
program 2009
Manager Business Development,
Ascenion GmbH
“The very best part of the program was
to meet so many smart and motivated
inter national students from all
professions and businesses. It goes
without saying that the teaching staff
was excellent but the learning experience
from the peers was priceless.”
14 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba
that comes with the rigorous workload
required of a top program. While many
programs offer a solid alumni network,
few are as globally active as those from the
Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA program.
“From day one, it is clear that our
students and alumni expect to benefit
from a joint program,” says Hanne
Forssbohm, senior program manager of
Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA program.
“While a joint MBA degree from both the
Kellogg School of Management and
WHU-Otto Beisheim School of
Management is exceptional in its own
right, it’s only one side of the story. The
benefit of having full access to alumni
a s s o ci a t i o n s f r o m b o t h s c h o o l s i s
immeasurable. If you ask any graduate of
the program, the vast alumni network is
r e p e a t e d l y i n di c a t e d a s a p r i m a r y
advantage,” she says.
“The benefit of having full access to
alumni associations from both schools
is immeasurable.”
In fact, Kellogg-WHU alumni benefit
from a network of more than 50,000
graduates in over 90 countries worldwide,
all of whom have a strong allegiance to
both schools and to one another. Mark
Maczat, Kellogg-WHU Class of 2009,
remembers back to when he was in Seattle
on business, sitting in his hotel room,
when he had the idea to look up the local
Kellogg Alumni Chapter. “I sent an email
to the regional chapter organizer and a
few days later, I was participating in a
book club discussion at a private home
and drinking Californian red wine with
some US alumni. Another Kellogg
alumni, who is Finance Director at the
Microsoft headquarters reserved several
hours to show me the campus some days
later. This was an experience I’ll never
forget– and one that confirmed how
committed and connected the alumni are
to members of the same `family’.” Maczat’s
story is not extraordinary, as demonstrated
by repeated new business ventures,
innovative partnerships, and company and
career changes which occur regularly
among the Kellogg-WHU alumni network.
The partnership
The Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA
program is jointly offered by the Kellogg
School of Management at Northwestern
University, USA, and the WHU-Otto
B ei s h ei m S c h o o l o f M a n a g e m e n t ,
Germany. Launched in 1997, the Kellogg-
WHU EMBA program was a pioneer as
the first joint global EMBA degree offered
in Europe and has since developed into a
leader in its field. It consistently ranks as
one of Europe’s top EMBA programs: in
2010, the program ranked 14th in the
Financial Times Executive MBA rankings.
Students of the program are required
to complete two weeks on-site at the
Kellogg School of Management in

Evanston/Chicago and an additional
one week module, consisting of two
courses, at one of the additional partner
schools in Hong Kong, Miami, Tel Aviv
or Toronto. Each school offers its own
insights to local business, cultural and
p o l i t i c a l ci r c u m s t a n c e s , w h i l e t h e
teaching methodology is a unified blend
of classroom learning, case studies,
group work, individual assignments,
s i mu l a t i o n s a n d d e b a t e o f r e a l - l i f e
business problems.
Program participants themselves are
very international, with consistently well
“The potential of having numerous
opportunities to interact with managers of
diverse backgrounds in varied locations and
resulting in absorbing a multitude of
perspectives and ideas in a highly condensed
time period is not only priceless but also an
experience to which few are exposed.”
o v e r 5 0 % o f p r o g r a m p a r t i ci p a n t s
originating outside of Germany and
having global responsibilities. In all of the
global modules, students attend classes,
conduct group study work and network
with classmates from around the world
who are generally in the same stage of
completing the Kellogg family Executive
MBA. “The potential of having numerous
opportunities to interact with managers of
diverse backgrounds in varied locations
and resulting in absorbing a multitude of
perspectives and ideas in a highly
condensed time period is not only
priceless but also an experience to which
few are exposed,” says Forssbohm. “And
that is just during program participation!”
International networks
The bonds that are formed throughout the
program often result in lifelong
relationships. Class of 2010 EMBA alum,
Miriam Mertens has been able to create
an ‘inner circle’ network of about 10-15
people who have become friends from her
time in the business school classroom.
“We support each other in various
business matters and on top of that I
immediately got access to a ‘wider circle’
of students, alums, career coaches and
head hunters whom I can easily address to
discuss business opportunities, get access
to high potential candidates for my
company, and so on.”
Nat asha Dagneaud, class of 2009
alumna, reminisces about her Executive
MBA days at Kellogg-WHU and says that
the multi-dimensional aspect of the
program not only helped her to discover
many cultures, “[…] the nuances in the
A s i a - Pa ci f i c r e g i o n , I s r a e l a n d i t s
neighbours, North and South America,
the whole European rainbow, Indian
cultures…”, but it also enriched her
network “back in the real world”. “There
is always a friend somewhere, an expert,
someone to ask and consult. Everyone is
helpful. The best is that are the great
listeners... I am flying tomorrow to Tel
Aviv and will meet at least four friends
from my study time there. I am part of
their family now.”
Many programs have also adopted a
“buddy system” in order to st art the
p r o c e s s . “ We c o n n e c t a l u m ni w i t h
candidates who have similar backgrounds
and experiences,” explains Forssbohm.
“ T h e a l u m ni p r o v i d e a n i n s i d e r ’s
perspective of what it’s really like to
pursue an Executive MBA in terms of
managing professional, private and
school life during the program. It also
works to establish an initial contact to the
alumni network, which becomes an
invaluable source both during and after
the program,” she says.
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 15
EXECUTIVE MBA
EMBA NETWORKING
Women and the Executive
MBA – a chat with
Hannelore Forssbohm
Senior Program Manager, Kellogg-
WHU Executive MBA Program,
WHU-Otto Beisheim School
of Management
Hannelore Forssbohm has been Senior
Program Manager since January 2010,
responsible for the globally top ranked
Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA program
offered jointly with the Kellogg School of
Management, Chicago.
What advice would you give to women
wishing to do an Executive MBA?
It’s important to consider this as an investment
in yourself. Women have a tendency to think
about everyone else’s needs first: family,
colleagues and friends often take precedence.
How can women encourage their
families to buy into this idea of
pursuing an Executive MBA?
Obviously, it’s important that everyone is on
board. Sitting down with the family and
openly and honestly discussing what the next
two years will demand of everyone sets
expectations. This is truly a “family project”
and should be communicated as such.
The other party that is very important to get
buy-in from is your company or corporation.
How could you advise women to get that?
To be honest, there is no difference here
between genders. Anyone seriously interested
in pursuing an Executive MBA should
actively explain the benefits of this additional
know-how and skill set to the company. And
the benefits come immediately, since the
students can apply what they’ve learned in
the classroom today in their office tomorrow.
In essence it’s like putting a business plan
together and showcasing the benefits of the
initial investment for all the stakeholders.


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Maciej Gwozdz
Kellogg-WHU
Executive MBA program 2010
Operations Director,
TRW Automotive
“The program was designed to work hard
and play hard. Such an environment was
a unique opportunity for me to get to know
really great people. With the participant
locations covering all the continents, each
of us got a unique opportunity to create a
powerful global network.”
Miriam Mertens
Kellogg-WHU
Executive MBA program 2010
Senior Manager
of Strategy Development
“One of the best parts of going through
the Kellogg WHU program was the face
to face exchanges with business leaders
of the world and access to the very high
profile alumni network of Kellogg
School of Management and WHU.”
EXECUTIVE MBA
EMBA NETWORKING
This is the first point where students
learn that they have become part of a
larger family, the members of which are
all working towards a common goal of
making a positive and lasting impact in
the business and societal worlds. Being
part of this family opens doors everywhere
and is rooted in a deep friendship and a
willingness to help in all arenas. The
collaborative approach remains evident
long after graduation day. “The key is
reaching out,” says Forssbohm.
One Kellogg-WHU alum who hopes
to make use of this family is Maciej
Gwozdz. The operations director at TRW
Automotive, accountable for European Natacha Dagneaud
Steering Operations and Class of 2010
Kellogg-WHU
Executive MBA program 2009
Entrepreneur,
Founder Seissmo
“With the participant “Achieving an EMBA made me feel
stronger, wiser. It helped me create a “big
locations covering all picture view” and sharpened my sight as
well, helping me to take a step back
the continents, each during important and critical decisions.”
of us got a unique
opportunity to create
a powerful global
network. The balance
of the program, giving
us the opportunity for
networking, was also
an important factor.”
alum says the EMBA program was
designed to work hard and play hard, but
such an environment was a unique
opportunity for him to get to know “really Matthew Meredith
great people“.
Kellogg-WHU
“ W i t h th e pa r ticipa n t loca tion s
Executive MBA program 2010
covering all the continents, each of us got
a unique opportunity to create a powerful Entrepreneur,
global network. The balance of the Founder Ice Age Ice
program, giving us the opportunity for “The best part of the program was
networking, was also an import ant sharing business experiences with my
factor,“ explains Gwozdz. “I keep in other EMBA colleagues. The network is
touch with a number of colleagues and there and available to be accessed when
do not miss any opportunity to meet I need it and I will certainly avail myself
them. The alumni network is there to this network.”
whenever I need advice or help. During
the program I also made friendships
which I believe will be life-long.”
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 17
 EXECUTIVE MBA
DESIGN
APPLICATIONS
YOUR EMBA
Build your own curriculum
with ESCP Europe
European Executive MBA – One EMBA program, five places, six paces
E
SCP Europe’s Executive MBA
program is a reflection of the school’s
intrinsic values – truly European in
every way, flexible with a human dimension,
innovative and diverse. “In a multi-faceted
economy, one-size-fits-all solutions are
irrelevant,” says Frédéric Fréry, Dean of the
program. “In order to overcome the most
recent business challenges, our curriculum
solves the global/local dilemma in an
unparalleled way.”
Any Executive MBA candidate’s first
instinct when choosing a program is to look at
the various rankings delivered by media
around the world. ESCP Europe’s European
Executive MBA (EEMBA) ranked 15th in the
2010 Financial Times Executive MBA
ranking and first in the same ranking for career
progression. But beyond such rankings and a
candidate’s budget, how does one choose a
program that is not only a good fit personality-
Berlin
Paris
Mad
rid
18 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba
wise, but also meets the individual’s
requirements in terms of schedule, class
experience and variety of learning?
Your choice: five locations, six tracks
The European Executive MBA program’s
structure was built taking not only the
demanding timetables of busy executives into
consideration, but also the landscape of today’s
complex business environment where
mastering the core curriculum of an MBA
program is good, but certainly isn’t enough.
The ever-changing requirements of doing
business in a constantly-evolving world imply
being conversant in many different fields,
ranging from corporate responsibilities and
ethics to idea management; from CRM to
business and competitive intelligence; from
hedging strategies to performance measurement.
And that’s part of the ESCP Europe experience.
0SRHSR
Based on convenience of travel or desired
experience in another learning environment,
participants first choose their “track” from a
choice of six: Paris, London, Berlin, Madrid or
Torino, or a sixth track known as the “Itinerant
Track”. The Itinerant Track is just that – it gives
participants the opportunity to study at all five
European campuses of the business school
throughout their EMBA.
There is then the elective portfolio for
students to choose from. In effect, ESCP
Europe’s EMBA enables participants to choose
12-14 elective courses from a portfolio of more
than 30 topics, allowing them to develop a unique
element to their individual program. These
electives complement classic MBA core modules
in corporate strategy, finance, operations,
organizational behaviour and so on – thus
making the European Executive MBA curricula
one of the most varied among its competitors.
Weave your specialization into
your EMBA
Daphne de Charrin, a French
national living in Switzerland who
is preparing to launch her own life
and career coaching consultancy,
chose to pursue her EMBA at ESCP
Europe for its reputation, and the
diversity of the school’s courses and
electives. “Too few electives would
have discouraged me as well as too
many,” the class of 2010 alum says.
“In the latter case, I would have
been worried about the ability of the
school to provide quality classes.
The way the program was designed
was perfect as I only had to
commute to Paris, on
average, once a month.”
Torino The choice of elective
courses is divided into
three clusters: leadership
and management with a

special focus on personal development; strategy
and marketing; finance and control. A
comprehensive course description manual,
presenting the syllabus of each course, and
feedback from alumni posted on the intranet,
help participants define their choice, thus giving
them the unique opportunity to build a
specialization within the structure of a classic
general management-dedicated MBA. This also
gives students the opportunity to dive into more
specific detail on subjects they followed during
a core module or, on the contrary, diversify their
skill set to bring new competences not only to
their companies, but also their résumés.
Meanwhile, the leadership and
management electives give executives a chance
to step back and dedicate some time to personal
development, introspection and leadership
honing, a much welcomed opportunity in
today’s fast-paced world.
The vast array of elective choices, which
circulates between all five campuses, also
enables EEMBA participants to network with
fellow classmates from other tracks, enhancing
the overall learning experience. It is thus
possible to change class environments on a
regular basis and work with different groups
during the course of each elective, giving each
one the feel of an off-site business seminar.
Moreover, the five European campuses
offer networking opportunities with ESCP
alumni based in each city, as well as visits to
local companies. Elective courses are also
popular with alumni who regularly attend to
keep up with current business trends, stretching
the networking experience even further.
“While the European flavour
is given from the diversity of
the participants, the
locations and an emphasis
on European businesses and
managers, many of the topics
covered are global”
The Itinerant solution
The Itinerant Track, tailored for executives who
want to allot specific weeks dedicated to
intensive learning, offers the EEMBA in a
modular format (rather than the weekly or
monthly formats of other tracks). Core courses,
which are condensed into six modules
throughout the 18-month program, are taught
from Tuesday through to Friday morning.
Participants can then choose to complete the
week with elective courses, which take place
from Friday to Saturday afternoon.
This format suits the schedules of
executives who want to spend the least amount
of time out of the office during their Executive
MBA. As such, particularly relevant to self-
sponsored candidates, courses can be
completed during annual leave periods. The
Itinerant formula also allows candidates to
dedicate time solely to study, rather than
juggling both office and school commitments.
Johann Boukhors, branch manager at
GDFSuez in Belgium, says he found it more
convenient to travel away from work for one full
week every six weeks, rather than two days a
week. “I chose the Itinerant Track for the
diversity offered and because it [the EMBA]
wasn’t in my home country,” the 2010 alum
says. His fellow classmate, Brian Daly, VP for
Project Commercial Management at Siemens
AG in Germany, agrees. “I choose the Itinerant
Track as I liked to have more intensive training
weeks with the possibility to sandwich electives
on either side,” he says.
European focus, global business
The European focus of the program is by no
means its limitation. International seminars are
an integral part of the program and focus on
pushing the boundaries beyond Europe,
plunging executives into completely different
environments with new, unique business and
management issues.
Selina Leong, class of 2008 alum and
Channel Strategy & Business Optimization
Manager for Western Europe at Lenevo, is a
Singaporean national now based in Paris. “I
worked for American MNC’s (IBM, Dell,
Oracle, etc) for most of my career and am familiar
with Asia, so I wanted a program that would help
open up a different view of the world for me.”
In addition to enhancing their knowledge of
Europe and its governing institutions via a
dedicated seminar in Brussels, participants are
required to attend a regional leadership seminar
in Shanghai, New Delhi or Sao Paolo. Courses
are delivered at local partner business schools and
participants can visit local companies as well as
network with alumni. An innovation management
seminar in Austin, Texas also exposes executives
to the different business cases of North American
companies, as well as providing a basis of
comparison with European issues in the area.
“The EMBA is more than a European
MBA,” says Daly. “While the European flavour
is given from the diversity of the participants,
the locations and an emphasis on European
businesses and managers, many of the topics
covered are global. Therefore, the program is
EXECUTIVE MBA
DESIGN YOUR EMBA
Career progression
“Since graduating, I have held a strategic
project management function reporting into
the GM for a large blue-chip organization.
The role gave me the opportunity to
consolidate my learning from the program
across a range of general management
topics. I have now been promoted to
Director of Strategic Partnerships,
responsible for negotiating and
implementing global deals, and I shall be
relocating shortly from Paris to New York.
Combining both theoretical and practical
concepts has proved an invaluable
resource, guiding me as I make ever-
important career transition decisions. I
have been able to reflect on critical points
in my career such as: how should I brand
myself, how should I position myself, and
how should I network effectively? These
types of fundamental questions often lack
the appropriate focus and legwork to
ensure one’s success. As I develop and
evolve through my career I shall continue
to leverage this fantastic resource.”
Ryan Masters, Director, Strategic
Partnerships, American Express
ESCP Europe – European Executive
MBA – Class of 2008
global. That said, the interesting differentiation
factor to other global programs is the European
emphasis – and that makes it a European MBA
program,” he says.
A time to re-evaluate
“ESCP Europe’s Executive MBA is a European
program that thinks global,” says class of 2010
alum, Virginie Cheng, owner of Schanabelle de
Paris, a company dealing in hair extensions and
related products. “Our roots are European, but
the program taught us to be global thinkers. As an
entrepreneur dealing with suppliers and clients
all over the world, I feel like I now have a broader
vision that enables me to make wiser decisions.”
Choosing to pursue an Executive MBA
with ESCP Europe allows candidates to take a
step back and re-evaluate their executive
careers. Being able to build one’s own
curriculum not only adds a unique slant to a
general management degree acquired by
thousands of professionals each year, but also
opens new opportunities. What’s more, with
ESCP Europe’s distinct structure and its
commitment to providing a combined
European/global outlook, graduates of this
program are already one step ahead of the rest.
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 19
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An Executive MBA
lexicon
Ann Graham, Senior Features Writer, QS TopExecutive
& Hina Wadhwa Gonfreville, Editor-in-Chief, QS TopExecutive
What an Executive MBA
candidate needs to know

I
f you’re thinking about pursuing an MBA or an Executive MBA
(EMBA), you will most certainly come across a lot of industry-
specific terms and jargon used by business schools. Nowadays,
taking an Executive MBA is becoming a personal investment
decision, especially after the budget cuts experienced by corporations
during the financial crisis. Business schools are addressing the final
consumer (you, the candidate) more and more, not only in their
marketing collateral, but also via course structure, teaching style and
brand appeal.
As business schools continue to launch new EMBA programs
to better fit the needs and constraints of local, global and “glocal”
managers, we are seeing a flurry of terms used to describe these
programs. Paradoxically, we are also seeing more business schools
unite forces to offer jointly delivered programs that span not only
countries, but continents. All of this can make reading the market
slightly confusing for the busy EMBA candidate.
To help you make your decision, the QS TopExecutive Team
has put together a handy lexicon.
Our Executive MBA lexicon is a work in progress and keeps growing.
If you are an EMBA alum or a prospective participant and have come
across any terms you think might help the next generation of EMBA-
seekers, we invite you to send us your suggestions: editors@qs.com
Regular updates can be found on TopMBA.com/EMBA.
The MBA, or Masters in Business Administration, is a graduate
degree designed to provide participants with knowledge of business
practice. The degree originated in the United States in the late 19th
century and today is offered by business schools around the world.
The MBA is a general management degree but it is becoming
increasingly possible to specialize in various fields, such as wine
management, luxury goods, or sports.

20 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba


Types of MBA programs
Full-time MBA
The full-time MBA is exactly that: one to two years of full-time
graduate study. Participants attend weekday classes at a business
school and will need to dedicate 12-24 months of their life while
studying for the degree – there is very little, if any time, for additional
work, travel or leisure activities. This is why it is so important to get
family support when embarking on an MBA degree. Two-year MBA
programs are common in North America. They allow participants to
become immersed in their studies and often provide a period of time
to embark on an internship. One-year MBA programs are the norm
in Europe. These programs are incredibly intensive and time-
consuming as everything is taught within 12 months. There is no
opportunity for internships but it does mean participants are only
out of the workforce for one year. Full-time MBA programs are
suitable for participants with one to two years of work experience.
Accelerated MBA
The accelerated MBA is a variation on the two-year program.
Participants can expect a higher course load and a more intensive
class schedule. There is also less time in between semesters and the
summer break is much shorter than usual. Accelerated MBAs are
typically one year long.
Distance learning MBA
The key difference between a distance learning MBA and an online
MBA is that the former requires participants to attend class at some
time during their studies. For the majority of the time, participants
studying a distance learning MBA will learn via interactive video,
pre-recorded video, teleconferencing and online or offline computer
courses. Many distance learning MBA programs also require
participants to organize meetings with their ‘online’ classmates as
well as attending classes, usually held on weekends, at various times
throughout the program. This type of course delivery can sometimes
be referred to as blended learning, especially as we are seeing
business schools take advantage of mobile or smart technology.
Online MBA
Many business schools have responded to the needs of participants
and are now offering an MBA degree online. Participants can gain
the qualification from the comfort of their own home and apply it
immediately in their everyday work. However, studying for an MBA
online does require high levels of self-discipline and time
management. Initially, online and distance learning MBA programs
were not thought to be of the same calibre as those offered on campus
– participants were seen to be missing out on classroom debate and
interaction with colleagues. However, many employers have now
realised the commitment an online MBA requires of an individual
and today, an online MBA degree is just as valued in the workforce
as that of an MBA acquired in the classroom.
Executive MBA (EMBA)
Executive MBA (EMBA) programs are designed for the experienced
working professional who cannot afford to take a prolonged period
of time away from their career. The EMBA program is delivered in
a part-time format, over a period of 12 to 24 months, allowing
participants to study while they work. Business schools look for
EMBA participants with a high level of managerial experience (five
EXECUTIVE MBA
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years minimum; ten years total work experience on average), and
as a result EMBA candidates are usually more mature than their
full-time MBA counterparts. Due to the nature of the EMBA,
participants require support, and in many instances financial
assistance, from their organization. Employer buy-in is crucial for
the EMBA as this ensures participants can attend the course on a
regular basis. EMBA classrooms are made up of a range of
executives with varying backgrounds, job functions and positions.
The EMBA is also increasing in popularity as a qualification among
women due to its flexible nature.
EMBA – Professional (PMBA)
The professional MBA, a variant of the part-time MBA and
intensive EMBA, provides even greater flexibility than many
programs, allowing participants to study via evening or weekend
study modes and graduate within 12 months. Because of the two
types of study modes offered, candidates are also able to switch
between them to suit their study loads and personal circumstances
which can often change while working full time. For some
candidates there is also the option to switch to a full-time MBA at
some business schools.
Global EMBA (also known as GEMBA)
The global EMBA is a modular EMBA that has participants
experiencing not only a different classroom environment, but
different countries and cultures at the same time. Global Executive
MBA programs are usually combined programs between different
schools or campuses of the same school in different corners of the
globe. GEMBA programs are competitive and also usually more
expensive. Participants must not only deal with the workload but
also the travel involved on such a program. However, being able to
study in different financial and business hubs around the world only
adds to the GEMBA experience.
Joint EMBA (also includes consortia and multi-institution
programs)
Similar in style to the global EMBA, multi-institution or joint MBA
programs allow participants to experience a variety of teaching
styles and curricula on different campuses. These programs can be
delivered by two to up to six partner institutions.
Modular EMBA
The modular EMBA is intensive. It requires participants to
immerse themselves into the EMBA classroom for allotted periods
of time (usually from one to two weeks) once every few months
(rather than weekly or fortnightly classes). This requires
participants to take prolonged periods of time away from their
work, but some choose to dedicate their annual leave or vacation
weeks to study, and as a result, spend less time away from the office
overall. The workload of each module is heavy and participants are
expected to focus completely on their EMBA qualification during
this time. Depending on their place of residence, some candidates
will need to travel to another country for their modular EMBA. It
can be taken over one or two years.
Part-time MBA
The part-time MBA degree is a full-time program studied over three
or more years. Participants can continue to work while they study as
classes are held during evenings or over weekends.
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 21
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Facts and choices to consider Electives

Accreditation
Most MBA programs are accredited at a local and international
level. There are three major accreditation bodies – AMBA,
AACSB and EQUIS. These have been set up to ensure there is
a level of consistency and quality across all graduate business
qualifications that are being offered throughout the world.
Candidates considering an MBA or EMBA degree are advised
to avoid unaccredited MBA programs.
Alumni network
This could very well be the greatest advantage of studying for
your Executive MBA. The alumni network of which you will be
a part of upon graduation will become an incredibly valuable
professional resource for career progression, professional
development and quite possibly, business opportunities. The
content and delivery style of an Executive MBA program are,
of course, key elements that will influence your choice, but the
kind of network the business school offers should also be part of
your checklist. Speaking with alumni as you carry out research
into EMBA programs will give you an insight into life as an
EMBA participant and life after the degree. The doors your
network opens are part of your Return on Investment (ROI).
Balancing act
One of the greatest benefits of an Executive MBA degree is
that you don’t have to give up your full-time work in order to
study – you do it at the same time! But that requires a
balancing act. By enrolling in an EMBA, not only do you have
to find time for work and family commitments, you now need
to find time for your coursework – and an EMBA workload is
intense! However, business schools are aware of the time and
energy commitment required for an EMBA program and in
many instances, run their EMBA in such a way that it won’t
interfere with your full-time job. In fact, it will only enhance
it. What you do need though, is support from your family and
your employer. Make sure they are aware of the commitment
you are going to have to give your EMBA degree, because
without their support, your EMBA just got a whole lot tougher!
Electives are specific subjects you choose throughout your
EMBA studies to complement the core course modules. This
component gives EMBA participants specific insight into
subjects that may of particular interest. The number of elective
courses on offer depends on the business school, so check the
program features of the EMBAs you are looking into.
Group work
Study for an Executive MBA and you’ll never be alone – you’ll
have support from your family, friends and colleagues as well as
your EMBA classmates. And it is these likeminded professionals,
who have also chosen to pursue an EMBA, who you’ll work most
closely with – particularly when it comes to group assignments,
required for a lot of courses and class deliverables! Teamwork is
one of the key components of any Executive MBA program, giving
participants the unique opportunity to work with executives from
a broad range of industries and job functions. One of the most
challenging but rewarding aspects of an EMBA program, group
work also gives participants a chance to work on personal skills
while enhancing the EMBA networking experience. Unlike the
company project, your work groups will change for each course/
module, therefore, the different elements each member brings to
the table will ensure you, the EMBA participant, are treated to
a dynamic study environment.
You will find yourself working in teams almost on a
permanent basis, which will require juggling with different groups
for the various course assignments, often over different time
zones. Added to this will be the teamwork related to your company
project, which once a project has been picked and groups formed,
requires steady groupwork throughout your program. So when
you hear that an EMBA program helps you hone your multi-
tasking and time management skills, it’s 110% true!

Company project
Most Executive MBA programs will include a company
assignment or project. This assignment can be linked to your
own company and provide you with an excellent opportunity
for hands-on practice, or it can be a consulting mission for
another company or even an entrepreneurial project.The
project will require you – the EMBA participant – to use all
the core module skills acquired on the program, and will be an
integral part of the assessment leading to your degree. If your
company has a project to propose, make it part of your ‘deal’.
After all, hiring an external consultancy can be an expensive
operation, so why not use that budget to fund part or all of your
tuition fees and carry out the mission for your company at the
same time? It can be a rewarding experience for all, including
the organization, which will benefit from the expertise of
‘consultants’ from different corporate cultures and industries
(who just happen to be your EMBA classmates).

22 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba


Application and admissions
Admissions Committee (AdCom)
In short – these are the people you need to impress. Members of
the Admissions Committee of your chosen business school, or
schools, will be the ones reading your application. They’ll also
be the ones who, should you pass the initial round of scrutiny,
interview you for a place on their EMBA program. We strongly
advise you to meet representatives of different EMBA admissions
teams face-to-face at program presentations, open days
organized at the business schools, or at events such as the QS
World Executive MBA Tour. For many candidates this is the
first – and possibly only – opportunity you will have to meet with
admissions officers before submitting an application. It is also
a chance for you to meet with alumni who attend these events to
support their schools. Whilst it’s true the EMBA committee is
choosing you to be part of their course, it’s important to
remember that you are also choosing your program.
GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test)
The GMAT is a computer-adaptive, standardized test in
mathematics and the English language that measures aptitude
to succeed academically in graduate business studies. EMBA
programs may or may not require the GMAT based on certain
criteria, for example, number of years worked or years of
management experience. The minimum score required varies
from program to program.
IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
IELTS is recognized by more than 6,000 institutions in over
135 countries. The minimum score required varies from
program to program.
Rolling admissions process
Many Executive MBA programs use what
they call a rolling admissions
process. This means they
are constantly
receiving and
reviewing dossiers
throughout the academic
year. They accept or
EXECUTIVE MBA
LEXICON
reject candidates as they are reviewed (including a waiting list
option for borderline applications), and provide a response within
four to six weeks of receipt.
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
Many MBA and EMBA programs will require this test for
candidates whose first language is not English. The TOEFL test
is the most widely respected English language test in the world,
recognized by more than 7,500 colleges, universities and
agencies in more than 130 countries. The minimum score
required varies from program to program.
TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication)
Similar to the TOEFL, this test is more commonly used by
companies and organizations.
Transcript
A transcript is an official report supplied by a school on the
record of an individual student, listing subjects studied, grades
received, etc. Most EMBA programs require a transcript from
the institution where the participant completed their bachelor’s
degree or equivalent, to ensure the suitability for the EMBA
program. If you are an autodidact or a non-conventional
candidate, discuss the options available to you with the EMBA
program’s admissions team. Depending on your background and
professional experience, you may be able to find a solution.
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 23
 EXECUTIVE MBA
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FINANCE
Financing
your
Don’t let your Executive MBA leave you out of pocket. Finance and scholarship are on offer for
Executive MBA candidates. You just need to know where to look, writes Ann Graham
I
t’s no secret that an Executive MBA
demands a great deal of dedication.
There’s the time away from work and
family, the intellectual challenges, not
to mention the deadlines of projects and
group work. But on top of it all is the
financial investment – and that’s a
significant commitment.
Fortunately, despite the hefty tuition fees
associated with Executive MBA programs,
candidates can be guaranteed a return on their
investment. Those in the EMBA classroom,
such as Go Jewellery founder and Kellogg-
WHU student Charmaine Leung (see profile
p28), speak of reaping the rewards of their
EMBA degree immediately, implementing
what they’ve learnt in the classroom into their
work the next day. Others, such as IMD
alumnus, Aaron Sylvan, talk about the
advantages the EMBA has given to their business
and the change in their own professional
performance. Yet they all acknowledge there is
a cost involved in embarking on this prestigious
business school degree.
Sources of finance
The nature of the Executive MBA – studying
while working to enhance professional growth
– means many candidates to the business
school classroom fund their studies through a
combination of self-financing and company
sponsorship. However, increasingly candidates
are looking to other forms of financing to get
them through their business school program.
“The main trend over the years has been
a gradual reduction in the number of
students being fully sponsored by their
companies,” says Séan Rickard, Director of
MBA Admissions at Cranfield School of
Management. “Back in the 1980s
24 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba
future
approximately 80% of our students had their
fees paid by their companies and most of
these had all their fees paid. We now have not
only a reduction in the number of students
being sponsored – although participant
numbers have increased by a quarter since
the 1980s – but also a reduction in the
proportion of fees being paid.”
“As jobs for life are becoming a thing of the
past, so is the sponsorship of postgraduate
education. We do occasionally find some
employers – possibly realizing they are about to
“EMBA scholarships
are still available from
some of the world’s top
business schools”
lose a good person – offering to pay the second
year’s fees. I believe there is a trend towards our
students changing jobs during the [E]MBA,
which indicates the new employer is prepared
to at least grant the student time off to study,
possibly because they can appreciate the
additional value of an [E]MBA,” he says.
EMBA scholarships
An additional form of EMBA finance is
scholarships. Although not as plentiful as their
full-time MBA counterparts, EMBA
scholarships are still available from some of
the world’s top business schools. Emory
University’s Goizueta Business School offers
a 30% scholarship to all not-for-profit
candidates that are accepted in to the program.
“We also offer one small scholarship each
year to a recipient in each class,” says Joan C.
Coonrod, Assistant Dean for Executive MBA
Admissions and Marketing at Emory. “This is
from a recently endowed class gift fund and
we hope to grow the fund over the years.”
Imperial College London has a few
scholarships on offer as do IE Business School
and the W P Carey School of Business at
Arizona State University, among others.
Executive MBA scholarships are becoming
more innovative to help open up the EMBA
classroom and to attract more diversity among the
participants. INSEAD offers five scholarships for
its Global Executive MBA program, ranging from
scholarship awards for women, to scholarships for
social entrepreneurs, to candidates in active
public service. ESCP Europe currently offers a
corporate scholarship to SMEs to support them
in the development of their talent and
international expansion projects. The school also
recently announced the creation of a new full
scholarship fund for NGO professionals.
Cass Business School in London is
offering new scholarships for its Executive
MBA programs in 2011. The four new ‘Dean’s
Scholarships’, worth £10,000 each, will be
available for candidates in the March 2011
Evening EMBA and in the May modular
intake. Steven Cousins, MBA Recruitment and
Admissions Manager at Cass Business School,
London says the school is noticing an increase
in applicants unable to fully self-finance their
EMBA. “More [candidates] are looking for full
or partial company sponsorship and we have
also seen an increase in enquiries about loans.
Looking at the past two years, our evening
EMBAs are seeing a decrease in company

sponsorship of around five percent, and our
weekend EMBA has seen increases in company
sponsorship of around ten percent.”
To receive – and maint ain – a
scholarship, the criteria is much the same
across the board. At W P Carey, where
scholarships are on offer to EMBA students
who reside outside the school’s area to help
offset travel costs, students must ensure they
m a i n t a i n g o o d a c a d e mi c s t a n di n g
throughout the program. At Imperial College
the criteria is academic excellence,
professional performance, behaviour during
the assessment process and an essay, says
Ebrahim Mohamed, director of Imperial’s
Executive MBA programs.
This is what Jane Prior, director of
academic programs at Melbourne Business
School in Australia also looks for in a
successful EMBA scholarship recipient.
“Scholarships are awarded to students of
outst anding academic st anding, with
proven/demonstrated leadership
experience and potential,” she says. “A
winning application clearly articulates the
candidates’ strengths relative to the
selection criteria, and their capacity to
contribute to the MBS community as a
student and alumnus.”
Stephen Adamson, associate director of
admissions for the International Executive
MBA at IE Business School in Spain says the
key criteria for their scholarships is the
strength of a candidate profile and their
ability to pay for the program. “Clearly, we
target scholarships to those with lower
salaries (usually for geographic regions),” he
says. “Scholarships are also targeted to
improve diversity.”
At IE, Executive MBA students have
access to scholarships and fellowships, and
the school also promotes or partners with,
leading financial institutions globally to
facilitate the student loan process. “While
EMBA students are advised to seek out
additional funding options such as
corporate sponsorship or public loan-
scholarship programs in their home
countries, other ways IE helps EMBAs is
by offering flexible payment plans adapted
to program participants’ individual
economic situations.”
EXECUTIVE MBA
FINANCE
Adamson says students who wouldn’t
normally qualify for a scholarship should take note
of the ieCommunities Fellowship opportunity
whereby in exchange for the EMBA’s moderation
of knowledge forums, the student receives
economic support towards their program fees.
Another European business school
offering EMBA scholarships is IESE. Maria
Puig, Executive Director of the Global
Executive MBA says the school’s scholarship
fund targets three different groups: women,
entrepreneurs and candidates from emerging
markets. “A winning scholarship application
comes from one of the target groups
mentioned above, reflects high potential and
meets all our admissions requirements,” Puig
says. “Most importantly, candidates should
have a global mindset, be highly motivated,
and have a minimum of 10 years of work
experience and a proven track record.”
Financial support
Fordham University’s Graduate School of
Business Administration doesn’t have
scholarships but the school has offered
“Graduate Assistantships” for some students
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 25
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A winning application
Zoya Zaitseva, QS Scholarships
Manager, gives her top tips for
putting together a winning
scholarship application
1) Research your scholarship
options carefully
Business schools offer a variety of
scholarships for different
candidate groups, e.g. women,
social entrepreneurs, cultural
diversity – so make sure you apply
for the most appropriate one.
2) Fill in the forms correctly
Make sure you follow the
instr uctions. Scholarship
administrators won’t spend the time
considering an application that
hasn’t been completed correctly.
3) Provide all the documentation
required
Most scholarship application
forms will have a checklist of the
documentation you need as part of
your application. Make sure you’ve
ticked all the boxes and provide
original documents where asked.
4) Make your application unique
One size does not fit all with a
scholarship application so take
the time to apply for each
scholarship separately.
5) Scholarship essays
A scholarship application will
include an essay or two – much like
your business school application.
Think carefully about your essay
topic – answer and make it
relevant to the business school and
scholarship fund you are applying
for. The more personal you can
make it, the better.
6) Give it a go
Each year thousands of dollars,
worth of scholarships go
unclaimed. In some cases it’s
because schools haven’t found an
appropriate candidate, but more
often than not it’s because there
aren’t enough quality applicants.
Have faith in yourself and apply
for the scholarship that suits you.
26 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba
working in the non-profit area, while EMBA
Worldwide, at the University of Pittsburgh,
provides some travel scholarships and
scholarships for diversity candidates as well as
facilitating applicant access to federal funding.
There are no scholarships available from
Virginia Tech for EMBA candidates, but as
Karime Shamloo, Assistant Director of
Executive MBA programs says, some students
receive a tuition discount due to partnership
agreements that have been set with the program.
Finding funding may be a challenge for
EMBA candidates but finding financial support
certainly isn’t. Business schools around the
globe are aware of the financial investment
their EMBA programs require from candidates,
and are therefore willing to give them advice
and point them in the right direction.
Ashley Arnold, director of MBA
recruitment at Henley Business School in the
UK, has seen a number of candidates review
their own personal funding of assets, such as
cars and houses, and as such, the school is
looking into options as to how to support
candidates further. “There is a mixture of loans
and self-financing [of candidates] at Henley,
but loans are starting to disappear,” Arnold says.
“We’re looking at options to help candidates
with their finances, such as extending the
number of payments a candidate can make and
we also have scholarships on offer. We’re
flexible on a case by case basis,” he says.
At Virginia Tech, Shamloo says students
and EMBA candidates are encouraged to speak
with their companies and figure out any tuition
benefit they may receive as employees of the
company. “In addition, they are encouraged to
consider coordinating efforts to sign a
partnership agreement with their company to
receive a tuition discounted rate,” she says.
The financial future
While company sponsorship of Executive
MBA candidates may once have been the
mainstay of the business school classroom,
this financial support is waning and it’s
requiring executives to look at other options
in the financing world.
Jon Lees, Executive Director of the
Warwick MBA in the UK ,has seen a decrease in
the number of students being sponsored between
2008/09 (73% from October to March) and
2009/10 (48% from October to March). As a
result, the program has begun to encourage
students to actively pursue funding with their
employers instead of just going with the status
quo. “The school is now finding that more
students are a) requesting support and funding
from their employer and b) being successful in
receiving funding from their employer,” he says.
“Organizations are becoming stricter,
however, with regards to how candidates can
demonstrate the benefits of studying an MBA:
they now want hard facts and figures. Whilst
reward, retention and motivation are clear
benefits for any employer, there are others that
are less obvious such as soft skills (teamwork,
leadership, communication), strategic thinking,
inter-departmental relationship building, and
networking opportunities,” Lees says.
One thing is for certain – when finances
are a concern, candidates must think outside
the box and become smarter in their methods
of securing such an investment.
 EXECUTIVE MBA

EMBA EXPERIENCE

The
EMBA
experience
You’ve read the Executive MBA program rankings, scoured the internet for information
on the top schools, searched the prospective student section for your top picks, and
even visited the www.topmba.com/emba website, but have you heard from the true
voices of experience?
Those who have travelled or are travelling the path you are considering have much
knowledge to share and wisdom to impart. They know all about the balancing act
of school, family and career and are here to tell you that “yes, it can be done”. In
this special section dedicated to brilliant current students and star alumni, the QS
TopExecutive Guide gives you the opportunity to hear how these amazing business
men and women are using their EMBAs to change the courses of their lives. If you
have been hesitating about pursuing your Executive MBA, these inspirational stories
may be that extra nudge you need to just do it!

TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 27

 EXECUTIVE MBA

CURRENT STUDENTS
APPLICATIONS

Going back for more

Emilio Veiga Gil already has a full-time MBA, but that hasn’t
stopped him returning to the business school classroom to pursue
his Executive MBA

E milio Veiga Gil decided to pursue an

EMBA, for very specific reasons. “I
wanted to update my training,” the director
of marketing for Latin America and the
Caribbean at MoneyGram International
says. “Thirteen years had passed since I got
my full-time MBA and management trends
and some techniques had changed, so one
of my objectives was to make sure I had a
major update on my training from a top-
Emilio Veiga Gil ranked school at a key period of my
professional career.”
Chicago Booth School of Business Gil also wanted a top business school
Class of 2011 brand to be associated with his professional
profile, and the opportunity to tap into the
school’s international network. As he nears
the end of his second business school
qualification, Gil is expecting his EMBA to
contribute to improving his performance
and helping him progress faster within his
career. “I think of an EMBA as a signalling
device: it conveys to current/prospective
employers something about your
intellectual ability and your capacity for
commitment,” he says. “This will have a
positive impact on one’s career, if not in the
short-term, it will in the mid-term.”
With both a full-time MBA and an
Executive MBA soon to be next to his
name, it’s obvious that Gil is a strong
advocate for investing in one’s education
and continuous training. “I would
encourage others to pursue an EMBA,” he
says. “It is a time and economic investment
a n d o p p o r t u ni t y c o s t s a r e h i g h .
Consequently, I would encourage choosing
wisely, but definitely doing it at the most
suitable time in one’s career.”

Designing her career

Founder of start-up online jewellery brand, Go Jewellery www.
go-jewellery.com, Charmaine Leung is now designing her business
through the help of an Executive MBA

R unning a business is in Charmaine

Leung’s blood. She is a third generation
of businessminds and having both her
parents, and grandparents, as successful
business people ahead of her, Leung knew it
was her calling.
“It always intrigued me to know how a
business is run, setup and more importantly
grown and sustained, especially with the ever-
changing business environment and
economic uncertainties,” the Hong Kong
businesswoman says. “I have always aspired
to start up my own business; it was a challenge
I wanted to bestow upon myself.”
With a background in consulting and
investment banking, Leung says there were
many topics and knowledge she did not have,
such as marketing and branding. “They’re not
paths I had come across in my previous
careers, but doing an EMBA allows me to
learn and expand my knowledge further,
through a multitude of courses that are
offered through the program,” she says.
As an entrepreneur, Leung is able to
implement such knowledge directly into her
business with the guidance and support of her
fellow EMBA participants. “My classmates
and professors have been extremely
supportive in providing feedback to my
business. From critical product reviews, areas
of improvement, challenging perspectives
and even sales opportunities realized.”
Upon graduation, Leung would like to
Charmaine Leung
see that her business has grown in multiple Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA
dimensions, from sales to designs to exposure, Class of 2011
while remaining competitive in the market.
“Most importantly, I have equipped myself
with additional skills and a network to sustain
and grow through future market uncertainties
and economic changes, whether it is for new
roles, business opportunities or challenges that
I will face in the near future.”

28 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba


Early days
Catherine Clauzade is in the midst of her Executive MBA and
reveals what it’s like in the business school classroom
A process engineering professional,
Catherine Clauzade has taken up the
EMBA challenge at EMLYON Business
School. “I decided to pursue an Executive
MBA to go from ‘expert reference on which
we rely on’ to ‘responsible economic entity’,”
she says.
A mother of two teenagers, Clauzade
chose her timing to enter business school
carefully. “I have two children, 17 and 14
years old, and I am deeply convinced that my
Catherine Clauzade commitment to this EMBA is an excellent
example of questioning and confidence in
EMLYON the future,” she says. “I waited until they had
finished early childhood education so that it
Class of 2012
[EMBA] fits more easily among everything
else. But mostly, in order not to miss any
professional opportunity once I graduate!”
Clauzade is currently in charge of
development concerning end-of-life tyre
management (research strategy and
development programs), on behalf of
“I have equipped myself with
additional skills and a network
to sustain and grow through
future market uncertainties
and economic changes.”
EXECUTIVE MBA
CURRENT STUDENTS
Bridgestone-Continental-Dunlop-
Goodyear-Kléber-Michelin-Pirelli.
Although only four months into her
Executive MBA, she’s already noticing an
impact, and has her sights firmly set on
moving to an operational position with
help from her business school degree.
Although a bit too early to determine
the best parts of her Executive MBA,
Clauzade says the classes on strategy have
been the most exciting, but it’s the
atmosphere and solidarity among the
participants that has been the most pleasant
surprise of the program.
Yet despite her positive experience of
business school to date, Clauzade is careful
about encouraging others to pursue an
Executive MBA. “I would only encourage
someone who is already interested,” she says.
“Given the level of involvement required, it
seems important that the primary motivation
comes from the candidate.”
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 29
 EXECUTIVE MBA

EMBA
APPLICATIONS
ALUMNI

Timing is everything
For Rodolfo Arocena, the greatest asset of his Executive MBA
was the experience itself

A s an industrial engineer, Rodolfo

Arocena decided to pursue an Executive
MBA for his professional development: “I
needed to acquire business knowledge,” the
Uruguay-born alumnus of HHL Leipzig
Graduate School of Management says.
During his two years in the business
school classroom, Arocena enjoyed the
exchanging of professional experiences with
the rest of his EMBA colleagues, including the
professors. “The main impact I received from
Rodolfo Arocena the Executive MBA was taking part in the
program,” he says, “that and sharing
HHL Leipzig Graduate School experiences as well as the knowledge itself.
of Management, Executive MBA After finishing, it [the EMBA] did help me a lot
Class of 2005 in establishing my own consultancy company.”
Arocena embarked on his EMBA while
working in a multinational textile company,
managing three production facilities of the
group – Lanera Santa María in Montevideo,
Uruguay, Leipziger Wolkammerei AG in
Leipzig, Germany, and Cape of Good Hope
Woolcombers in Uitenhage, South Africa.
(Arocena has three children – one born in each
of the three countries he has lived). But three
years after graduating, Arocena returned home
to Uruguay to establish his consultancy which
specializes in implementing ERP software.
“I feel I would still have had this
opportunity if it had not been for the Executive
MBA, but nevertheless, the experience itself
proved extremely useful for establishing the
company,” he says.
Arocena has also benefitted from the social
network of the Executive MBA, and the HHP
Leipzig alumnus, who is also a classic car
enthusiast, wouldn’t hesitate to recommend
others follow in his footsteps. “I would definitely
encourage others to pursue an EMBA, but it
must be done at the right time, and not too soon.”

A deepening perspective
Nick Mbuvi had reached a point in his career when he thought
going back to school was necessary, so he headed for IESE’s
GEMBA (Global EMBA) classroom

O ctober 8th, 2009 was a momentous day

in Nick Mbuvi’s personal and
professional life. It was the day he graduated
from IESE Business School with his Global
Executive MBA degree. The Kenyan
businessman says he had reached a point in
his career where he wanted to broaden and
deepen his own perspective as a leader, and
believed attending business school would
help him to reach that goal.
“I had grown from a career perspective,
held several management and leadership roles
in the organization and felt I needed to broaden
and deepen my decision-making skills – this
made me decide to pursue an Executive MBA.”
However, it was a steep learning curve
for Mbuvi. “I think I underestimated the size
of the challenge: pursuing the EMBA,
having a full-time job and creating time for
the family is no mean task.”
Mbuvi is the Corporate Banking
Director for Barclays Global Retail and
Commercial Banking in East Africa, a
position he was promoted to, two months
after graduating. It’s a position he says he
“absolutely would not have been given”
had it not been for his business school
education. “The EMBA has certainly given
me a major boost in my career and put me
in a position where I am very at ease with
exploring new opportunities both within
Nick Mbuvi
the company and outside.” IESE Business School,
Looking back at his time in the Global Executive MBA
classroom, Mbuvi says the best part of his Class of 2009
EMBA experience was: “being alongside
some of the best brains drawn from different
nationalities and disciplines, sharing ideas
in class and during group discussions. It was
the most enriching experience I have been
through to date.

30 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba

 EXECUTIVE MBA

EMBA ALUMNI

Exceeding expectations
Fabiana Prada’s Executive MBA allowed her to differentiate
herself, both personally and professionally

B usiness studies weren’t new to Fabiana

P r a d a , w h o s t u di e d b u s i n e s s
administration at Universidade de Sao Paulo
for her undergraduate degree; but the lure of
an Executive MBA was too much for this
marketing manager to resist.
“I decided to pursue an EMBA because,
firstly, it is a complete education covering
in-depth areas of a business enterprise, and
secondly, because of my own interest in
continuing to renew my knowledge basis
Fabiana Prada and to be in contact with latest business
practices. Furthermore, having a business
Katz Graduate School of Business, major as a background, with an emphasis in
University of Pittsburgh finance, I felt the EMBA would give me a
Class of 2007 broader view and allow me to deal better
with a variety of day-to-day issues.”
She wasn’t disappointed: “The
program really exceeded all my
expectations,” Prada says. “From the class
content to the professors’ skill level, from
the faculty staff to classmates – everything
was designed to enhance the learning
experience.”
Prada didn’t embark on family life until
after graduating with her Executive MBA,
but she certainly has advice for other
women. “I would say to other women to
really set your priorities and focus on what
is important – both in your job and in your
personal life.”
“During my EMBA I used to dedicate
weekend mornings to the EMBA (reading
material, homework etc.), leaving the week
days to focus on my job and on my personal
activities, such as watching a movie or working
out. It didn’t always work that way, but I didn’t
compromise much on what was really
important: to have my job done at work, and
to spend time with family and friends.”

Securing self-confidence
Brazilian doctor, Mariano Janiszewski brought his medical
experience to the business school classroom in search of new
knowledge from the Executive MBA

T rained in intensive care and internal

medicine, Mariano Janiszewski worked
in intensive care before turning to a career in
academia. It was the first of a number of
career changes to come.
In September 2006, Janiszewski took
the position of clinical research physician in
the cardiovascular and critical care medicine
group in the Brazilian Affiliate of Eli Lilly.
A year later he was appointed medical
director, with responsibilities over the
clinical research, regulatory and customer
contact activities in the country.
“I had a very strong scientific (research)
background, specifically in physiology and
biochemistry and at the beginning, my job with
Eli Lilly had a heavy technical context. As I got
more involved in administrative, leadership and
business issues, I noticed I could benefit from
some formal business education.”
Embarking on his Executive MBA,
Janiszewski was put into contact with
several different disciplines and issues from
different areas of the managing world in
what he describes as a “fast-track”
environment. “I gained a broader view of
complex managing issues and a better
understanding of the relations within the
corporate world. I also have a deeper
understanding of the leadership role and of
strategic thinking, and an important gain
Mariano Janiszewski
in self-confidence.” Katz Graduate School of Business,
It’s that gain in self-confidence that University of Pittsburgh
Janiszewski believes helped him to step up Class of 2010
a level to his current position. “I had been
offered this opportunity before I completed
the EMBA, but I strongly believe the EMBA
gave me the self-confidence to pursue this
challenge. When I understood the broader
responsibility, I accepted,” he says.

TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 31

 EXECUTIVE MBA

APPLICATIONS
EMBA ALUMNI

Speaking both languages

It wasn’t until the Executive MBA that Franz Fankhauser had
the tools to do what he always felt would be right for him

F ranz Fankhauser found being in the

position of medical director without
proper economic training very
uncomfortable. “After some time of fruitless
arguments with hospital management, I
decided to acquire the know-how to become
superior to them,” Fankhauser says. So he
turned to the Executive MBA.
What Fankhauser hadn’t prepared for
was the impact it would have on his career.
“About six months after beginning [the
Franz Fankhauser program], I was sure the knowledge learned
– and to be learned – would be more than
HHL Leipzig Graduate School of sufficient to start as an entrepreneur.”
Management, Executive MBA Fankhauser has since founded a
Class of 2007 company which delivers top level service
in ophthalmology. He believes there are
many entrepreneurs who may not need an
EMBA “This is probably because they have
natural talent,” he says. “But for those who
don’t have this natural talent (people like
me), the EMBA is probably one of the few
ways to level up and be able to talk to the
true geniuses at eye level.”
In retrospect, Fankhauser says there
were many opportunities for him to pursue
his entrepreneurial ambition during his
lifetime. “But it was not before the [E]MBA
that I had the tools to do what I always felt
would be right for me.”
The Executive MBA has brought
added advantages for Fankhauser. “To be
able to identify and eliminate traps, to
fight my opponents on their own level, to
negotiate on all levels without any
problems and to be sure to have the tools
to operate on a truly global level,” he says.
“There are two global languages: one is
medicine, the second is economy – now I
can speak them both.”

Love and the EMBA

Kerry Watts gained more than just a promotion after completing
her Executive MBA – she found her soulmate

K erry Watts was a frontline clinical nurse in

Accident & Emergency (A&E) when she
moved to the pharmacy department on a
medicines management project. As she
broadened her scope of work within the
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation
Trust, Watts suddenly became aware of the need
to add a theoretical background to her work.
“The impact of this time encouraged
me to enhance my education, so that I
would have the theory behind the
management and leadership qualities,
which I had observed in many of those
whom I regard as role models,” she says.
Watts found the time at work, in-between
her EMBA classes, allowed her to find out just
how the theories being taught were (or were not)
being put into practice in her workplace. “Being
able to work and study at the same time brought
a realness to the subjects being covered,” she says.
Reflecting on her time in the business
school classroom two years ago, Watts says she
now wonders how she ever managed to fit it all
in. “The challenges I faced were in juggling
the ability to give 100% commitment to both
my studies and my work,” she says. “During the
two years I worked a split role between the
pharmacy department and clinical
commitments in the A&E department. This
involved undertaking unsociable shifts. My
time now doesn’t seem to spread as well.”
Watts praises the members of her EMBA
Kerry Watts
cohort, describing them as “fantastic” and Durham University Executive MBA
boasting a wide range of skills and Class of 2009
backgrounds. Social and business networking
sites help keep communications between her
fellow EMBA colleagues going, but there’s
one classmate she keeps in contact with a lot
more than the rest: “One of my classmates is
now my lovely man and soul mate.”

32 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba

 EXECUTIVE MBA

EMBA ALUMNI

Working with superstars

The greatest advantage of Paul McAfee’s Executive MBA was
allowing him to catch up to his two sons, both of whom had
gone to business school

P aul McAfee is the chief of Spinal

Reconstructive Surgery at St. Josephs
Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland.
Consulting with over 20 medical product
companies, McAfee wanted an Executive MBA
to take him to the next level. “I wanted to
transition from their medical advisory boards to
their business advisory boards to contribute
more to their business strategy,” he explains.
McAfee was rewarded financially too.
Paul C McAfee “I had over a seven figure bump in revenue
during the first year of class, so the benefits
Fordham Executive MBA [of the EMBA] started during school and
Class of 2010 kept going,” he says.
However, McAfee says there was no
question as to the best part of his EMBA
program: “The teamwork and expertise of
the other 30 members of my Executive MBA
class,” he says. “We were based in NYC so it
was very strong in finance. One of the
women in our team managed USD $30
billion in assets. With a teammate like that
you need to catch up in accounting, finance
and economics – it was very motivating.”
McAfee says the tremendous diversity
of his EMBA class – of 30 superstars! – was
great for education. However, this same
attribute works against them in trying to
maint ain closeness after graduation.
“Electronic social networking is no
substitute for the EMBA journey,” he says.
Having reaped the rewards of his
EMBA, McAfee would encourage others to
pursue the program but says timing is
everything. “It is most useful with at least 15
years management experience behind you.
Unfortunately, it is very time consuming in
addition to your job so your family life would
suffer – your kids have to be a certain age.”
For McAfee, the EMBA has allowed
him to catch up to his sons – both of whom
have gone to business school.

In preparation
Dermot O’Gorman says the greatest advantage of his
Executive MBA is having the tools to strategically manage
a business, and the confidence to lead others

A s the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

Australia’s Chief Executive Officer, Dermot
O’Gorman is responsible for the organization’s
growth, its employers and implementing best
practices; his Executive MBA from IMD
Lausanne in Switzerland holds him in good stead.
“I decided to pursue an EMBA to better
understand all aspects of managing a business
and to prepare myself for managing
increasing complexities,” the 2009 EMBA
alumnus explains.
O’Gorman joined WWF in 1998, and
with previous roles in Australia, the UK,
Switzerland, the Pacific Islands and most
recently China, O’Gorman has helped the
organization and the Asian Development Bank
work together to improve policies on sustainable
development across the Asia Pacific Region.
He’s now looking forward to the
challenges his role in Australia will pose, a role
he was promoted to within six months of
receiving his Executive MBA. “I probably
would have still achieved this position without
the EMBA, but the degree has given me the
tools to strategically manage a business and the
confidence to lead others through complexity
and uncertainty,” he says.
Although an advocate of the business school
degree, O’Gorman says it’s important for future
EMBA candidates to be very clear about why
they wish to pursue this qualification. “An
EMBA can help you develop as a manager and Dermot O’Gorman
leader, but it will be of most help at the right time Executive MBA, IMD
in your career development,” he says.
Despite having chosen the best time to Class of 2009
embark on his EMBA, there is still one thing
O’Gorman wishes he had known before stepping
into the classroom: “Other than believing the
EMBA director when he said it would be one of
the toughest years of your life, I wanted to learn
about things I did not know I needed to know.
Nothing can prepare you for that!”

TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 33

 EXECUTIVE MBA

EMBA ALUMNI

A perfect fit
Samuel Bon was in search of a career change, so he decided
to pursue an Executive MBA

S amuel Bon has worked for the International

Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for
over a decade, but when he wanted a career
change, he stepped back into the classroom.
“I decided to pursue an EMBA to change
industry,” the 2010 IMD alumnus says. “I
wanted to move from the non-profit to the
profit sector. For this I needed a broad and
general education in economics, and more
importantly in business administration. An [E]
MBA satisfied this general need perfectly.”
Samuel Bon Upon graduating with his EMBA from
IMD in November 2010, Bon was promoted
Executive MBA IMD, Lausanne, to deputy head of corporate communications,
Switzerland and as head of the program he is leading several
Class of 2010 inter-related global projects for the ICRC.
“One of the greatest advantages of the EMBA
is that it provides a solid and wide enough basis
for executives who wish to take on more
general management positions,” Bon says.
Now an EMBA alumnus, Bon is
hoping for more job opportunities to
present themselves and he believes his
EMBA network may hold the key to such
opportunities: “The network I established
during my EMBA is highly valuable and
the professional as well as the private
exchange is extremely useful. It is a network
which, if well maint ained, can be
beneficial to anyone’s work world in a truly
significant manner – but this is entirely up
to the participants and their personal
willingness to engage.
“If someone wants to specialize in a
particular field, then an EMBA is not the
best type of program. An EMBA is
recommended to broaden one’s business
horizons and to provide new, stimulating
impulses. It triggers the desire to want to
do more.”

An invaluable experience
A distinguished faculty together with a group of classmates,
all of whom had brilliant track records in their careers, made
each course on Chicago Booth’s Executive MBA invaluable
for Demir Sarman

A certified public accountant, Demir

Sarman was a CFO when he
embarked on the challenge of his
Executive MBA. “Since graduating from
college, doing an EMBA has always been
among my goals,” the Chicago alumnus
says. “But bearing in mind the best schools
were looking for a certain number of years
work experience, I decided to wait five
years.” Ten years after college, Sarman
found himself back in the classroom.
“At the start, the average age in my class was
36. They were all high-fliers with sound business
experience, and discussions with such an
audience were beyond comparisons. Now all of
those people are not only my business network,
they are my very good fellows for a lifetime.”
Six months after graduating with his
EMBA, Sarman received a promotion. He’s
now managing director and CEO of a newly-
acquired company Anadolu Etap, a business
which has goals to be one of the largest
investments in agro-business in Turkey.
Would Sarman have received this opportunity
without his Executive MBA?
“It’s always hard to say, but at least I can
presume that my EMBA has eased the
decision-making process of the board while
evaluating and comparing my résumé with
Demir Sarman
other candidates,” he says. Chicago Booth School of Business
“An MBA from one of the top schools Class of 2009
will certainly be a catalyst to the career of
an alumnus,” he says. “Rather than
spending several years at different
positions in different companies or
environments, with a good MBA you may
acquire the relevant knowledge and skills
in graduate school.”

TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 35

 EXECUTIVE MBA

SOCIALAPPLICATIONS
NETWORKING

Social networking
for
executives
Tim Ho, social media expert, and Dawn Bournand, QS TopExecutive Editor, take a look at
social networking for executives and the strategies that will determine which of
tomorrow’s executives will be ahead of the pack

N
etworking has always been an
important part of any top executive’s
career planning but today it has an
added dimension that professionals in
twentieth-century business never dreamed of:
social networking. Though LinkedIn,
Facebook, Twitter and even YouTube are
becoming fairly common terms for the
modern business man and woman, they still
remain uncharted territory for many. If you
want to be a successful executive in today’s
market, that lack of knowledge can be more
than a little dangerous. Social networking is
not only an important tool; many analysts are
predicting that it will be an absolutely
essential element of every working
professional’s toolbox in the not too distant
future. Top recruiters are already using the
likes of LinkedIn to find net-savvy, brand-
conscious leaders to fill their top posts. If you
are not in this exciting and rapidly evolving
game, how can you possibly win?
One of the most important things to
remember about social networking is that it is
social; in other words it is simply
communication. Many people seem to get
overwhelmed or stuck by focusing on the
technical aspects of social media and
completely forget that the whole idea behind
this fascinating new way to communicate is to
make contacts and build relationships. With
today’s technology, though, you are no longer
limited to expressing yourself through words
alone; you can now add pictures, videos, and
audios to the mix as well.
However, it is good to keep in mind
though that social networking is, as marketing
expert Seth Godin likes to say, “a process, not
an event”. In other words, don’t look for to Francis Petit, Associate Dean for
instant results – they can happen but they Executive MBA Programs at Fordham
are rare. Instead, invest the time to build University’s Graduate School of Business
relationships with potential customers, Administration, “At Fordham, we are using
colleagues and employers. Dedicate 75% of social networks more within the successful
your time to research, planning and listening, recruiting of prospective students.
and only 25% to the actual implementation Generation Y and the Millennials are now
of Facebook campaigns, video posts, iPhone utilizing social networks as a mainstay for
applications updates, and Twitter tweets. communication. In order to get our message
Create a plan to make your networking more out, it is essential to experiment with the
effective. Randomly acting with no real goal social networks vehicle. While there is no
in sight can prove to be a waste of your time. substantial research that illustrates its
Many business schools are waking up to effectiveness in the recruitment of
the strength of social networking as well and prospective students, we are certainly
are incorporating it into their teaching, experimenting. LinkedIn, for example, has
marketing and recruiting mixes. According the potential to be a very powerful tool. In
Social media sites are now dominating the internet
2005 2011
1. Yahoo.com 1. Google.com
2. MSN.com 2. Facebook.com
3. Google.com 3. YouTube.com
4. Ebay.com 4. Yahoo.com
5. Amazon.com 5. Live.com (Windows Live)
6. Microsoft.com 6. Blogger.com
7. Myspace.com 7. Wikipedia.org
8. Google.co.uk 8. Baidu.com (China’s leading search engine)
9. AOL.com 9. Twitter.com
10. Go.com 10. QQ.com (China’s largest internet portal)
Source: Alexa Global Traffic Ranking

36 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba


terms of our current students, the Fordham
Office of Career Management has been
illustrating the power of social networks for
students in the job searching process.”
Executive MBA programs are also using
social networking to keep their current
students and alumni in touch and to promote
online networking in addition to face-to-face
opportunities. Hannelore Forssbohm, Senior
Program Manager at Kellogg-WHU
Executive MBA Program, explains, “In
addition to ‘real’ networking, we also host
student and alumni groups on LinkedIn and
Xing, where we post news, events, and
general information. Each class also gets
their own group – so that they can discuss
class-specific info.” Virginia Tech has also
“The whole idea behind this fascinating
new way to communicate is to make
contacts and build relationships”
jumped on the social networking train
according to Karime Shamloo, Assistant
Director of Executive MBA Programs there,
“We have groups on Facebook and LinkedIn
where students and alumni can network.
Through the social network groups, we also
announce information sessions, and special
events which prospective applicants, students
and alumni are invited to attend.”
The powerful thing about social media is
that it gives you the ability to truly listen to and
learn from your network. You can see what
people think about products, services,
companies and schools simply by observing
and asking. In most cases this is completely
free because you are contacting people who
are directly in your inner circle. Better yet,
because you “know” these people, they are
much more likely to share their true feelings
and opinions with you.
HHL-Leipzig is so convinced of the
importance of social networking that it has
actually created a course to cover this subject
as part of its Executive MBA program.
Professor Dr Torsten Wulf, Academic Director
of the MBA programs at HHL-Leipzig
Graduate School of Management, explains,
“Unique among German business schools,
HHL offers the course ‘Social Networks for
Business’ to its EMBA students. The course is
designed to introduce students to the basic
concepts in and analysis of social networks.
Participants examine their own social and
professional networks and draw conclusions
about how to use them, for example, when
EXECUTIVE MBA
SOCIAL NETWORKING
searching for jobs. Blog postings highlight
students’ understanding of the concepts from
the assigned readings, as well as demonstrate
the power of a ‘networked’ class. The final
deliverable is a debate on the importance and
future of technology-enabled social and
professional networks.”
Perhaps most important to keep in
mind though, is that even if you just don’t
see the point in mastering social networking,
your competitor probably does. Whether it
be a competitor for a customer, a job or a
spot in that top Executive MBA program,
the person who truly grasps and uses social
networking to their benefit will be the one
with a very large advantage.
In short, have fun with social
networking while building a valuable
personal and professional network for
yourself. Keep it real, and keep it truthful.
Though many of us don’t like to admit it, we
are living in an era where someone can find
out quite a bit about you through a few
Google and social media searches.
Therefore, be wise about what you put out
there. Though you definitely want to
actively use social media platforms,
remember that you never know who may see
your next post, tweet or video. If your goal is
to create a solid, professional image as a
go-to expert, then make sure that everything
you do and create online contributes to that
goal. As Andy Warhol has so often been
quoted as saying, “In the future, everyone
will be famous for 15 minutes”. He sure got
that one right. Now make sure your 15
minutes are great!
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 37
 EXECUTIVE MBA
SOCIALAPPLICATIONS
NETWORKING
Twitter
tips for
executives
What is Twitter?
Twitter describes itself as, “a service for friends,
family, and co–workers to communicate and
stay connected through the exchange of quick,
frequent answers to one simple question: What
are you doing?”
If you’re new to Twitter, then that description
might seem a bit vague and ambiguous. So, to
help you wrap your mind around the short-form
messaging tool, start thinking about Twitter as a
new form of online communication. Twitter is
just communication in a new shape, but it’s also
a platform for listening to the communication of
others in new ways.
Twitter’s primary difference from
other online communication tools, is that
posts, or tweets, are restricted to 140
characters or less. As a Twitter user
you can post updates, follow and
view updates from other users
(this is akin to subscribing to a
blog’s RSS feed), and send a
public reply or private direct
message to connect with
another Twitterer.
Though users can
answer the prompt, “What
are you doing?”, tweets have
evolved to more than
everyday experiences, and
take the shape of shared
links to interesting content
on the web, conversations around hot topics
(using hashtags), photos, videos, music, and,
most importantly, real-time accounts from
people who are in the midst of a newsworthy
event, crisis, or natural disaster.
Get the most out of Twitter #hashtags
One of the most complex features of Twitter
for new users to understand is the hashtag, a
topic with a hash symbol (“#”) at the start to
identify it. Twitter hashtags like #followfriday
help spread information on Twitter while also
helping to organize it.
38 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba
The hashtag is a favourite tool of
conferences and event organizers, but it’s
also a way for Twitter users to organize
themselves. If everyone agrees to append a
certain hashtag to tweets about a topic, it
becomes easier to find that topic in a search,
and more likely the topic will appear in
Twitter’s Trending Topics.
Although not terribly complicated,
hashtags have some unwritten rules. The
primary one to remember is to not overuse
them. If every one of your tweets is a hashtag,
you dilute the usefulness of them by
fragmenting the conversation.
Another simple tip:
give your hasht ag
context. Most people
won’t actually know
what your hashtag
means, so give a
quick
explanation in one of
your tweets or, if you’re
making a hashtag, make
it very apparent what it’s
talking about.
F i n a l l y, i f y o u ’r e
looking to create a hashtag,
be sure that it adds value for
yourself and your followers. The
best way to utilize them is when
you need to organize information.
Conferences, major events, and even
reminders (i.e. #todo) can help
Special thanks to Mashable.com
(http://www.mashable.com) for
this exclusive compilation of
Twitter tips. For their full offering
of Twitter tips you can reference
their online Twitter Guide Book
(http://mashable.com/
guidebook/twitter/).
organize specific tweets and make life
easier on you and your followers.
Build your personal brand on Twitter
Dan Schawbel bestselling author of Me 2.0:
Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career
Success (Kaplan, April 09), owner of the award
winning Personal Branding Blog and
Mashable contributor, shows you how.
According to Mark Raby of the TG Daily
blog, In November 2010, there were 175
million users on Twitter, ranging from senior
foreign diplomats to tech-savvy 13 year olds.
It’s because the service is able to reach across
that swath of the global population that the
site should exceed 200 million in early 2011.
With all those people on Twitter, the chances
for networking are endless, and connecting
with new people can lead to career
opportunities,
so it is

essential that your personal brand exists on the
service. By leveraging the Twitter platform to
build your brand you can showcase yourself to
a huge and growing audience.
1. Claim your Twitter handle. With Twitter
continuing its meteoric rise in popularity,
it’s no surprise that Twitter account names
are starting to become as desirable as prime
domain names. Twitter handles have
become so important, that there is now even
an aftermarket for them, Tweexchange,
where user names are bought and sold. Stop
what you’re doing right now and claim the
Twitter handle for your full name.
2. Become known as an expert or resource.
Essentially, Twitter is a shorter and more
viral form of blogging, so the same rules
apply. By constantly writing or tweeting
about your expertise on a specific topic,
you’ll become known for it and people
will gravitate to you and follow you. If
you already have a blog, use Twitterfeed,
so you can syndicate your posts on
Twitter automatically.
3. Establish a Twitter marketing plan. Just like
with any other website or blog, just because
you build it, doesn’t necessarily mean people
will come. You should have a marketing plan
in place to acquire new followers (include
your Twitter handle on email signatures,
business cards, newsletters…).
4. Utilize third-party applications. There are
literally thousands of Twitter applications out
there, but only a few that can really help you
build your personal brand. The following
apps will help you stay in touch with your
industry, find people you can network with,
save you precious time, and push out your
content: Twellow, Tweetmeme, Tweetbeep,
Hashdictionary, and Tweetlater.
5. Form a Twitter mastermind. As you may
suspect, certain groups of people on
Twitter constantly promote and retweet
each other. Some of them are in what are
called “mastermind groups” — groups of
individuals who are committed to helping
each other and sharing knowledge
amongst themselves. On Twitter, by
finding people who share your interests,
you’re able to help each other out and
cross-promote. Group Tweet and Twitter
Groups are two apps that help you form
these special interest groups.
Why people may not be following you
(Atherton Bartelby author of the Curious Affairs
blog and Mashable contributing writer explains.)
1. You have no Avatar. More important than
whether or not your Twitter profile
background is “designed” is how you
choose to present yourself in that seemingly
insignificant 48×48 pixel square.
EXECUTIVE MBA
SOCIAL NETWORKING
2. You list no location, no website or no
bio. Clearly, Twitter is all about
brevity, so how difficult is it to provide
a f e w a d di t i o n a l c h a r a c t e r s o f
information that may offer potential
followers more impetus to follow you
in return?
3. Your website listed is a MySpace profile.
It doesn’t take much these days to establish
a web presence that seems genuine and
thoughtful, and appears to intend to attract
and build an online community based on
the content it provides.
4. You’re following over 1000 users, have
20 followers and no updates. Who, aside
from those running Twitter apps which
automatically follow and unfollow
followers, would add these Twitter users?
(Editors note: If you are still learning
Twitter jargon, this essentially means
that you are following lots of people but
no one is following you back, or even
worse: you are providing no content and
only taking from others.)
5. Your updates clearly indicate that your
Twitter activity is always, only, about
pushing your own service/product or
company. Since I do not use Twitter in
this manner, I rarely follow any of these
users in return, unless said product or
service genuinely piques my interest/ or
I have a desire to support it.
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 39
 EXECUTIVE MBA

SOCIAL NETWORKING

LinkedIn
Started just nine years ago in co-founder Reid Hoffman’s living room, LinkedIn is today
top ten tips
for executives

one of the big four social media powerhouses along with Facebook, Twitter, and
YouTube. With over 90+ million members as of early 2011, LinkedIn is a networking
hub for professionals the world over yet many executives still don’t know how to use this
tool to its full potential. Dawn Bournand, Editor of the QS TopExecutive Guide,
investigated and came up with ten top tips for mastering LinkedIn

S
o you have decided you are ready to create
or update your LinkedIn profile and start
using one of the most powerful tools on
the internet today, but where to start? With input
from some of the world’s top social media experts,
here are ten tips to get you on the path to success.
1. Get current – Although an obvious point,
make sure that your profile is up to date. The
first impression you make is through your
profile, so make it a good one. Head over to
your profile right now and look at it, as if
through a stranger’s eyes. What impact does
it make on you? If it is not what you want to
be sharing with the world, change it.
2. Create a plan – Decide what you want
out of the time you invest in LinkedIn. Is
it to seek a new job, make new business
connections, or spend time with like-
minded people? If you are investing your
precious time, make sure you have a goal
in mind and then set about achieving it.
3. Open up to opportunities – Every new
person you meet has a potential to help you,
and you to help them. So open yourself to
the idea of meeting people that you may
not have thought of as being potential
network connections.
4. Help others get what they want –
International speaker Brian Tracey is known
for saying, “The best way to get what you
want is to help others get what they want”.
Networking essentially means people
cooperating to benefit one another through
the exchange of opportunities, information
and support. Why not get things flowing by
offering a helping hand first?
5. Build your brand – Deb Dib, executive job
search expert at www.Job-Hunt.org says,
“Building a LinkedIn profile is an opportunity
to project a vibrant personal brand and value
proposition while concurrently displaying
your career impact, work history, education,
and activities. In other words, everything that
would appear on a resume—but packaged
with an interest-attracting infusion of
personality and passion.”
6. Be consistently active – Set aside a
certain amount of time every day to dedicate
to your LinkedIn activities. Lewis Howes,
bestselling author of Linked Working,
recommends 30 minutes in the morning
and 30 minutes at the end of the day. If you
can only fit in 15 minutes a day, though, that
is fine just make sure you keep it up on a
regular basis if you want to get
the most out of your network.
7. Make, keep, re-establish connections
– With millions of professionals to meet,
chances are there are going to be some
important connections for you to make on
LinkedIn. Reach out to new people but
don’t forget that reconnecting with former
colleagues, classmates or long lost friends
can be equally important to your
professional advancement.
8. Use those status updates – Social
media expert Ian Brodie suggests,
“LinkedIn status updates are a nice way of
helping to stay top of mind with contacts.
If you were to call or email all your
contacts any time you did something small
but interesting, it would quickly become
seen as pushy or spammy. But updating
your status is a non-intrusive way of getting
a gentle reminder out.” Also remember
that your network follows your updates, so
they are an effective way of putting
yourself ‘out there’, especially if you are
looking for a position or if you need help
for a project you’re working on.
9. Be the initiator – Start a LinkedIn
group. Don’t hesitate to take the lead. If
you see that there is a need for a certain
group to be started on LinkedIn, do it
yourself. On the other hand, if there is
already a group on your chosen subject,
become an active participant and get
your name associated with that topic.
10. Ask and be asked – An often
overlooked but valuable tool on LinkedIn
is the Answers section. Take advantage of
this area to not only gain the knowledge
you seek but to also dispense the wisdom
you have to help others.

TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 41

 EXECUTIVE MBA
APPLICATIONS
CAREER
In with the new
job search
This is an excerpt from the ExecuNet full length article “In with the New Job Search”. The full article is available on Execunet.com
By Robyn Greenspan and Marji McClure
For many job seekers, it’s a perfect storm of confusion: a struggling economic environment
and ultra-competitive job market coupled with 21st century tools and resources that can
stretch comfort zones
T
hen there are those who had
previously answered the door when
opportunities came knocking and
now have to actively find new roles. In
any case, job search has never required this level of
planning, structure and purpose, says Bobbie
LaPorte, a career coach with RAL & Associates, a
California-based consulting firm that provides
leadership and career development services.
While it’s now common knowledge that
the Sunday newspaper’s classified ads are a
prehistoric route to executive positions, there
are other elements of job search that have been
modernized too. ExecuNet has witnessed job
search transformation over the last 22 years, and
we’ve outlined the evolution for you.
Job boards
The old
Scanning the online
way:
“It’s important to regularly communicate
job boards for
appropriate listings,
with your contacts and find ways to help
then mass-emailing
résumés to the
them reach their goals”
companies advertizing
open positions.
It doesn’t work because: The entire job search
process is more competitive today and companies
are inundated with résumés. Responding to job
postings yields a false sense of productivity for
executives as they wait for companies to respond
to their applications. In addition to this, ExecuNet
research shows that positions with salaries over
42 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba
USD200K aren’t posted online — mainly for
competitive intelligence reasons. “As the number
of available candidates has increased in the last
12 months, the number of posted executive (VP,
Director) positions have gone down,” notes a
survey respondent.
The new way: Use job postings to research
industries and companies and gain insight into
hiring trends. Posted job descriptions can also
be useful in learning relevant industry
keywords that will resonate with potential
employers and recruiters.
Executive coaches Bob Sloane and
Tucker Mays, co-founders of OptiMarket
LLC, advise high-level job seekers to spend
less than 10% of their time on published job
postings. “As a hiring manager, the last thing
I want to do during a downturn is advertize a
position. I’ll get flooded with résumés,” says
a survey respondent. “Someone who comes
to me informally before I publish a job
posting and tells me how I can solve problems
I hadn’t quite formulated into a job
ExecuNet is a private network for high-
level executives who believe the right
connections, insights and market
intelligence can lead them to the right
opportunities. A recognized authority in
executive recruiting and human capital,
ExecuNet also provides access to
confidential six-figure job opportunities
and authoritative resources to help top
executives advance their careers.
description is likely to get the job without any
job posting ever happening.”
Résumés
The old way: Creating a document that only
lists work experience and job history.
It doesn’t work because: Traditional
résumés often don’t provide a candidate’s true
capabilities. If hiring managers can’t quickly
discern the problems you can solve for their
organization, your résumé is dismissed.
The new way: Résumés need to be converted
into a branding document that provides a
complete picture of skills, capabilities, and a
clear value proposition. Résumés need to
include highlights of work experience and
success stories. At the
same time, the résumé
needs to demonstrate
what the executive can
do for potential
employers: “Make sure
you’re giving them what
I call the ‘wow’ —
achievements that are
going to make them say,
‘Wow, I’ve got to talk to this person,’” says résumé
expert, Louise Kursmark.
Networking
The old way: Using job search as a catalyst to
attend professional events, hand out business
cards and ask for job leads.

It doesn’t work because: It’s difficult to be
memorable when you are merely exchanging
business cards and not building relationships.
The new way: The value of building
relationships is undisputed: 73% of executives
reported to ExecuNet that networking led
them to career opportunities. “If you are
someone like me, who hasn’t made
networking a part of your day-to-day…change
that, learn how,” says a survey participant.
The Internet has certainly changed the
way networking is done. Developing
connections with contacts via online social
networks has quickly gained in popularity.
Closed online communities, such as
ExecuNet, enable executives to connect,
share career and business information, and
build trusted peer relationships.
“There is opportunity for executives who are proven problem-
solvers. These are people who can guide companies through
very difficult times, using creativity, initiative and persistence”
“Networking has provided leads to positions,
new friends, an opportunity to help others
and a way to ret ain and improve my
professional and management skills,” says a
survey respondent.
Gatherings, such as ExecuNet’s monthly
regional meetings, are effective in cultivating
connections with executives that can lead to
mutually beneficial relationships. Regardless
of whether you call your contacts, meet with
them at business events or connect via online
services, it’s import ant to regularly
communicate with your contacts and find
ways to help them reach their goals.
Interviewing
The old way: An initial phone screening
followed by a face-to-face meeting.
It doesn’t work because: Interviews are no
longer Q&A sessions with hiring managers; they
are often a series of intense behavioral-based
sessions with organizational decision-makers.
The new way: Before the first contact,
candidates and companies are researching
each other. Executives are conducting
extensive due diligence to target companies,
identifying their pain points and how can they
can best solve those problems, while talent
managers are sourcing and tracking potential
employees for their pipelines.
Business development strategy
The old way: Executives didn’t view their job
search as a business development activity.
It doesn’t work because: It gives the
potential employer too much power, instead
of the candidate being targeted and selective
about the company worthy of their talent,
leadership and strengths.
The new way: Executives are skilled
implementers of business development
principles, as they are always keeping a
watchful eye for mutually beneficial business
to business and partnership opportunities. Job
search is not any different, and executives need
to view themselves as business partners seeking
a new alliance. Conduct equally exhaustive
due diligence and develop a comprehensive
strategic plan for your six-figure job, just as you
would for a multimillion dollar business deal.
The skill set
The Old Way: Current in-role performance
was indicative of potential success at a new job.
EXECUTIVE MBA
CAREER
Organizations helped executives keep their
skills sharp with leadership training programs
and budgets for professional development.
It doesn’t work because: There is a lot of “A”
talent available in the marketplace, and more
than half of search firm recruiters surveyed by
ExecuNet thought companies would be
leveraging the economic climate through the
first half of 2010 by “trading up” with new hires
for existing jobs. Cost-cutting has squeezed
budget allocations for executive development.
The new way: Executives are individually
responsible for developing themselves into
powerful talent packages. Self-directed
continued learning to build strengths and
update skills, supplemented with strong
industry knowledge and market intelligence
is required. In addition to this, integrating the
strategic vision to effectively lead organizations
through current and future challenges, and
the agility to quickly adapt to fluctuating
conditions, is also necessary. “There is still
opportunity for executives who are proven
problem-solvers,” says a survey participant.
“These are people who can guide companies
through very difficult times, using creativity,
initiative and persistence.”
Out with the old
If you’re just beginning your search, or if
your current job search has stalled, now is
the perfect time to try something new. A
more aggressive, updated approach could be
just what you need to jump-start your search
and secure a new position soon — especially
if your prior commitment to your job search
hasn’t been as diligent as today’s challenging
times require.
Says one survey respondent: “My
question to unemployed job seekers is: How
bad does your situation need to be before
you will be willing to try something different
in your job-seeking techniques?”
For additional tips on how to succeed in today’s
“new” job search, log on to ExecuNet.com
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 43
 EXECUTIVE MBA
APPLICATIONS
WOMEN
Women and the Executive MBA
By Dawn Bournand, Editor, QS TopExecutive Guide
“You must do the things you think you cannot do.”
P
ursuing an EMBA is one of the greatest
steps you can take for your professional
life but it is also one of the greatest
challenges you will put yourself through. It is
no easy task and yet thousands of executives
choose to invest in themselves every year to
pursue this prestigious degree. What happens
though, when you have all of the EMBA
challenges along with the added responsibility
of caring for a family? Does it make a
difference if you are a woman studying for the
EMBA? Does it have the same impact on your
career? Does it require extra dedication?
These questions can really only be answered
by those who have had the experience
themselves: women who have lived the
journey and are thrilled to tell the tale.
The program
An average EMBA
classroom is filled with
23% women, 77% men.
“No need to visit Cirque du Soleil... All the women
The large gap in these
numbers is most often
I saw at the EMBA were excellent jugglers”
explained by the fact
that the ideal time to
seek an EMBA usually falls at about the same
time in a woman’s life that she is ready to start
a family. There is also the fact that women are
quite simply not targeted as often by their
companies to build on their education and
particular career expertise. However, business
schools would like to even out the gender mix
of their classrooms and many are now
targeting advertising and information
campaigns to a female audience. That does
not mean though, that business schools are
specifically tailoring their actual programs to
female candidates.
44 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba
According to Bernie Zanck, Director of
Recruitment and Admissions for the Executive
MBA Program – Europe of The University of
Chicago Booth School of Business, when it
comes to their program, there is no difference
between the sexes. “Our program enables both
women and men to develop into leaders.
Chicago Booth is a place where ideas compete
and people collaborate.” Maria Puig, Executive
Director of the IESE Global Executive MBA,
agrees but adds, “A professional life requires a
comprehensive set of competences, skills and
network, no matter whether you are a woman
or a man. Therefore, the program should make
the same impact on men as on women. What
is sometimes different is the perspective that
men and women may bring into the class when
analyzing business problems. Having a
balanced group in terms of gender is extremely
important for rich learning and class dynamics.”
Once in the program, women certainly
do not seem to have a problem fitting in and
they often actually seem to gain much more
than they had expected. Fabiana Prada,
alumna of the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz
Graduate School of Business, EMBA class of
2007, remembers, “I decided to pursue an
EMBA firstly because it is a complete
education that covers different areas of a
business enterprise in depth and secondly
because of my own interest in continuing to
– Eleanor Roosevelt
renew my knowledge base and to be in contact
with the latest business practices.” Yet she also
found that, “from a personal level it is very
gratifying to know you accomplished such a
demanding program while still dealing with
your full-time job and balancing your personal
life. It gives a sense of “achievement” and
proves how much we are capable of.”
Career impact
The positive impact of an EMBA on a
professional’s career is undeniable and
documented in most any survey or research
done on Executive MBAs. But is there any
difference in the impact that an EMBA can
make on a woman’s career as opposed to a
man’s? According to Joan Coonrod, Assistant
Dean of Executive MBA admissions and
marketing at Emory,
Goizueta Business
School, “There is no
difference. An EMBA
from a top business
school should act as a
catalyst for growth and
development –
regardless of gender.” Whereas Francis Petit,
Associate Dean for Executive MBA Programs
at Fordham University, Graduate School of
Business Administration, believes that it
actually may give an added benefit to a woman’s
career. “It is well documented that there exists
an earnings discrimination among women
within many industries. Female students, in
many cases, make less than the male students
in our program. With that said, an EMBA can
make a positive impact on a women’s career,
especially in the long term. Whether a female
EMBA graduate stays at her current company,

switches industries or st arts up an
entrepreneurial venture (which is often an
attractive option for females), the EMBA can
be that needed vehicle within a woman’s long-
term career and journey.”
Ghada Simon, INSEAD 2010 GEMBA
alumna, sees many benefits for women pursuing
an EMBA. “First, they get a real chance to be
considered as peers and to be treated on an equal
footing. Building on that, I have the feeling that
after an EMBA most women are more self-
confident and more assertive, they act accordingly
and break the ‘glass ceiling’, as the perception of
their professional environment changes
positively.” Prada adds, “The greatest advantage
for a woman getting an Executive MBA is to
differentiate herself and to be able to have a much
broader and deeper view of an organization, and
to help put the puzzle pieces together to find the
best possible alternatives.”
Kerry Watts, Durham University 2009
EMBA alumna, didn’t actually go into the
program with set expectations but was pleasantly
surprised by what she found. “I never thought
of the EMBA as a guaranteed passport to a
specific job but the whole experience has
enhanced the opportunities that are now
available to me. I believe those undertaking an
EMBA need to look at the bigger picture and
the added advantages that the qualification gives
you: providing you with new knowledge,
rounding off the knowledge you have, and
learning from other colleagues (their
backgrounds, experiences and dilemmas). It has
helped me to enhance my confidence by being
able to transfer the skills I had developed
through nursing into different business scenarios
and realize that I can make a valid contribution.”
Extra dedication
The one difference you will often hear about
between men and women pursuing an
Executive MBA is the amount of juggling
involved. In most cultures, though it is slowly
changing, family and household duties still
rest mainly on the woman’s shoulders. Yet,
this does not seem to deter those truly
determined to make it work. As current
K e l l o g g - W H U E M B A p a r t i ci p a n t ,
Charmaine Leung notes, “The women in
class have been phenomenal and
exceptionally inspiring, from career-driven
mothers who balance school, career and
travel, to individuals who are passionate,
vocal, confident and excel in the areas they
work in.” Natacha Dagneaud, Kellogg-WHU
2009 EMBA alumna adds, “No need to visit
Cirque du Soleil... All the women I saw at the
EMBA, were excellent jugglers. They had
created a support system around them with
the help of family, work/colleagues and
classmates. My tip to you is: during the
EXECUTIVE MBA
WOMEN
EMBA, learn to delegate and to empower.
This also applies to your family, kids,
relatives... They can live without you for a
while. Take this time out for you.”
Ebrahim Mohamed, Director of
Executive MBA program at Imperial College
,wisely notes, “Family life can be distracting.
But the most successful executives have the
most fulfilling personal lives – it’s all about
being focused and prioritizing accordingly.”
Nora Benhabiles, IESE 2008 GEMBA
alumna, enthusiastically agrees, “Yes, do it! I
had nine-month-old twins when I began the
GEMBA and worked in Belgium while living
in Paris. Regarding the balancing act, it is
always difficult to balance personal/professional
life and there is no secret potion to succeed. But
I would say that in many cases men are now
sharing the familial responsibilities and the
cultural taboos are becoming less present.”
Additionally, Lamees Qasem, IESE 2009
GEMBA alumna, believes you must “be
realistic about what you can do. You can never
have everything perfect and bear in mind that
at any point in time something will have to give
and it is OK. The most important point is to
have great support from your partner. It is a
tough and taxing period on everyone and
somehow your family will have to see the value
and appreciate the sacrifices you have made.”
The payoff
The one point that each and every woman
agreed upon, whether an alumna or a current
participant, was that the effort is truly worth it.
Catherine Clauzade, current participant at the
EMLYON Executive MBA program noted that,
“Even after 20 years in business with a strong
technical training, through the EMBA program
I am able to learn new habits, and new ways to
analyze everyday problems! It’s a bit like
someone with myopia discovering the benefits
of a pair of glasses!” Qasem adds, “the greatest
advantage to having an Executive MBA degree
is the depth of analysis I am now able to engage
in, thanks to the vast experience of my colleagues
who have many years of knowledge and
challenges under their belt.”
Finally, simply the fact that they have
conquered such a challenge adds to all of the
other benefits their new EMBA degree brings
these women executives. Watts acknowledges
her gratitude for her support team and knows
that to survive the EMBA challenge you
simply have to stay the course: “My
determination to succeed was supported by
great friends, colleagues and similarly minded
people at the business school – both classmates
and staff. Keep your eye on the goal that you
have set yourself and the time flies, before you
know it the hard work has paid off.”
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 45
 EXECUTIVE MBA

APPLICATIONS
LEADERSHIP

Today’s workplace demands

innovation, creativity and high
performance to achieve ultimate

When women
success. Diversity MBA Magazine
offers answers to the most
pressing questions of the day by
focusing on multiple dimensions

lead
of the diversity experience,
delivering compelling strategies
and best practices to ensure your
ultimate success

This article was first published in Diversity MBA magazine

By Sheryl Nance-Nash

H
aving a certain title, an army of
underlings, or a fat salary doesn’t
make you a leader. It’s a bit more
complicated than those external
markers. “Leaders take people where they
ordinarily wouldn’t go by themselves,” says
Lynda Ford, president of The Ford Group, a
management and human resources consulting
firm in Rome, NY.
Furthermore, leaders are able to meet
people where they are, instead of where they
think they should be, adds Trudy Bourgeois,
founder of the Center for Workforce
Excellence in Dallas, and author of The
Hybrid Leader: Blending the Best of the
Male & Female Leadership Styles .
True leaders have patience, flexibility and
vision; they inspire, listen, teach, coach, mentor
and build relationships – and that’s just for starters.
What it takes to lead, particularly in this global,
diverse economy, is not for the faint of heart.
For women, however, leadership positions
at the highest levels remain elusive. Not even two
percent of the biggest corporations are run by
women; in the Fortune 500, just nine companies
are headed by women. According to Catalyst,
although women hold about half of managerial
and professional specialty positions, they hold
only 15.7%of corporate officer positions in the
Fortune 500, 13.6%of board directorships and
7.9% of the Fortune 500 highest titles.
Women’s unique abilities
When women lead, things can be decidedly
different. While every individual is unique, it’s
generally agreed that women bring their own set
of skills, talents and style to the table.
“Women have been socialized to make
groups work. They can get a large number of
people behind a cause; they are team builders,”
says Lenora Billings-Harris, president of Excel
Development Systems, Inc., a diversity
consulting firm in Greensboro, NC.
In addition, a woman understands
“people” issues in greater depth and often with
greater subtlety, says Elva Bankins, general
manager of the Philadelphia office of global
career services firm Lee Hecht Harrison. “They
stop and ask: Why did you say that, what were
you thinking?” Bankins says. “They delve
deeply, whereas men sometimes take things at
face value. Women are willing to take the time
to deal with details, to find out what makes
someone tick and what turns them off.”
That ability to listen serves women well; and
any empathy and nurturing they bring to the
workplace can be a powerful motivator. “It can
drive people to perform at 100 % of their capacity,”
says Debra Nelson, who was recently appointed
vice president of corporate diversity and community
affairs for the MGM Mirage in Las Vegas, NV.

“Leaders take people

where they wouldn’t
go by themselves.”

That fact, however, hasn’t dampened the

desire of men or women to have the CEO job,
according to a recent Catalyst study, “Women and
Men in US Corporate Leadership: Same
Workplace, Different Realities?” The study found
that women and men have equal desires to attain
the CEO position and that mothers whose children
are living with them are just as likely to desire the
corner office as women who don’t have children.

46 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba


“Women lead in a relational way, they share
control. My sense is that the emergence of these
traits might well prove to be an advantage for
women leaders,” says Corrine Post, a
management professor at Pace University Lubin
School of Business New York, who specializes in
gender issues in management, work practices,
and work-family issues.
In a recent white paper by Robin Cohen
and Linda Kornfeld, managing partners of the
New York and Los Angeles law offices of
Dickstein Shapiro Morin & Oshinsky, a variety
of data were cited as having shown the following:
“What’s needed in the workplace is a blending of the
two to create a more balanced work environment”
Women executives tend to build connections
and relationships that dictate the basis of their
communications, while men try to establish a
hierarchy that guides their interactions with
others. Women are more likely to consult with
others when developing strategies, including
experts, employees and fellow business owners.
Women executives have a greater natural
tendency to deal comfortably with multitasking,
have fewer competitive tendencies and often seek
a cooperative approach. Women focus on the
“big picture” when making important business
decisions or developing strategies. Women
EXECUTIVE MBA
LEADERSHIP
emphasize relationship-building as well as fact-
gathering, and women are more likely to talk
through business approaches, and incorporate
the ideas of others, before making final decisions.
Some critics say that all this collaboration,
consensus-building, and talking can slow the
business process, increasing the time needed to
make decisions, for example. Bourgeois says:
“women can be too skewed toward collaborating,
while men can be ‘all about the bottom line’.
What’s needed in the workplace,” she says, “is a
blending of the two to create a more balanced
work environment.”
The struggle continues
Despite some very positive characteristics
working in their favor, women in positions of
leadership still face substantial challenges
“We’ve come a long way, but it hasn’t been
without a fight and there’s still a long way to go.
We’ll get there out of necessity,” says Carla Ladd,
staff systems engineer for Lockheed, meaning that
employers will have little choice in promoting
women, as there are more women in the
workforce who bring with them advanced degrees.
Billings-Harris says women who work in
predominantly male environments in
particular may find that it takes longer for men
to get comfortable with them being in a
position of authority. “It takes longer to build
relationships,” she says, “to realize that even
though you wear a skirt, you have a vision.”
Victoria Phipps, a partner with the law firm
of Epstein Becker Green Wickliff and Hall in
Houston, Texas, says that when minority or
female lawyers travel on business to smaller urban
and rural areas, they may be greeted with
incredulous looks, mistaken for the court reporter
or plaintiff, or assumed to be the plaintiff’s wife.
Even in the 21st century, some people still can’t
see a woman – let alone a minority woman – as a
qualified, experienced and capable professional.
Ford, however, takes issue over all the talk
about gender and race differences. “The
requirements are the same for all,” she says.
“Every time someone doesn’t get a raise, bonus,
promotion, or whatever, there’s the temptation
to revert to the victim mentality to blame it on
the good old boy network. Well, nobody gets
through life without some defeat.
“I’m not saying that preferential treatment
sometimes isn’t shown, and that there aren’t
bigots, but they are not as widespread as some
people want to believe.”
Identity crisis
“It’s lonely at the top.” This old adage has never
been truer, especially for women leaders who
may have few or no mentors or sponsors who
resemble them, share their experience, or can
offer direction and support when needed.
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 47
C A R E E R FA I R & CO N G R E S S M A Y 14 t h   1 0 A M – 7 P M
WCC – P LEN A R G EB Ä UDE , B O NN

> 5 0 COM PA NIES CO N G R ES S

Accenture Infineon Forum 1 Forum 4
Adidas KAUTEX Textron
Job re-entry for women Management skills for
Allianz KPMG
women
AXA Lenze Forum 2
BAYER Mazars Forum 5
Career planning
Bertelsmann Medtronic Future trend SHE-Conomy?!
Boston Consulting Group Merck Forum 3
Feminisation of the
Cisco Systems METRO Work-Life-Balance & economy
Coca-Cola Microsoft family
Continental MLP
DELL MTU
Deutsche Bank OBI
> > > TI C K E T R ES ERVATI O N O NL IN E !
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easyCredit (TeamBank) Robert Bosch u nt il M a y 9 t h
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GRAMMER THOST ENTR
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 EXECUTIVE MBA

LEADERSHIP

“The first generation of women leaders did
partition off that piece of themselves that was a wife,
woman, or mother. They modeled themselves
after male leaders,” says Samuel Waltz of Sam
Waltz & Associates, Business & Communications
Counsel, in Wilmington, Delaware.
Though there are still some women who
adopt the military, tough-girl act, but it’s not as
prevalent as it was in the past. “More women
celebrate their differences,” says Waltz. “They
know they don’t have to be like me, a graying,
white male.”
Phipps recalls her early days as a litigator:
“There were no role models,” she says. “There
were so few women litigators. I had to find a way
to relate to the jury that was female, to find my own
“Women executives have
fewer competitive
tendencies and often seek a
cooperative approach”
way. I knew it wouldn’t work if I tried to imitate a
man. People will praise certain behavior in a man,
but despise those same traits in a woman.”
The big question, says Phipps, is figuring
out how to lead effectively when you are
perceived as being weaker. “Do you become a
witch? And, if you’re too nice, will you get
everything accomplished? Will you be able to
get the results you and the company expect?”
On the other hand, when it’s appropriate,
do take the initiative. “Don’t wait to be
approached about an opportunity; seek out
leadership,” says Post.
Trust yourself. “You have to believe in
yourself as a leader,” Ford says. “Stop being your
own worst enemy, have faith in yourself, that you
have what it takes.”
Part of trusting yourself is also being
comfortable in your own skin. You cannot be
who you are not. Transparency in these times is
a necessity, not a luxury, points out Waltz.
Each one teach one. Be a mentor, seek a
mentor; seek a sponsor, be a sponsor. Women
cannot be shy about asking each other for help
and networking. The men have mastered this.
They golf, they drink, they get business done.
“Do away with the ‘crab syndrome,’ that
only one of us can make it to the top and I’ll
take you out. We must be more supportive of
each other,” says Bourgeois. Mentors don’t
have to look like you, either. Be open to
relationships with people who are different,
whether in race, gender, or otherwise. It’s all
about relationships.
Take risks, advises Theresa Welbourne, an
expert in organizational behavior and founder
and CEO of eePulse, a technology and research
company based in Howell, MI. You can’t take
the safe route all the time; instead, stretch
yourself and your people. Better to try and fail
than to have never tried at all.
“Be a change agent; step out in a different
way. Don’t let being the first or only prohibit you
“The first generation of
women leaders did
partition off that piece of
themselves that was a wife,
woman, or mother”
from moving forward. Exercise your voice,” says
Nina Patterson, dean of student life at Maryville
University in St. Louis. Keep in mind, Ford says,
the best leadership is servant leadership. “Realize
relationships mean everything. Work on them
every day. Nobody owes you anything; you owe
people everything.”
Finally, she adds, believe and remember that
you have control. “Whether you think you can or
whether you think you can’t, you’re probably
right. The game is played out in your mind.”

Success strategies
So how do individual women fight for their
rightful place at the table and keep their seats
once they get there?
Be realistic: “Don’t think we have fully
overcome; you’ll do yourself a disservice. Realize
that you have to be prepared, to have the
education and the experience, so that when your
credentials are presented, there’s little to
question,” says Nelson.
“Early in my career, I applied for jobs that I
didn’t get. I worked diligently to improve myself.
Learning has to be a lifelong process,” she says.
Because she didn’t have mentors early on, she
would read biographies of successful business
people to see how they got through and she
would ponder what she thought they might do
in a situation that she was having trouble with.
Practice excellence daily, Bourgeois adds.
“Success is a strategy.”
Flexibility is important, Ladd says. “You
will end up where you are supposed to be. In
the meantime, make the most of where you
are right now.”

TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 49

 EXECUTIVE MBA

APPLICATIONS
EMBA TIPS

How many times have we

What I Wish I had said to ourselves if only we’d

known
known... ? Ann Graham finds
out from some EMBA alumni,
what they wished they’d
known before starting their
Executive MBA

H
indsight is a beautiful thing. While Wadhwa’s former classmate can the option of places such as China, South
The number of times we can reap the rewards of her EMBA by way of a Africa, India or Brazil can be enticing, she
look back on an occasion much-deserved vacation, travel expenses wished she had spent more time researching
throughout our lifetime during an Executive MBA is one aspect her destination of choice. “Going to other
uttering the words “I wish someone had told another EMBA alumnus alerts candidates to. countries is part of the adventure [of an
me that...” Although we can’t necessarily Aaron Sylvan, an EMBA graduate of IMD in EMBA],” Wadhwa says.
change what has been, we can certainly Switzerland, says his travel expenses were “Though an integral part of the journey,
prepare for what’s ahead with the wisdom of substantial and estimates it to be two-thirds as it’s not just the tourist destinations you
others who have gone before us. much as the tuition, taking into consideration should spend time researching before you
If you’re considering the world of hotels and airfares. arrive. Going to another country can open
Executive MBA classrooms, take heed in “The cost didn’t surprise me and I had doors professionally – and that should be
the knowledge of others who have entered budgeted for it, but since it is so significant I one of the key deciding factors on which
the business school world before you. would give others an extra reminder to be sure countries you choose to pursue your
They’ve dedicated 12-24 months of their to include it in their financial planning. Also international modules in. I missed the
lives to management modules, group
discussions and team projects and a
qualification which will set them up for an
exciting professional career. They’ve taken
the challenge, and excelled. But each one
of them has admitted that there are some
things about the experience they wished
they had known before embarking on their
Executive MBA. One of those is Hina
Wadhwa-Gonfreville, Editor in Chief of the
QS TopExecutive Guide.
An Executive MBA alumna of ESCP
Europe, Wadhwa looks back on her time in
the classroom with fond memories, but says
there are a number of things that would have
enhanced her experience – even post-EMBA
- if only she’d known.
“I caught up with a fellow alumna about
two months after our graduation, who said she bear in mind that currency exchange rates can opportunity to get in touch with alumni or
was planning a vacation to Fiji. My reaction fluctuate between enrolment and participation, network more with local contacts (via our
was “how can you afford that?” After all, I still so leave an extra 20% or so for safety.” partner business school) in Rio de Janeiro
hadn’t finished paying off my loan. But she because I didn’t put the time into organizing
told me she had paid all of her school fees on Researching destinations myself. These seminars are a rare chance to
her airline credit card (instead of the classic ESCP Europe’s Executive MBA allowed broaden your network and explore new
cheque or bank transfer), and got air miles for Wadhwa and her fellow classmates to horizons. So think about what you want to
them! Had I known, I would have used the choose modules in a range of destinations get out of these experiences, work hard,
miles for travel on the program!” all around the world. But, she says, although party hard but network smart, too!”

50 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba


Time management
For many Executive MBA alumni, knowing
how much time is involved in pursuing an
EMBA is at the top of their list of ‘what they
wish they had known’. Sylvan is an
entrepreneur and had his own business to
run while at the same time ensuring he had
the time and energy to give 100% to his
Executive MBA. He openly admits he wished
he’d fully understood just how much time
would be involved.
“I had the impression it would consume
10-15 hours per week, and that I could easily
make room in my work-week... but it turned
out to really require more like 20-25hrs, and
many of my classmates arranged for their
employers to let them work part-time during
the program,” says the CEO of Sylvan Social
Technology. “As an entrepreneur, I certainly
have flexibility and control over my
schedule, but I would have planned my
business differently had I realized just how
much work would be expected of me by
professors and teammates.”
Time management is a key element to
not only making the most of your Executive
MBA, but also making it a success. Sylvan
wasn’t the only one who wished he’d known
about the time commitment before embarking
on his EMBA, so too did Nick Mbuvi,
corporate banking director for Barclays Global
Retail and Commercial Banking, East Africa
and IESE Global Executive MBA alumnus.
“I think I underestimated the size of the
challenge,” Mbuvi admits. “Pursuing the
EMBA, having a full-time job and creating
time for the family is no mean task!” However,
Mbuvi says he quickly became an expert in
time management and through excellent
support from his family and employer he
adjusted to life in the EMBA classroom.
It’s that need for family time that Mariano
Janiszewski, an Executive MBA alumnus from
the Katz Graduate School of Business at the
University of Pittsburgh, wished he’d known
before embarking on his EMBA. “I would
have liked to have known the dimension of the
personal and family sacrifice I would have to
EXECUTIVE MBA
EMBA TIPS
go through, so that I would be able to prepare
myself and my family better before I began the
course,” the medical director of Amgen’s
Brazilian hub says.
“I would also have liked to have
understood sooner how important it is to
build strong relationships and partnerships
within the group, with classmates and
colleagues, since with full collaboration
everything gets easier,” he says.
It was the classmates and colleagues on
Paul C McAfee’s Executive MBA at Fordham
that he wishes he’d known more about. The
Chief of Spinal Reconstructive Surgery at St.
Josephs Medical Center, Baltimore,
Maryland says the only hard part of the
EMBA was that the experience had to end
upon graduation. “I miss the people
tremendously. It is probably the difference
between theory and actual practice but each
of us continually wishes that the people we
work with on a day-to-day basis could only be
as talented and conscientious as our fellow
MBA classmates.”
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 51

Back to the classroom
With the average age of most Executive
MBA candidates at 30+, it has been a while
since these executive professionals have
been back into the classroom, and the
EMBA is a far cry from an undergraduate
degree. Despite years of professional
experience out in the “real world”,
becoming a student again requires a
significant mindshift and adaptation of
one’s thinking.
Knowing what it is like to be a student
again, is the number one thing Erick E
Pereda wishes he had known pre-EMBA. “I
wish I had known that I was truly going to
become a student again, and from an
executive perspective, this has posed a
challenge,” says the IESE Global Executive
MBA alumnus. “That is why I have come to
appreciate the case study discussions during
class. It provides one of the few opportunities
during which I can resume my more
accustomed role of decision-maker, rather
than a student who is preoccupied with
homework and exams,” admits Pereda, a
private equity veteran.
Charmaine Leung, a current student
at Kellogg-WHU, has also realized what it
is like to be a student again, albeit one
studying for her Executive MBA degree.
The founder of Go Jewellery, www.
go-jewellery.com, an online jewellery
store, says it has been a while since she
studied so intensively, and had the need to
complete as many readings as possible in a
short period of time. “I wish I knew how to
EXECUTIVE MBA
EMBA TIPS
speed read or have the ability to increase
my memory capacity in a short period of
time,” she says.
As all the alumni we have spoken to have
alluded to, there is significant time required
to successfully complete an Executive MBA,
while juggling work, family, and social lives
concurrently. This is where the importance
of scheduling comes in, and it is yet another
element to the Executive MBA Wadhwa
wished she had known before stepping into
the classroom.
“Try to work out your work/study
routine,” she advises. “Decide what you
should do in the morning, and what you are
best at doing late at night. It’s important to
work out your thought cycle and to anticipate
that, rather than finding out halfway through
the course. Don’t keep everything in your
head – you are bound to forget things! Put
your thoughts and your to-do lists down on
paper. I carried a little notebook around and
that freed a lot of much needed mental space.
If you can get into a routine that works for
you, your EMBA experience will be all the
more enjoyable.”
Personal enlightenment
Natacha Dagneaud, founder of Séissmo, a
market research agency specializing in
Qualitative Consumer Research in Germany,
and alumna of Kellogg-WHU, chose to
embark on her Executive MBA to decide
about her professional (and private) future
orientation. “I wanted to learn again,” she says.
“And to have the chance (the right!) to “know
nothing”. When you are leading a company
you sometimes don’t know better but you are
supposed to know,” she says.
Dagneaud’s EMBA made her feel both
stronger and wiser. “It created a “big
picture” view” and sharpened my sight as
well, helping me to take a step back during
important and critical decisions,” she says.
But just as was the case for all other EMBA
alumni, there were a few things Dagneaud
wished she had known before stepping into
the classroom. “I wish I had known that it
was going to create subversive questions
within oneself about the “right” choices...
and sometimes bring even more questions
than before.”
Yet for Franz Fankhauser, head of
Department of Retinology and Vitreoretinal
Surgery at ORASIS Eye Clinic, Reinach in
Switzerland and Executive MBA alumnus
of Leipzig Graduate School of Management,
there was only one thing he wished he’d
known before embarking on his EMBA. “I
wish I knew earlier about its existence. If so,
I would have done it a long time ago.”
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 53
 EXECUTIVE MBA

EMBA
APPLICATIONS
TRENDS

EMBA World is a New York

City-based organization
dedicated to helping employees
and employers understand

Undergoing options regarding graduate level

business education, and in
particular the Executive MBA

transformation
Jason A. Price, MS, MBA, founder of EMBA World, and author of the just released, updated
version of Insider’s Guide to the Executive MBA takes a look at Executive MBA trends

T
he first Executive MBA launched programs. Combined, all of these represent have also been quick to respond to industry-
nearly 70 years ago in Chicago in a handful of the new dynamics that the specific demands and offer summer
1943. The program was offered EMBA is experiencing in the 21st century, programs which suit seasonal industries,
by The University of Chicago to and constitute important trends in the such as accounting where January to April
a class of 23 over a period of 18 months. By industry of graduate business education. are busy months.
the 1960s the majority of schools in the US We are also seeing an increased
and Europe were offering their own form of Evolving teaching formats intensity of the delivery of executive
Executive MBA. Michigan State University, The EMBA learning format varies from education. Driven by greater demands being
University of Pittsburgh, and the London school to school. Weekends, bi-monthly, placed on students at their places of
Business School, just to name a few, helped and week-long sessions present opportunities employment, programs aim to maximize the
train future business leaders in conjunction for new forms of class delivery. Schools value students get while in the classroom.
with full-time employment. Today, there
are nearly 300 EMBA programs worldwide.
As a result of this growth in the number
of EMBA programs being offered, in 1981,
the non-profit EMBA Council organized
schools to share knowledge and adopt best
practices that would further excel EMBA
education. The Council is credited in
supporting schools to define their own
unique path while ensuring the delivery of
a high quality business education in
accordance to the accrediting body AACSB.
Most schools originally followed the
Chicago course delivery style, offering a fast-
track or accelerated program which employees
could take while on sabbatical or over vacations,
compliments of the boss. Many corporations
rewarded star employees with this opportunity
for further professional advancement. The
course work was flexible and accommodating
enough for participants to attend while
continuing to work up the corporate ladder.
While the nature of the Executive MBA is
much the same as in its formative years, an
increasingly international business environment
is placing greater demands on the degree.
Cross-continental innovations, ever-
advancing information technology, even
coursework addressing business ethics, are
all in greater demand within EMBA

54 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba


Many schools now offer longer, more
intensive training sessions that meet less
frequently—a once you have them, teach
them approach. Thus, business school
applicants who would have opted for
traditional offerings are attracted to the
concentrated EMBA program.
Innovative uses of technology in
the classroom
Technology has clearly impacted the
Executive MBA and business at large. Many
schools are adapting e-learning models that
incorporate web-based applications into
their curricula. Schools are demonstrating
novel uses with technology to connect,
deliver, and archive the delivery of
coursework. IMD and the Hass School of
Business at Berkeley make class lectures
available via podcast. The University of
Illinois bridges multiple campuses
throughout Greater Chicago using real-time
digital conferencing, while INSEAD has
just announced it will use Apple iTunes to
reach new audiences.
Most EMBA programs subscribe to
groupware platforms which link students,
faculty and administrators in virtual private
networks. Innovations of this kind are
available in most EMBA programs, as are
podcasts, mobile connectivity, and
academic social media networks.
However, the efficacy of technology as
a tool to deliver and augment graduate
business education is open for discussion. A
few EMBA programs use technology in
place of the classroom. Some programs are
building the entire learning model around
computer applications. Others have taken a
completely opposite approach and minimize
the use of technology, using it only for
research and assignments. Most EMBA
programs though, opt for a balanced mix of
in person and online learning.
Ethics and morality coursework
A discussion about business school in the
second decade of the 21st century is not
complete without a look at how schools are
handling the question of ethics and morality
in the workplace. The scandal-driven 2008
economic meltdown will continue to
resonate for a long time in textbooks, but may
escape immediate memory as we move away
from the uncertain times of the end of the last
decade.
How you conduct yourself morally and
ethically in the business world is based on
character, not education, so the blame put
on business schools for being at fault was
unfortunate and baseless. However, business
schools being well-suited to address the
topic have built ethics classes which include
real-world case studies and simulations into
the curriculum.
The much talked about MBA Oath
came about as a result of the aftermath of
2008. Created by two Harvard MBA
graduates, the Oath is a voluntary pledge for
graduating and current MBAs to “create
value responsibly and ethically.” The MBA
Oath has been embraced by students and
graduates representing over 300 institutions
around the world and at most recent count
includes over 4,500 supporters.
Adoption of the Executive MBA in
other fields
As a concept, the Executive MBA has been
so successful in helping professionals obtain
a graduate business education, that the
executive-model has surfaced in other
degree programs.
The Mailman School of Public Health
at Columbia University offers an Executive
MPH. Hospital and healthcare
administrators, doctors and nurses, social
workers, and government and foundation
researchers can graduate through a two-year
course of concentrated study with classes
held over one extended weekend per month,
while maintaining full-time employment.
UCLA, Drexel University and the University
of North Carolina among others offer
similar programs, and USC offers a Master’s
of Medical Management.
The relatively new Geneva School of
Diplomacy and International Relations, offers
a n E M I R — E x e c u t i v e M a s t e r ’s i n
International Relations — that can be
completed in as little as 18 months. Lawyers
who want a master’s degree can attend St
Louis’s Washington University Executive
LLM (Master of Law) degree, which the
school offers in collaboration with Korea
University. Indiana University, Purdue offers
an Executive MA in Philanthropic studies,
while USC’s Master of Medical Management
(MMM) degree provides the formal business
education physicians seek in order to realize
their professional goals.
The Executive MBA, because of its
professional audience is one of, if not the
most, adaptive degrees in the management
education arena today. Built to respond to
the needs of an ever-changing and fast-
paced business landscape, the EMBA
benefits from a distinctive real-world
leadership edge. It is this flexibility and
prompt response to its market that keeps the
EMBA a viable and valuable option for the
world’s top executives.
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 55
EXECUTIVE MBA
EMBA TRENDS
The changing EMBA landscape
A school’s point of view
Dr. Francis Petit, Associate Dean at
Fordham University shares the
trends he sees taking place within
the Executive MBA
We see a number of trends taking
place in the EMBA world. For
example, in the last few years our
EMBA students have come from a
slightly younger group. In our case
that means 32 or 33. While our
evening and part-time programs of
the regular MBA programs have
seen enrolment drop, the EMBA
seems to be what students want as
it’s more efficient.
We also find that students are
more sensitive to the cost of tuition
than they used to be. Just as
companies have experienced drop-
offs in their business during the
current recession, we face a softer
market for our product—education.
Some schools charge upwards of
$100,000, and I think they may
face setbacks or even a bust if
expenses do not slow down or
retract. If the real estate and stock
markets can have their bubble
burst, why not academia?
Another movement that we’ve
noticed is in the admissions process.
More and more schools are dropping
the GMAT requirement. However, we
think that those schools are doing so
for competitive reasons, and at
Fordham we’ll continue to require
the test for admission.
Perhaps the most interesting
trend over these past few years has
been the growing collegiality
among business schools. By
sharing classrooms, schools expose
students to a wider pool of
professors and subjects. The deans
of the various Jesuit Institutions—
such as Fordham—are working on
closing gaps in current curricula
through cooperation, and similar
alliances are happening with the
Ivy League schools and others in
geographically common locations
and with similar reputations.
 EXECUTIVE MBA

LEADERSHIP

Leadership
Today’s workplace demands
innovation, creativity, and high
performance to achieve ultimate
success. Diversity MBA Magazine
offers answers to the most

under pressure
pressing questions of the day by
focusing on multiple dimensions
of the diversity experience;
delivering compelling strategies
and best practices, to ensure your
By Connie Glover and Erika James ultimate success
This article was first published in Diversity MBA magazine

W
hile leadership as a quality can Secondly, it is often the handling of a crisis supports communication efforts across
manifest itself in many ways, it’s that can lead to more damage than the crisis itself. organizational levels, departments, and other
perhaps most apparent when things Crisis leadership entails a complex set of boundaries. For example, developing capabilities
become difficult; the pressure increases and the competencies that leaders must adopt if they are for managing a crisis in a global context requires a
leader and his or her staff is up against it. How to steer an organization through the various crisis mindset, and integrated support system, that can
a leader behaves under pressure often serves as phases and into a successful recovery. When these quickly bring together and mobilize stakeholders
a true indicator of his or her effectiveness. competencies exist within a firm’s leadership, the from different parts of the world to resolve the crisis.
As scholars of crises, crisis management, likelihood of a firm becoming resilient after a Fourthly, learning from crisis is the best
and leadership, Erika Hayes James and Lynn crisis is greatly enhanced. A leader’s ability to hope for preventing repeat occurrences; it
Wooten, in their book Leading Under Pressure, build a successful crisis-management team is also provides an excellent opportunity to challenge
observe some points about crises (current as important; some of the advantages include an the organizational routines that may stand in
well as those from times past), and the rippling ability to generate more information, stimulate the way of excellence. Further, firms which can
effect they can have. Through an intricate creativity and expedite decision-making. engage in learning can develop an
weaving of theoretical, empirical, and practical
ideas associated with the concepts of crisis and
leadership, James and Wooten present a
comprehensive perspective that can guide the
business academic community toward
continued study in crisis leadership. They
challenge students to prepare themselves for a
new leadership form, and provide a road map
for practitioners and executives to traverse as
they continue to navigate the ever-increasing
challenges of leading today’s organizations.
Firstly, crises are inevitable. Some crises
may be avoided, and some may be managed
well enough to limit long-term damage, but at
the end of the day, every organization and even
every nation will experience at least one crisis.
For example, throughout the late 1990s and
well into the 2000s, several American
businesses were characterized largely by crisis
and scandal. Among the most notorious were
the financial and ethical mismanagement of
Enron Corp. and WorldCom. Throughout Thirdly, effective crisis handling involves organizational memory that helps to prevent
history, leaders of firms and their various much more than good public relations. Leaders future problems.
stakeholders have had to deal with a host of must establish a norm of open and honest Finally, crisis events can create potential for
challenges ranging from the mundane to the communication, and be appropriately candid significant opportunity to be realized for
severe. However ordinary or commonplace about all aspects of the business, in good times as individuals, organizations and countries. There
these challenges may seem, they are well as bad. Doing so can go a long way toward are numerous examples of people and
nonetheless problematic, and, if left unattended building a culture of trust. Moreover, information organizations that have adopted a more optimistic
or if they become subject to public scrutiny, flow to various stakeholders will occur more easily frame of mind in response to threat. Consequently,
they can escalate into a crisis situation with the when there is a norm or expectation of what these individuals and organizations do in
potential to harm, sometimes irreparably. communication and an infrastructure that response to crisis is worth examining.

TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 57

 EXECUTIVE MBA
APPLICATIONS
FINANCE
Hidden Costs
of an
EMBA
A
n Executive MBA (EMBA) isn’t cheap,
but talk to any alumni who’s “been
there, done that” and they’ll say the
investment is well worth it. However, like any
life-changing project, an EMBA requires
careful planning. It’s a decision that every
EMBA candidate must come to over time; a
decision that needs to be made after extensive
research, analysis and evaluation into the
options on offer. Part of that research will be
into the expenses an EMBA requires, and that
shouldn’t be approached lightly. But what
makes up that financial investment?
Tuition & application fees
It’s often the case that the more prestigious the
institution, the greater the tuition fee. A look
at many of the world’s top business schools
shows an Executive MBA will set you back
anywhere between £25,000 and £90,000,
possibly even more. But as part of your research
it is important to take note of what those tuition
fees entail. While some will cover the costs of
course materials, accommodation, food and
travel, others won’t.
58 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba
Before you pay your tuition fees, however,
you may be required to pay an application fee.
This is the first step to showing your future
business school you’re serious about embarking
on an Executive MBA. It takes time to put your
application together, but it also takes time for the
school to process it, and they want to know they’re
investing time into a candidate who’s going to add
value to their classroom.
Top tip: If your business school of choice
requires you to have a GMAT score, add it to
the list. That’s another cost associated with the
EMBA. You may also need to sit the TOEFL
or TOEIC exams if English isn’t your native
language. Find out from the admissions teams
of the business schools you are applying to.
Interviews
Once you’ve passed the initial application
round, it’s time for an interview – or two. Some
business schools request up to two face-to-face
interviews with potential candidates, and
although this may take place at a venue near
you, be prepared to pay for the necessary flights
to your business school of choice should they
An Executive MBA from one
of the world’s top business
schools is challenging,
rewarding and pricey.
Ann Graham looks into the
hidden costs of an EMBA
ask for your presence on campus. Many schools
encourage you to visit their campus before
submitting your application, to ensure the
business school is the right fit for you. This is a
valuable exercise, as it also allows you to sit in
on class, get a feel for the campus environment
and project yourself in your future as an EMBA
participant there, so set some finances – and
time - aside for this as well.
Top tip: Download Skype to your
computer and make sure your web cam is
working should a school be happy to arrange a
face-to-face interview via cyberspace.
Flights & transfers
One of the major attractions of the Executive
MBA is that candidates can continue to work and
live at home while studying for this prestigious
business school degree, thus reducing the
disruption to their professional and personal
lives. The EMBA does not require you to move
to another city, another country, or even another
continent – but it is likely to require you to travel
there, particularly if you’re enrolled on a Global
Executive MBA (GEMBA). As such, you need
to ensure you have the financial means to fund
your travel. Some schools include students’
travel costs within the tuition fees for some
modules or seminars, but this will vary from
program to program.
Top tip: Getting to and from the airport is
only part of the travel. You still need to pay for
transfers to and from your accommodation and
school campus. As you get to know your
classmates, you may find it easier to not only
coordinate travel, but also work on group
assignments or simply exchange experiences..
Visas & travel insurance
Embarking on an Executive MBA is
challenging enough without adding to stress
levels by being disorganized. Save yourself
time and worry by establishing which

countries you will need a visa for and get the
process going, even before class begins if
possible. Your program manager will be able
to help you with the details or paperwork if
any is needed.
Whether you’re travelling for business or
pleasure, you must always take out insurance
and travelling during your EMBA is no different.
Whether you have an existing policy, or being
accepted into an Executive MBA program is the
instigator you need to take out a new one, make
sure you and your luggage are covered.
Top tip: Back up all of your course work.
If your laptop gets lost or stolen in transit, you
don’t want to turn up to class without your part
of the group project. There are many online
back up and file sharing services available,
such as Dropbox for example, which not only
allow you to access your files from anywhere,
but also exchange group work files easily.
Textbooks
After accepting a place on an Executive MBA,
you will need to purchase your text books (if
your school hasn’t included these in the overall
course fees). Purchase these books as soon as
possible and start reading. Preparation is key to
getting the most out of your EMBA. Professors
will also recommend additional reading
material throughout your Executive MBA. You
may not wish to buy each book, but why not
team up with your classmates and each buy a
recommended book to share? Keep up-to-date
on what’s happening in the Financial Times
and Economist as well. If you don’t have an
online subscription, you’re sure to find copies
in your business school’s library.
Top tip: Get a head start with QS Top
Executive’s recommended reading lists for EMBA
candidates. You can find them on www.topmba.
com/emba/reading-recommendations.
Accommodation
Some business schools will include
accommodation in the tuition fees, but should
you need to source your own accommodation
during your modules, either on campus or abroad,
why not group together with your classmates and
use your negotiation skills with a local hotel?
Booking in bulk may enable you to get a discount.
Check if some of your classmates have access to
interesting corporate rates. Another option is to
roomshare – and if you share with a classmate
who’s being sponsored by their company, you may
find you’ll end up with spare change.
Top tip: Make sure you also set aside
money for phone calls (although Skype is
definitely a better option), wi-fi access, laundry
EXECUTIVE MBA
FINANCE
and car parking. Don’t forget sight-seeing if
you’re going abroad for a seminar, group
outings and networking gatherings, culinary
explorations and fun, too.
Networking & social costs
Studying for an Executive MBA is hard work,
but that doesn’t mean it’s all work and no play.
In fact, you may find some of your best work,
study, and research is done while socializing with
your classmates. After all, they’ll be a diverse
group of senior managers and professionals from
all corners of the globe whom you can learn just
as much from as you can from your professors.
So make sure you have some money in your
pocket for a round of drinks – if you come up
with a business idea over a beer, you’ll soon get
a return on your investment.
Top tip: Don’t rely solely on your social
network profiles, such as LinkedIn. Nothing
beats networking face-to-face – it can be
expensive but it’s worth it.
And finally… graduation outfit
And then of course there’s the outfit for your
graduation. New suit, new dress, new shoes – not
to mention the appointment at the hairdresser’s.
But don’t feel guilty. You’ve certainly earned a
night – and a shopping spree – of celebration.
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 59
 EXECUTIVE MBA

EMBA
APPLICATIONS
READING

EMBA reads –
Top
reading
recommendations
Admissions directors from some of the world’s top business schools reveal the books
they would recommend EMBA candidates have on their bookshelves

R
eading and constant learning are
something that any good
executive should be doing at all
times but reading and learning jump
into high gear when you enter an
Executive MBA program. To prepare
yourself for going back to school, most
EMBA program directors recommend
that you get into the habit of reading on
a more regular basis. If you listen to
current participants or alumni, they all
agree that the amount of reading
expected of you on an EMBA program
can be a bit daunting. As Charmaine
Leung, a current student at Kellogg-
WHU told us, “I wish I had (learned)
how to speed read. It has been a while
since I studied so intensively and had
the need to complete as much reading
in a short period of time.”
So, to help get you prepared, we
asked some of the top business school
administrators what books they would
recommend for their potential EMBA
participants. They came up with a must
read list of some of the top leadership,
business and management titles on the
market today. Pick up a few of them
and get yourself ramped up for the
learning curve ahead of you.

Fordham University, Imperial College Business School

Graduate School of Business Administration
Dr Francis Petit, Assistant Dean
and Director for Executive Programs
Heroic Living by Chris Lowney, Loyola Press, 2009
“This book enlightens its readers on the importance of
developing purpose and perspective within one’s
professional/personal life.”
Serpico by Peter Maas, Perrenial, 1973
“The classic story of the cop who couldn’t be bought
illustrates the courage it takes to fight deep level
organizational corruption.”
IESE Business School
Maria Puig, Executive Director
of the Global Executive MBA
Developing Leadership Competencies
by Prof. Pablo Cardona, Eunsa, October 2005
“This excellent book by IESE professor Pablo Cardona
helps executives better identify and determine the
competencies they would like to strengthen as leaders.”
The Economist, Business Week
and the Financial Times – periodicals
“I would also recommend reading global business
publications on a regular basis so that you are always
on top of current international, political and
economical affairs.”
Ebrahim Mohamed, Director of Executive
MBA Programmes
Innovation: A very Short Introduction
by Dodgson and Gann, Oxford University Press, 2010
“A well written, thought-provoking and handily pocket-
sized book to be read while commuting...
for the time-pressured.”
INSEAD
Nicole Tee, Director of Executive MBA Programmes
Breakthrough Rapid Reading by Peter Kump,
Prentice Hall Press 1998
“Time is a precious commodity especially for an EMBA
participant who has to juggle so many responsibilities.
One who reads faster has an advantage.”
Kellogg-WHU
Hanne Forssbohm, Senior Program Manager,
Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA Program
Corporate Strategy by Collis D, and Montgomery
C, McGraw Hill 2004
This book is used as a framework for the analysis of
corporate-level strategy and therefore nicely
compliments the strategy courses that EMBA students
will participate in as part of their program.

60 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba


Havard Business Review, Harvard Business
School Publishing, published monthly
A must read for EMBA candidates and participants,
The Harvard Business Review applies the best research
and practice to today’s management challenges and
strategic opportunities.
Sabanci University,
Sabanci School of Management
Ulf Nilsson, PhD, EMBA Academic Coordinator
Fooled by randomness by Nassim Nicholas Taleb,
Random House 2005
“The book offers a perspective on both careers and life
in general which many students might find useful and
thought-provoking. It will therefore support their
personal development and a wider way of thinking.”
Freakonomics by Steven D Levitt and Stephen J
Dubner, Harper Perennial 2009
“Freakonomics is creative and logical, and provides a
structured approach to complex issues in an encouraging
and interesting manner. It is also enjoyable to read.”
University of Pittsburgh,
Katz Graduate School of Business
Anne Nemer, Assistant Dean for Executive
Degree Programs, Joseph M. Katz Graduate
School of Business
Managing Across Borders: The Transnational
Solution by Christopher A. Bartlett and Sumantra
Ghoshal, Harvard Business School Press 1998
This business classic researches management on a
global stage with examples drawn from today’s
emerging international business community.
Instant Creativity: Simple Techniques to Ignite
Innovation and Problem Solving by Brian Clegg
and Paul Birch, Kogan-Page Limited 2007
With numerous quick and easy exercises, Instant
Creativity helps readers discover fresh ideas and
solutions to problems and encourages individuals and
groups to use their creativity.
Deep Dive: The Proven Method for Building Strategy,
Focusing Your Resources, and Taking Smart Action
by Rick Horwath, Greenleaf Book Group Press 2009
Through his research with senior executives from more
than 150 companies, Horwath dissects the three most
important elements of strategic thinking (acumen,
EXECUTIVE MBA
EMBA READING
allocation and action), breaks them down into simple
and attainable skills and then shows readers how to
apply them on a daily basis.
True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership
by Bill George, Gildan Media Corp 2007
True North is a practical and inspiring examination of
the executive experience which guides the reader to
locate what the author calls “the internal compass that
guides you successfully through life”.
Virginia Tech, Pamplin College of Business
Karime Shamloo, Assistant Director Executive
MBA Program
Five Dysfunctions of a Team
by Patrick Lencioni, Jossey Bass 2002
In this fictional story (the last installment of a trilogy),
Lencioni tells the tale of a woman who takes control of
a dysfunctional high-tech company’s executive
committee and helps its members succeed as a team. It
is an insightful guide for those struggling with the
inherent difficulties of leading a group.
Please Understand Me
by David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates, Prometheus
Nemesis Book Company 1984
For those already familiar with the Myers-Briggs
personality [type] test, Please Understand Me will
cover some familiar territory and for those just
getting acquainted with the test through this book, it
will offer a nice introduction with a Jungian twist.
Keirsey and Bates believe that not only is it impossible
to truly change others, it’s much more important to
understand and affirm our differences.
Arizona State University,
WP Carey School of Business
James King, director of recruiting and admissions
for the W.P. Carey MBA
Even You Can Learn Statistics: A Guide for
Everyone Who Has Ever Been Afraid of Statistics
by David F Stephan, FT Press 2009
“Because EMBA students are often anxious about their
quantitative skills when joining a program, we
recommend that concerned students refresh with books
in the statistics and accounting areas. Even You Can
Learn Statistics is a good book for helping to build
some background in statistics in advance of class.”
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 61
 EXECUTIVE MBA
APPLICATIONS
QS World Executive
MBA Tour bootcamp:
the application process - part 3
(EMBA Bootcamp 1 & 2 can be found at www.topmba.com/emba)
You’re considering an Executive MBA. You’ve attended a QS World Executive MBA fair,
spoken with admissions directors and alumni, and come to the conclusion it’s the
qualification for you. Now comes your first challenge - your EMBA application
Making the decision to study for an Executive MBA will be one of the most
exciting times in your professional career. Preparing to go into a classroom
with other like-minded individuals to test your skills, learn new business
practices and ultimately set you up for a rewarding executive profession will
be an experience you’ll never forget. But, you’ve got to get there first – into
Get support
1 You may be the one who has decided to embark on an
Executive MBA, but you won’t be experiencing the course
alone. The time, energy and attention you’ll need to apply to your
coursework will mean sacrifices have to be made elsewhere. Therefore,
it’s important you get support from family, friends, and colleagues -
you’re going to need it!
Top tip from EMLYON: Find a sponsor in your company so you will
have someone with whom to share what you are experiencing in the
EMBA, in the context of your organization.
Visit business schools
2 You’ve met them at the fair and spoken to their admissions
directors, now take a look at the business schools themselves.
Organize a visit to the different campuses of the schools you’re applying
to and explore the student environment. Sit in on a lecture or two and
soak up the atmosphere.
Top tip from IESE: Don’t submit an application without having
experienced the program and met the school and staff.
62 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba
the classroom that is. Each application to your preferred business school
needs to illustrate just who you are as a unique individual, what skill set you
have, and what you are going to bring to the classroom. It may seem like a
daunting process, but get through the application and you’re well on your
way to achieving your first Executive MBA goal!
The application form
3 Fill it out correctly! When downloading the application form,
download the instructions as well. Every school is different so
make sure you tick the right boxes and sell yourself to that institution.
Business schools are looking for the right fit just as much as you are.
Top tip from Leipzig: Show us your motivation and clear career goals.
Create a carefully thought-out and structured application. Take your time
for preparing a tailored application for each school you are applying to.
Test prep scores
4 An Executive MBA application is likely to include a GMAT
score, but just as each application is different, so too is the test
prep score and result for each business school. Be sure to find out what
your school requires and then get to it. As many students and alumni
will tell you, it’s not something you want to leave to the last minute. If
your program doesn’t require a GMAT score, you may have to sit
alternative tests. You may also be required to sit the TOEFL (Test of
English as a Foreign Language) or another English language assessment
test if English is not your native or work language, or if you do not have
an undergraduate degree from English-language institution.
Top tip from INSEAD: Set aside sufficient time for your GMAT. A
GMAT score is valid for five years. A TOEFL score is valid for two years.

Documentation
5 From academic transcripts to your CV, an EMBA
application requires a bit of paperwork. This helps the
admissions directors to get an initial impression of you as a
candidate, so make sure your CV is applicable, it demonstrates
your relevant work experience and, once again, you provide all the
relevant documentation the business school has asked for.
Top tip from W P Carey: Provide the best possible application,
including résumé and essays. Emphasize your experience in
managing people, projects and budgets.
Admissions essays
6 For most candidates, this is the most challenging part of
the business school application process. It may be some
time since you last wrote an essay, so don’t expect it to be easy.
However, answer the question the school has provided and, most
of all, make it personal. Put your own unique take on the question
to make yours stand out from the crowd.
Top tip from Chicago Booth: Ensure you answer the essay
questions directly.
Financial support
7 In recent years, securing finance for an Executive MBA
has become increasingly difficult, but that’s not to say
there isn’t any out there. Companies are still sponsoring EMBA
candidates, scholarships offered by business schools are increasing,
and there has been a growing trend of self-financed candidates. If
you’re serious about your EMBA, you’ll find the money – you just
need to show the business school you are capable of doing so.
Top tip from Fordham: We are telling our EMBA students to speak
with their accountants as some of our current executive students
have been getting about a third of their tuition expenses back
within their tax refund.
EXECUTIVE MBA
APPLICATIONS
Top tips for your application... from the business
schools themselves
Top tip from Imperial: Visit as many business schools as
possible and speak to staff and current students at the
business schools you visit
Top tip from Kellogg-WHU: Be yourself and know what you
are looking for. Although the top programs are quite similar
in terms of academic knowledge transfer, they are often
structured very differently in terms of course schedule,
diversity and globalism. Don’t pretend to be all things to all
programs – really look for the fit
Top tip from Pittsburgh (Katz): Foster your creativity and
flexibility – be prepared to work outside your comfort zone
with people, tasks and situations that are both familiar and
unfamiliar. Know where you stand out and what you have to
offer – what differentiates you, and how these differences
can benefit you and your team in the EMBA program
Letter of recommendation
8 This is an import ant part of your Executive MBA
application, so think carefully about who you ask to
provide your letter of recommendation. It needs to be someone
who can give an accurate account of you as an individual and as a
professional. Once chosen, make sure you give him/her sufficient
time to write the letter.
Top tip from IE: Don’t get recommendation letters from high level
managers who don’t actually know you.
The interview
9 If you’ve been called to a business school interview,
congratulations – you’re one step closer to the EMBA
classroom. Your application has obviously made the admissions
directors notice you, so be sure your interview does the same. Speak
confidently, prepare your answers in advance and be honest. This
is your opportunity to really let the admissions directors know how
much of an asset to their business school you will be. As for any
interview, be yourself; authenticity is key.
Top tip from Emory: Don’t be late for your interview (call ahead
if there is a problem!) .
Acceptance
10 The most rewarding part of your application will be the
notification of acceptance – then your EMBA experience
can really begin. If for some reason you’ve been unsuccessful, take
it as a learning curve. Perhaps now isn’t the right time to do an
EMBA, but in a few years with some more experience under your
belt, it will be. For those entering the business school classroom
– enjoy! It’s an experience you’ll never forget.
Top tip from Sabanci University: Have fun! You have a wonderful
opportunity to study highly interesting topics together with highly
qualified classmates and professors. Realize that this is a privilege
and opportunity and take good care of it.
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 63
 www.agefi.fr

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L’intelligence financière au quotidien


Five ways
to influence
and
impact
By Paul B Evans
Here are five ways to influence and impact your friends, colleagues and clients …
#1 Be intentional
Accept and embrace your responsibility as a
leader in your market. Make a focused effort
to make a measurable difference.
There’s plenty of white noise in the world
– no need for us to contribute.
Spend five minutes watching any cable
news or opinion program and it will be
nothing but critiques and judgment;
“Coaching from the stands” so to speak. Very
little of real value that will change the world.
But you can change the world. You can
decide to be intentional with the change
you want to make. You can step out with a
plan to make it happen, rather than just
talking about it.
#2 Be available
John Maxwell put it best, “You can impress
people from a distance. You can only impact
them up close.”
Making a memorable difference requires
a close-knit connection.
However, if you’re going to help as
many as possible, then you must be
creatively accessible. That’s why face-to-face
meetings and seminars are so valuable. It
gives you the opportunity to meet your
customers and clients in person. Being in
the same place at the same time will build
the connection in a lasting way.
#3 Be present
You’ve met and talked with thousands in your
lifetime. How many were present? How many
gave you their full attention? No looking over
your shoulder, no getting distracted and not
acting like you’re beneath them.
Now then… how many times have you
given others your full presence? Ahh… it’s
not easy is it?
Yet one of the greatest compliments we
can give another (or receive from someone) is
the gift of full attention.
This video clip will share the concept
better than I ever could. Don’t get lost in the
politics – grab the principle. It’s Bill
Clinton’s “Reality Distortion Field http://
tinyurl.com/embainfluence”
#4 Be clear
What impact do you want to make? Have
excruciating clarity on the difference you
want to bring to the lives of others.
“Hoping to make a difference” is too risky.
Don’t leave it up to hope – Write it down.
EXECUTIVE MBA
INFLUENCE
About the Author: Paul B. Evans is a
22 year veteran of business who helps
entrepreneurs develop and grow
strategically for the benefit of
themselves and others. While most
training companies focusonly on the
bottom line – Paul helps entrepreneurs
create a complete lifestyle business.
Instead of making money the only goal
and the only measurement, he teaches
to measure your success by your
amount of freedom and enjoyment.
www.paulbevans.com
What is the end result or benefit people will
get from working with you or simply being
around you? What are the results of customers
buying and applying your products?
#5 Be engaged
Life’s too brief to be monochrome. Be alert
and focused – be alive.
You can’t “make every moment count,”
it’s impossible, with too much unrealistic
pressure. However, we can decide which
events and people require our full engagement
and which require little.
Influence and impact through being
engaged can be simple.
s Listen
Don’t use your phone at dinner
s closely to a client with a question
s Be actively interested
s Take the initiative to do something special
and unexpected for someone
s Remember a conversation and later say:
“You really changed my thinking when you
said ______.”
Each day provides a new opportunity to be a
positive influence on those around us. Each
action may leave a memorable impact on the
life of someone you meet.
TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 65
 EXECUTIVE MBA
Athabasca University
www.mba.athabascau.ca

SCHOOL DATA & CONTACT DETAILS

Data and Contact Details
Class size: 240
Percentage women: 32%
Average age: 40
Average years management experience: 9
Average years work experience: 18 – 20
Average salary increase while enrolled: 37%

Tuition and fees

Athabasca University’s online MBA connects you to a powerful online learning $45,076 Canadian
environment that has stood the test of time. In 1994, AU logged on with Includes all course materials and text
books
the world's first fully interactive online Executive MBA, and since then has
continued to build a tradition of online excellence, including the launch Admission Requirements
of Canada's first online DBA in 2009. Today, the AU MBA is Canada's largest Application form
Executive MBA program, and has earned a place among the top Executive Resume highlighting management
experience
MBAs in the world.
Official transcripts
Three letters of reference
Curriculum that counts 1,000 word essay outlining your
Devon Smibert The AU Executive MBA curriculum is intense,
management experience
TESTIMONY

Security Architect
Phirelight
Current MBA student
Devon Smibert is
unstoppable. The
Athabasca University
MBA student is on
the fast track to
achieve everything
he possibly can
in life. And when
Devon sets goals for himself, he sets big
goals--including competing as a track
cyclist in the 2012 Olympics. Devon
also volunteers as a tandem cycling
pilot for visually impaired cyclist Brian
Cowie. The two competed in the Beijing
Paralympic Games and took a bronze
last year at the International Cycling
Union championships in Manchester,
England. “My work and athletic schedules
would never have allowed me to take a
traditional classroom format program.
At AU, I am able to arrange my school
schedule around my work and athletic
schedules”.
challenging and comprehensive. Core courses Three routes to entry
concentrate on the key areas that make a With an undergraduate degree and a
difference to organizational performance minimum of three years of management
— managing strategy, information, people, experience,
resources, projects, markets and operations — With an accepted professional designation
from the perspective of a decision maker. You and five years of management experience
will study cases and examples, and test models Based solely on management experience
and skills in your own work environment. requiring at least 8 to 10 years of significant
You will complete practical, project based management experience
assignments that are linked to your own
organization. Three cohorts per year
September (June 15 application)
January (October 15 application), and
Work-life balance May (February 15 application)
Athabasca's 24-hour online format makes it Contact
feasible and practical to work on a high quality Athabasca University
MBA while still meeting your commitments Centre for Innovative Management
to work and family. Designed to fit individual 301, 22 Sir Winston Churchill Avenue
schedules, the program can be successfully St. Albert, AB, Canada
completed from home, work or even while
travelling. Expect to be challenged, and to Phone: 800 561 4650
spend 20 to 25 hours per week on coursework, Web: www.mba.athabascau.ca
readings, discussions, and assignments. At AU, Email: cimoffice@mba.athabascau.ca
you need not leave work for a month, a year,
or even every second Friday. In fact, you are
never required to be online at a specific date
or time — a feature of our program that allows
you to study from any time zone, any part of
the world and at any time of day or night.

Meet this program at the

66 TOPEXECUTIVE
 EXECUTIVE MBA
Cranfield School
of Management
www.cranfieldMBA.info/qse
SCHOOL DATA & CONTACT DETAILS
Class overview
Class size: 65
international: 25
% women: 26
Average work experience: 11 years

Programme duration
2 years

Cranfield School of Management has been delivering world-class MBA Modes of study
Part-time: 15 weekends and three,
programmes for over 40 years and is triple accredited by AMBA, EQUIS and
one-week residential periods each year
AACSB. The School has an international reputation for excellence and is Modular: four, eight-day and two, nine-day
consistently ranked among the top business schools in the world. residential blocks each year

Entry requirements
The Cranfield Executive MBA was first offered in 1981 and is designed to help
- A good degree and/or professional
potential senior managers develop management skills to a depth and breadth qualification
that could never be obtained through work experience alone. - A minimum of three years'
post-qualification work experience
- A balanced GMAT score of 600 or
The Cranfield Executive MBA is a complete above - average at Cranfield: 670 (strong
Sven Ringling learning experience centred on intense, candidates may be able to take the
TESTIMONY

EMBA 2007
Management Consultant and
Entrepreneur, iProCon Ltd
I am very glad I chose
Cranfield because
it allowed me to
achieve my goals and
a lot more. I am now
exactly where I want
to be and I owe this
to the Cranfield MBA
and the wonderful people I met there. I
am working in London, having started the
strategy consultancy iProCon Ltd together
with two friends from my MBA cohort. I
do what I believe in – help organisations
to be more successful by bridging the
gap between business strategy and people
management. New skills, new confidence,
new country and new start-up; I don’t
regret a single minute.
interactive classroom sessions, where the Cranfield admission tests in place of
combination of a diverse and experienced GMAT)
student cohort, and faculty closely involved - If English is not your first language, either:
with executive programmes, ensures relevance - IELTS – result in band 7
and primacy for contemporary business issues. - TOEFL – minimum scores of
100 (internet test) or 600 (paper test)
A key feature of the ‘Cranfield Experience’ is - CPE – grade A or B
our focus on personal development and this - CAE – grade A
is a compulsory module that runs throughout - PTE – minimum score of 68
the MBA. We challenge our students to
Admissions
improve the quality of their team working,
Start date: January
and build confidence, emotional intelligence
Application deadline: Rolling admissions.
and decision-making skills – the qualities that
Scholarships for the Executive MBA
make for inspirational leaders.
are usually awarded by the end of
November. Early applications are therefore
During part one, students study a diverse
recommended.
curriculum of core modules covering the
functional areas of business and the key skills
Fees
associated with performing these functions.
£33,000
In part two, students tailor their learning by
selecting elective themed modules that take a
Contact details
multi-disciplinary approach to contemporary
Lesley Smith, MBA Marketing
business issues and current research. Students
can also choose to undertake an individual
Phone: +44 (0) 1234 754386
project – particularly attractive to sponsored
Email: l.a.smith@cranfield.ac.uk
students as they can be of real commercial
Web address: www.cranfieldMBA.info/qse
value to their organisations.

A compulsory international business

experience study tour module gives students
an opportunity to apply their learning in
an international context, and the programme
closes with a student-organised capstone
conference where students showcase their
learning to an invited audience of sponsors,
alumni and other industry leaders.

Meet this program at the

TOPEXECUTIVE 67
 EXECUTIVE MBA
EML Executive Development
Executive MBA
www.eml-executive.com
SCHOOL DATA & CONTACT DETAILS
Your Executive MBA in a Top 10 Business
School*

#10 Business School in Europe

#1 EMBA in Entrepreneurship

- Class size: 50

- Average age: 37
EML Executive Development is the executive education division of EMLYON
Business School, ranked in the Financial Times Top 10. Its mission is to increase - Average professional experience: 13 years
the performance of business leaders and managers worldwide with innovative
and highly applied solutions for competencies development. - Minimum professional experience: 7 years

- Course language: English & French

Do you have what it takes?
Are you ready to take calculated risks? Are you
a force for innovation in your organisation?
Can you federate teams around your vision?
Norman MILASI,
TESTIMONY
EML works with you to co-create a
personalised development plan to take your
career to the next level
We provide the tools to put your plans into
action through innovative project-based
learning methods, world class teaching and
personalised coaching.
- Country : France
- Program start date: October
- Length: 1 to 2 years
- Fees: 35,000 € Pre-Tax **
- Admission: by application with personal

Interview.
Italian A customisable solution
- More than 7 years of work experience
IT Project Leader and university degree at French Bac+5 level
"The Executive MBA adapts itself to my needs
Hewlett Packard (Bachelor’s Degree) or equivalent
and not the other way round."
EMBA 2007 + Language tests & Aptitude tests
EML Executive MBA offers a flexible solution
regarding its format, the possibility to switch
"EML’s MBA was a
back and forth from one format to another, its
great opportunity for Contact
length (1 to 2 years) and its languages (English
personal growth and Executive MBA Admissions office
& French).
development. I truly Christele Fernand
had the possibility EML Executive Development
to learn something 23 avenue Guy de Collongue
and directly use it in 69130 Ecully cedex – France
my job.
The faculty is excellent and able to Tel: +33 (0)4 78 33 79 23
understandably explain complex topics. Email: fernand@eml-executive.com
Other students are another excellent
source of learning from their working
experience, business functions, as well as
industries, adding an enormous value to
the discussions. * EMLYON Business School ranked in
Overall the experience was really positive the “Top 65 European Business Schools“,
and worth the investment in terms of Financial Times 2010.
personal time and money that it requires."
** Weekly, weekend and fast-track versions
(Fall 2011)

Meet this program at the

68 TOPEXECUTIVE
 EXECUTIVE MBA
Goizueta Business School,
Emory University
www.goizueta.emory.edu/degree/emba
SCHOOL DATA & CONTACT DETAILS
Class of 2012 Overview for Modular EMBA
(MEMBA) and Weekend EMBA (WEMBA)

Class Size:
MEMBA – 40
WEMBA – 73

Average Years Work Experience:

MEMBA – 13
WEMBA – 13
As a world-class business school, Goizueta offers a dynamic Executive MBA
experience that prepares you for a wealth of accomplishments throughout Percentage of Women:
your career. The Emory Executive MBA program offers a strong general MEMBA – 30%
management lockstep curriculum designed to build on the solid experiences WEMBA – 26%

our students bring to the classroom. Start Dates

MEMBA – August
The curriculum integrates classroom theory
WEMBA – December/January
Luis Raúl Jiménez and business reality, leveraging our faculty’s
TESTIMONY

deep industry connections, to help you Tuition for Classes Commencing in 2011:
CDM
build a solid foundation of business acumen MEMBA – $100,500 (Residency Option)
San Juan, PR
and, at the same time, gives you the skills $92,050 (Non-Residency Option)
MEMBA Class of 2009 to navigate complex and often ambiguous WEMBA – $96,000
business situations. You will work closely in
“I benefited Program Tuition Includes:
a team-based structure with fellow students
from the Emory - Tuition, books, materials, parking, hotel
from different industries, backgrounds, and
Modular Executive shuttle, and meals during all in-class
nationalities.
MBA program sessions.
by expanding my - Lodging and most meals during the
Because we are a small, private school, we can
horizons and forging International Colloquium
offer classroom interactions and networking
great relationships
connections with top scholars, students,
with colleagues, Application Requirements:
alumni, and industry leaders in powerful and
professors and staff. The different business - Completed Online Application
personal ways. As a result, our graduates have
situations presented took me out of my - Two Letters of Recommendation
the skills – and connections – they need to
comfort zone and exposed me to other - Personal Admissions Interview
accelerate their careers and make a difference
businesses and people.“ - Official School Transcripts
in the business world.
- Essays
- GMAT Score or GMAT Waiver
Modular Executive MBA – 21 months
- TOEFL or IELTS Score (international
Bob Mann This unique format is ideal for international
applicants only)
TESTIMONY

candidates as well as executives with rigorous

Deutz AG - $150 Application Fee
travel schedules. It consists of eight, intensive,
Germany
weeklong learning modules held quarterly at
MEMBA Class of 2009 Preferred Application Deadlines:
Emory and augmented by distributed learning,
MEMBA: June 1 (rolling admissions)
an eight to 10-day International Colloquium
“I entered the WEMBA: October 1 (rolling admissions)
in two different cities, and a Capstone back
program thinking I
at Emory. The spaced, weeklong residencies Contact:
knew how business
allow for focused academic & experiential Goizueta Business School
was done, but I
learning during your time on campus, while Office of Executive MBA Admissions,
finished with a totally
the distributed learning aspect lets you Suite W288
different viewpoint,
complete your studies no matter where you Emory University
brought on by
live or travel. 1300 Clifton Road NE
interactions with
Atlanta, GA 30322
people from other industries, which to my
Weekend Executive MBA – 16 months
surprise have other methods than mine.
The Weekend Executive MBA format allows Phone: +1 404-727-6311
Furthermore, the content of the Emory
you to earn an MBA in 16 months by attending Web: www.goizueta.emory.edu/degree/emba
MEMBA gave me the basis to ask the
classes on alternating weekends on the Emory Email: emba_admissions@bus.emory.edu
probing and difficult questions necessary
campus with an eight to 10-day international
as we diversify into lower cost production
capstone experience. This format gives you
areas and look for innovative ways to
the opportunity to interact with classmates
compete on a global scale.”
every other weekend, offers you unparalleled
access to our world-class faculty, and provides
the shortest path to degree completion for an
Meet this program at the
Executive MBA at Emory.

TOPEXECUTIVE 69
 N ° 1 en France
à
sur l’emploi lié
l’International

STAGES, V.I.E., EMPLOIS

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+33 (0)4 73 14 26 14 www.cadrexport.com

 EXECUTIVE MBA
ESCP Europe
www.escpeurope.eu

SCHOOL DATA & CONTACT DETAILS

Class of 2012 Overview:
Class Size 110
Percentage International 100%
Number of Nationalities 25
Average Years Work Experience 10

Start Dates:
January

ESCP Europe Business School is located in Paris, London, Berlin, Madrid and Programme Duration:
18 months
Turin, offering a wide range of graduate business education. Our European
Executive MBA programme has been ranked No. 1 Worldwide for Career Tuition Fee:
Progression by the Financial Times, No. 3 for International Experience, and No. EURO (€) 51,000
15 overall.
Entry Requirements:
To match each participant's needs, ESCP Min. TOEFL Computer Based Score 250
Lindsey delivers core courses, or tracks, in Paris, Min. TOEFL Paper Based Score 600
TESTIMONY

Nefesh-Clarke
AMBA’s Student of the Year in 2009
“I wanted the
business management
leadership skills to
take my humanitarian
work further. I work
in the field of micro-
finance, which is
about enabling poor
people to borrow small amounts to help
themselves and their business flourish.
This is one of the most important ways to
alleviate poverty.
What I most appreciate is that as Executive
MBA students, we are challenged to
implement immediately our learning, and
to do so in creative ‘think outside of the
box’ ways.”
ESCP Europe's Executive MBA gives participants
the opportunity to study with 100 executives
from 25 different countries.
London, Berlin, Madrid and Torino. For those Min TOEIC 850
wishing to fully benefit from our 5 campuses, Min. IELTS 7.5
and keep their time out of the office at a Min. Years of Work Experience 5
minimum, recommend the Itinerant Track.
The core courses interlink with a large choice Application Fee:
of electives and international seminars. EURO 170
Contacts:
The electives and international themed
www.escpeurope.eu
seminars create great opportunities for
participants to network and exchange on
ESCP Europe Paris Campus
management practices and knowledge.
Cécile Miranda
Electives are offered on all 5 campuses
+33 (0)1 49 23 22 70
and participants choose 12 electives from
miranda@escpeurope.eu
a portfolio of 34 on the campuses of their
choice. The International themed seminars
ESCP Europe London Campus
cover topics such as ‘Innovation Management’
Linda Brunello
and ‘Regional Leadership’ to gain exposure
+ 44 20 7443 8870
about doing business globally.
ukexeced@escpeurope.eu
With 125 permanent faculty members,
ESCP Europe Madrid Campus
presence throughout Europe and close ties
Natalia Andia
with partner schools around the world, a highly
+ 34 91 386 25 11
international student body and programmes in
solicitudes@escpeurope.eu
which the focus is on the participant, ESCP
Europe is the choice for people looking for a
ESCP Europe Berlin Campus
unique European Executive MBA experience.
Ann-Kerstin Schöfer
+ 49 30 32 00 71 71
mba@escpeurope.eu

ESCP Europe Torino Campus

Giorgia Bava
+ 39 347 78 51 211
infomba@escpeurope.eu

Meet this program at the

TOPEXECUTIVE 71
 EXECUTIVE MBA
ESSEC & MANNHEIM
Executive MBA
www.essec-mannheim.com
SCHOOL DATA & CONTACT DETAILS
Three Tracks:
- Modular Track: starting in October.
Tuition language: English. 8 modules every
6 weeks: 4 in Paris, 4 in Mannheim and
3 international residencies. Length : 18
months

- Paris Weekend Track at Paris La Défense:

starting in April. Tuition languages: English/
World-class teaching, an innovative spirit, international exposure and an French. Fridays and Saturdays every two
intensive team approach to executive education – this is what you can expect weeks and 3 international residencies.
from the ESSEC & MANNHEIM Executive MBA. With us, you will expand your Length: 18 months.
general management knowledge, receive hands-on business experience and
- Mannheim Weekend Track at Mannheim
further develop your leadership skills – the elements you need to take your Business School: starting in April. Tuition
career to the next level. language: English. Fridays and Saturdays
every two weeks and 3 international
Two Partners, One Goal: residencies. Length: 18 months.
Maike Guiding You to the Top
TESTIMONY

Admission Requirements:
Schuh-Klaeren The ESSEC & MANNHEIM Executive MBA - A minimum of 5 years of work experience
ESSEC & MANNHEIM Modular is at the heart of a long and successful - 2 Professional evaluation letters
Executive MBA; cooperation between two leading European - Company support
President, Heraeus Inc., New York, academic institutions – the french ESSEC - Languages: English. English/French for the
USA and the german Mannheim Business School. Paris Weekend Track
Both schools are internationally accredited The admission process is held on a rolling
“The Executive MBA and consistently achieve excellent results basis.
has broadened my in academic rankings worldwide. Together
professional horizon. we have one mission: to provide superior Student Profile:
It has not only education for aspiring executives working in - Class size: 40-50
strengthened my today’s international business environment. - Age range: 29-50
strategic thinking In addition, coaching and leadership training - Average age: 36
and problem solving hone your people-management skills and - Average work experience: 10 years
skills but also gave improve your leadership performance. - Nationalities: 15
me the knowledge - Female participants: 25%
and the right tools to switch my career Join a Network of Excellence
from a specialist in tax law to an executive In our Executive MBA, you will be in close Alumni Network:
position in general management.” contact with colleagues from a large variety Executive MBA Alumni Network: 1000
of countries and diverse professional Total Alumni Network: 52.000
backgrounds. This mix of cultures and
business experience means a contagious Admissions Contacts:
Frédéric Barbier innovative spirit pervades our program – in ESSEC Business School - EMBA Program
TESTIMONY

ESSEC & MANNHEIM Weekend our curriculum, in conferences with renowned 2, Place de La Défense, CNI T - BP 230
Executive MBA; business experts, in international residencies 92053 Paris La Défense, France.
Sales Director, SGD Asia Pacific at excellent partner institutions or in the Phone: +33(0) 1 46 92 17 94
unforgettable social class project. You will Fax: +33(0) 1 46 92 49 90
“This Executive MBA graduate having a vast international network Email: loi@essec.edu
is the perfect blend of of future business partners and lifelong friends. Web: www.essec.edu
high level teachings
with hands on Foster Your Innovative Spirit Mannheim Business School - EMBA
multinationality team A key element of the ESSEC & MANNHEIM Program
works. ESSEC & Executive MBA is the Entrepreneurial Project. L 5,6 - 68131 Mannheim, Germany.
MANNHEIM’s core It is the hands-on application of business Phone: +49 (0) 621 181 3721
values of excellence concepts and practices acquired during the Fax: +49 (0) 621 181 1278
and team approach were the main reasons program to real management situations. After Web: www.mannheim-business-school.com
of my choice to join this program, more project selection, twelve challenging months
than any other. In addition, the focus on lie ahead of each team: from initial research
the Asian Market with the international to a final presentation of the business plan in www.essec-mannheim.com
residency in Singapore allows me to front of a jury of experienced professors and
succeed in Asia. I am today dealing with top-managers. Along the way we support you
18 asian countries." and your team with courses and workshops, Meet this program at the
e.g. on business planning and innovation
management.
72 TOPEXECUTIVE
 EXECUTIVE MBA

www.globalexecmba.com
SCHOOL DATA & CONTACT DETAILS
Participant information
Average age: 36 years
Average years work experience: 13
Nationalities per cohort: 12
Class size: Approximately 40

Format
Six face to face 12 day modules over 14
months
The Georgetown-ESADE Global Executive MBA has earned a reputation in
international business circles as the MBA for Global Leaders. Locations
Module 1: Washington DC
Three objectives: Methodology: Module 2: Barcelona
Module 3: Buenos Aires & Sao Paulo
• Gain a global mindset • Core Business Courses Module 4: Bangalore
• Master the fundamental business disciplines • Integrative Courses: industry simulations and Module 5: Moscow & Madrid
• Accelerate leadership and general consulting projects Module 6: New York & Washington DC
management skills • CEO forums: exposure to top business
Start Date
leaders from the public and private sectors
June 6th 2011
as well as prominent authors and scholars
Highlights of the program: • Tailored approach to leadership and Admission requirements
professional development coaching 1. Minimum eight years postgraduate
• Benefit from the global expertise of the • International Conference on globalization. professional experience
world's Nº1 School of Foreign Service • Master Project: to be determined by the 2. Current international job profile and full-
• Leverage the top talent from the alliance of participant and guided by faculty mentors time employment
leading Business Schools in the US • Networking with the combined Alumni 3. Capacity for leadership and quantitative
and Europe Associations of ESADE and aptitude
• Acquire unparalleled exposure to Georgetown University 4. Holder of a bachelor's degree from an
emerging markets • 6 Residency modules in both emerging accredited higher education institution
• Experience six 12-day modules in 6 diverse and advanced economies 5. TOEFL, IELTS for non-native English
countries over 14 months
speakers
• Achieve two MBA diplomas from Georgetown
University and ESADE Business School Rankings: Application Deadlines
• Join an elite global alumni community November 30, February 15 and May 1
ESADE
• Ranked #3 Worldwide, Custom Programs Contact
(Executive Education) by the Financial Times
Emilio del Castillo • Ranked #1 in Europe, Executive MBA Programs ESADE Business School
TESTIMONY

Managing Director for Latin by the Wall Street Journal Admissions Office
America, Tello Group. Executive Education
Georgetown-ESADE Global Georgetown's McDonough School of Business Av. d'Esplugues, 92-96
Executive MBA, Class of 2010 • Ranked among the top Executive MBA 08034 Barcelona - SPAIN
programs worldwide for over 10 years in Tel: +34 93 495 2097
"Global businesses in Business Week Fax: +34 93 204 8105
the future will require Email: globalemba@esade.edu
new ways of thinking Georgetown's Walsh School of Foreign Service
and much more • Ranked number 1 in US for master’s degrees Georgetown University
flexibility, innovation, in international relations by Foreign Policy 37th and O Streets, NW
competitiveness and magazine Rafik B. Hariri Building, Suite 490
intercultural skills, Washington, D.C. 20057-1223 USA
and these are some Tel: +1 202 687 2691
of the key areas that the Program aims to Fax: +1 202 687 9200
develop. Email: globalemba@georgetown.edu

I would really encourage any professional

to pursue the GEMBA because it is
a unique opportunity of personal and
professional development."

Meet this program at the

TOPEXECUTIVE 73

HEC Executive MBA
www.emba.hec.edu
SCHOOL
HEC Executive MBA: 6 Majors, 5 locations, 1 degree.
Ranked #1 Business School in Europe by the Financial Times since 2006,
and #2 worldwide for Executive Education in 2010. Boasting a triple-crown
accreditation (AMBA, EQUIS, and AACSB), the HEC Executive MBA combines
collaborative exchange between talented senior-level executives with cutting-
edge learning methods.
Pierre Dussauge
TESTIMONY
Academic Director
HEC Executive MBA
"Embarking on an
Executive MBA
is one of the most
important decisions
you will make in your
professional career.
Our faculty is world
renowned for innovative teaching and
cutting-edge research, and our professors
maintain close ties to the business
world to ensure that what you learn in
the classroom is directly applicable to
the boardroom. Just as important, our
program is truly international, welcoming
executives from around the world to our
bases in China, France, Russia and Qatar.
Our approach has led to HEC Paris being
ranked the top European business school
for five years running by the Financial
Times. This global recognition reflects the
excellence of our programs and the high
caliber of our participants."
A comprehensive, innovative program
The HEC Executive MBA comprises a series
of knowledge phases, transversal themes
and learning activities. Our special focus on
leadership, strategy and the global business
environment ensures that our participants
gain an understanding of the social, economic
and environmental aspects of international
business, as well as the skills to put their vision
into action. The program duration depends on
your selection of study pattern.
Themes and activities to guide your learning
Learn how to analyze company dynamics and
put corporate functions into context through
74
EXECUTIVE MBA
DATA & CONTACT DETAILS
Participant information
Average age: 40 years
Average professional experience: 15 years
International experience: +80%
Nationalities per cohort: 34
Selection criteria
1. Minimum eight to ten years of significant
professional experience
2. International exposure
3. Experience managing teams
4. Convincing personal and professional goals
5. TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS for non-native English
speakers
6. Persuasive letters of recommendation
7. GMAT or HEC management test
case studies and strategic audits. Explore Languages of instruction
decision-making and change management, and
develop new business strategies, models and
English, English/French or English/Chinese
translation
processes.
5 locations
Benefits to participants - Paris, France intakes:
The HEC Executive MBA is ideal for executives English Modular: January each year
with 10 or more years of management One-day-per-week: September each year
experience. Participants will acquire the skills Modular: October each year
necessary to: End-of-week: March each year
- identify the critical growth factors in a
competitive marketplace - Doha, Qatar intake (in partnership
- develop the 360° perspective that leaders with the Qatar Fondation): February
need to drive corporate success each year
- benchmark best practices on a global scale
- China intakes:
Program highlights Beijing, Modular: Spring each year
- focus on Strategy, Change Management, Shanghaï: Modular: September each year
Leadership and Entrepreneurship
- collaborative learning based on group work - Saint-Petersburg intake (in partnership with
and team projects. St-Petersburg State University's Graduate
- HEC Paris offers 6 Majors which will allow School of Management): January each year
participants to focus on a particular area of
interest. As they are open to participants in
all 8 tracks of the HEC Executive MBA, the
Majors will also provide excellent networking
opportunities by allowing you to work with
classmates coming from a wide variety of Contact details:
backgrounds in different parts of the world.
Name: Marie Simonsen
6 Majors: Email: simonsen@hec.fr
• Global Business Perspectives Tel: +33 1 44 09 34 54
• Differentiation through Service
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• Aerospace & Aviation HEC Paris
• Management in an Energy-concerned Economy 6, avenue de la porte de Champerret
• Luxury 75838 Paris cedex 17
France
The Majors will allow you to deepen your www.emba.hec.edu
knowledge of an industry and region,
identify strategic opportunities, enhance
your decision-making skills and sharpen your
strategic analysis. Each Major will be delivered
in two one-week modules fixed in May and
Meet this program at the
October, respectively.
TOPEXECUTIVE
 EXECUTIVE MBA
HECTOR School of Engineering &
Management, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
www.hectorschool.com

SCHOOL DATA & CONTACT DETAILS

Intake 2010 Overview
Class Size per program: 3-10
Percentage Woman: 15%
Percentage International: 40%
Average Years Work Experience: 4

Program Structure
Program Language: E nglish
Program Duration: 18 months
The HECTOR School offers Executive Master Programs for engineers, Program Structure: part-time; 10 modules
economists and computer scientists with a unique combination of management of 2 weeks + Master Thesis of 4 – 6 months
Program Cost: 30.000 €
know-how with engineering expertise. The school – named after Dr. h.c.
Academic Degree:
Hector, the co-founder of SAP – is run in cooperation with the Karlsruhe M.Sc. of the Karlsruhe Institute of
Institute of Technology (KIT)/Germany. All programs are ASIN accredited and Technology (KIT)
designed for young professionals, allowing to continue careers while acquiring
Admission Requirements
new skills.
- Bachelor, Diplom (Uni/FH/BA), Master
Management & Engineering – Unique - Min. 3 years of work experience with
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Kai Combination
The HECTOR School programs are more than
according references
TESTIMONY

- TOEFL score of at least 250 cb or

Furmans typical MBA programs. Leadership in today’s
equivalent
Academic Director fast changing and complex environment
- Optional: GMAT, GRE or HECTOR School
HECTOR School does imply technological and organizational
Assessment
responsibilities as well as requires economical
“The innovative, accountability and Human Resource Program Start
interdisciplinary Management know-how. Therefore all - September 19, 2011
concept of HECTOR programs base on 10 modules of each 2 weeks: Application Deadline July 15, 2011
School gives - 5 Management Modules where participants
potential candidates are provided with general knowledge in Contact Details
the opportunity to Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Multiproject HECTOR School of Engineering &
improve also their Management, International Law and Human Management
emotional intelligence Resource Management so they can consider Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
with regard to other cultures. By this commercial consequences of business
they also gain the ability to work even decisions. Schloßplatz 19
more efficient in multicultural engineering - 5 Engineering Modules adapted to each 76131 Karlsruhe
teams.” specialization which provide insight into the Germany
newest research topics. They convey current
and state-of-the-art methodology necessary Dr.-Ing. Judith Elsner
to master the scope of innovative technologies. Managing Director
Tel: +49 (0)721 608 4 7880
Program Specializations Email: elsner@kit.edu
- Production and Operations Management
- Management of Product Development Tjark Hecht
- Embedded Systems Engineering Program Consultant
- Financial Engineering Tel: +49 (0)721 608 4 7878
- Service Management and Engineering Email: tjark.hecht@kit.edu
- Green Mobility Engineering
- Energy Engineering and Management Dr. Birgitta Kappes
Head of Admission Office
The programs conclude with an independent Tel: +49 (0)721 608 4 7885
Master Thesis which allows participants Email: kappes@kit.edu
to work on a project reflecting their own
company’s needs and its specific business
environment.

International Networking
Participants are coming from 20 different
countries and form a close intercultural
network, supported by learning journeys and
workshops with cooperating universities in
Asia and the US. Meet this program at the

TOPEXECUTIVE 75
 IE Business School - Madrid
www.ie.edu/business

SCHOOL

IE Business School, founded in 1973 by a group of entrepreneurs, has quickly

risen to the top of the international business school rankings, earning itself
a reputation for innovation and quality, and is accredited by AMBA, AACSB
international and EQUIS.

IE's unique approach focuses on the entrepreneurial spirit and is dedicated to

the business world at large. With over 80 nationalities on campus, and more
than 100 nationalities represented in its global network of alumni, the IE
experience is a truly international one.

THE IE BROWN EXECUTIVE MBA – global in terms of geography, business

The IE Brown Executive MBA brings together
the cutting edge approaches to management
developed at IE Business School with the
breadth of Brown University’s excellent liberal
arts curriculum. The IE Brown Executive MBA
is a highly innovative program designed to
provide senior managers with the opportunity
to develop and broaden their management and
leadership skills in an intensive, international
environment. The program brings together
faculty from two leading academic institutions,
integrating leading management thinking with
wider perspectives from the humanities, social
sciences, engineering, and life sciences. The
program is based on a unique interdisciplinary
approach, and was specifically developed by
leading faculty members from IE and Brown
to help participants excel in an ever more
complex and challenging global economy.
The program combines the very best of both
schools’ vast experience and expertise. The
shared values of both institutions, including
a distinctly international focus, a strong
commitment to the value of diversity and
an entrepreneurial mindset, are strengthened
even further through this partnership
The IE Brown Executive MBA program aims to
develop holistic managers and entrepreneurs,
leaders with a global vision of management
functions, and business’ role in the world.
Part-time Blended Methodology
The IE Brown Executive MBA is a fifteen-month
program for senior managers with extensive
work experience.
It is specifically designed for senior managers
and entrepreneurs who wish to undertake a
rigorous, intensive, and transformational MBA
program without taking a break from their
current job or responsibilities. The program
utilizes a part-time blended methodology
combining short face-to-face periods with
intermittent online study that is optimized
for the busy agendas of executives and
entrepreneurs on the go. This way, participants
get to continuously apply the insights gleaned
from the program in their jobs, fostering rapid
assimilation and deeper learning.
The program is part time with 5 face-to-face
periods, (two periods of 2 weeks and three
periods of 1 week). The face-to-face periods
take place at the campuses of IE in Madrid,
Spain, and Brown University in Providence,
USA. Between each of the face-to-face periods
participants undertake online modules. This
enables participants to follow the program
regardless of their geographic location.

76
 EXECUTIVE MBA

PROGRAM DATA & CONTACT DETAILS

Rankings
Financial Times Executive MBA Ranking
2nd in Europe, 7th Worldwide
October 2009

Student Profile
Average class size: 30
Average age: 37 (range 30-42)
Average years work experience: 11

Previous studies :
- Business : 33%
- Engineering : 30%
- Social Sciences : 14%
THE INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE MBA MBA is consistently ranked highly in the - IT : 10%
Catering to the international management top business school rankings including the - Sciences : 7%
community the 13-month International Financial Times and The Economist. - Law : 6%
Executive MBA offers the utmost flexibility
required by the working executive. The The Online Version Nationalities :
program offers two timetabling options: Lasting 13 months, the International Executive Canada, Croatia, Germany, United States,
MBA online version combines two, 22-week Belgium, Great Britain, Spain, France,
- Online (predominantly online combined with online training periods with three, 2-week The Netherlands, India, Italy, Japan,
periods of face-to-face training) face-to-face training sessions held in Madrid Mexico, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia,
- Bi-weekly (a presential, part-time schedule and Shanghai. The online methodology allows Switzerland, Thailand
with classes held in Madrid every other week) you to follow the program regardless of your
geographic location, wherever there is an Regional breakdown :
internet connection, you will be able to keep Europe : 52%
IE Business School´s International Executive
on top of your studies. Latin America : 21%
MBA allows you to earn a prestigious MBA
North America : 14%
without having to leave your place of residence
The Bi-Weekly Version Asia & Africa : 13%
for prolonged periods of time, or neglect your
personal and professional commitments. The International Executive MBA bi-weekly
Starting dates :
version consists of classes held on the IE
IE International Executive MBA –
Both versions feature sessions held in Madrid campus on Friday evenings and Saturdays.
June and November
and in Shanghai. These face-to-face sessions As in the online version, the bi-weekly
consolidate the work done throughout the provides the flexibility you need to pursue
IE Brown Executive MBA – March
program with seminars focused on skill- your career whilst simultaneously studying
building activities, the presentation of for an Executive MBA without neglecting your Cost:
individual and group projects and assessment personal life. International Executive MBA: €55,200 +
tests. Equipping you with the knowledge €6,200
and tools that today´s top-level company A Flexible MBA
executive requires, the International Executive IE Business School´s Executive MBA programs
IE Brown Executive MBA: $95,000 + $9,500
are designed to meet the needs of working
(the tuition fee does not include
business professionals across the globe,
accommodation during residential periods
Angelo Impoco, USA and combine the outstanding teaching for
which IE has become renowned with the
or travel expenses)
TESTIMONY

International Executive MBA

flexibility required by the executive who Contact :
(bi-weekly format) 2009 seeks a balance between their personal and Admissions Department
Director GMS Risk Management, professional lives. Whichever Executive MBA IE Business School
Americas, American Express program or timetabling option you choose, Calle María de Molina 11
IE´s fundamental principles of innovation, 28006
“In my class we had 29 executives from excellence and entrepreneurship will benefit Madrid Spain
17 countries, so it does give a global you, honing your skills to make you a valuable
perspective on how to deal with issues asset to your company and furthering your Tel: (+34) 91 568 96 10
globally rather than locally. I think that’s professional competencies. Fax: (+34) 91 568 97 10
one of the biggest advantages IE offered at
E-mail: admissions@ie.edu
least to me. It’s helped me in my career to
www.ie.edu/business
adapt to companies worldwide, not just in To find out more about our Executive MBA
the US and Spain.” programs, visit our website at
www.ie.edu/business
Meet this program at the

TOPEXECUTIVE 77
 EXECUTIVE MBA
IESE Business School
www.iese.edu/globalemba
Global Executive MBA

SCHOOL DATA & CONTACT DETAILS

Class of 2010 Overview:
Monthly and Bi-Monthly classes: 54 students
Average professional experience: 14 years
Average age: 37 years
Number of countries represented: 16
Number of industries represented: 15
Percentage of women: 22%

The IESE Global Executive MBA offers a unique learning experience, designed Tuition fees:
to provide effective management knowledge and equip the students with the €92,000 – includes all course materials,
most meals during residential sessions,
skills and tools to successfully lead and inspire others.
access to business center, software and IT
In a small class size and through the rigorous and comprehensive curriculum, support.
delivered mainly through the case study-method, participants will learn how
Admission Requirements
to make impactful decisions from a general management perspective with a
Candidates’ profile:
global mindset and an entrepreneurial spirit. - Global mindset
- Highly motivated and driven
IESE’s Global Executive MBA stands out from - Demonstrable career progression
Murray Grainger other programs for its focus on people and its - High potential
TESTIMONY

ability to develop effective business leaders - Minimum of 10 years of work experience

Airbus SAS
Head of Compliance
Programme Office
Global Executive MBA 2009
“You hear a lot about
the Global EMBA
at IESE being a
transformational
programme. It
certainly was this
- and more - for
me and for many
classmates. The diversity and richness of
experience within the class itself was just
as integral to the programme as were the
courses and the faculty. For me, the Global
EMBA was a springboard beyond my
career as a lawyer and, after graduating,
I took on a general management position
leading a team and a worldwide network
ensuring integrity, business ethics and
compliance across my organisation. “
who can make a positive impact on companies
and the world. Admission process and requirements:
- Complete application form
Effects of the program are immediate since the - Two letters of recommendation
student is able to apply the new capabilities to - Copy of bachelor-equivalent degree
the job in between modules. - GMAT (may be waived when a candidate
has more than 15 years of relevant work
Due to its modular format, the program is experience)
conveniently suited to the needs of busy - English language test upon request
professionals so that time away from the - Personal admissions interview
office is minimized. The program is offered in
2 formats, with residential sessions held either Application Deadlines
on a monthly or bimonthly basis. Applications are admitted on a rolling basis.
Start dates:
Program modules take place on three different
Monthly: October 2011
continents: Europe, Asia and North America,
Bi-Monthly: January 2012
featuring company visits and networking
opportunities with senior industry players. Contact
IESE Global Executive MBA
Through the case study method, participants Avda. Pearson 21
sharpen their analytical and decision-making 08034 Barcelona
abilities in an interactive setting based on Spain
authentic business scenarios. They will also
be able to select courses from a range of Phone: 0034932524300
electives, thus allowing tailoring the program Web: www.iese.edu/globalemba
to each specific need and interest. Email: Globalemba@iese.edu

The Alumni community is an essential part

of IESE Business School’s global community.
IESE has a large and committed alumni base
with one of the highest participation rates.
This means that our graduates can find alumni
willing to help in almost every country of the
world.

Meet this program at the

78 TOPEXECUTIVE
 EXECUTIVE MBA
INSEAD
Global Executive MBA
www.global.emba.insead.edu
SCHOOL DATA & CONTACT DETAILS
Course format:
Europe-Asia section: Fontainebleau 4 or 5
times* - Singapore 2 or 3 times* -
Abu Dhabi 1
Middle East section: Abu Dhabi 7 times -
Fontainebleau 1 or 2 times* -
Singapore 1 or 2 times*

*Depending on elective choice (12 weeks in

INSEAD Global Executive MBA total on campus)
Finance and Operations Director
(GEMBA) – You’ve made a mark.
TESTIMONY

UK
You’re motivated. You’ve hardly begun
Student Body:
Average age: 36
Designed for experienced professionals,
Average work experience: 12 years
and delivered in a convenient and practical
Nationalities: 38
modular format over a compact period, this
programme develops leadership potential Tuition fees
while continuing to pursue a current career. Middle East section $90 000 (USD). Europe-
The GEMBA leverages INSEAD’s three hubs Asia section €90 000. Includes all academic
in Europe (France), Asia (Singapore), and the materials, LDP coaching, library access,
Middle East (UAE), providing an unmatched coffee breaks, lunches, some dinners,
"Attending INSEAD was one of the best
international and multicultural experience selected social functions, and technical
decisions I have ever made. It would be
with participants learning the latest business facilities.
unfair to say that one is not filled with
ideas and concepts and applying them in their
trepidation when embarking on such
business immediately as well as long term. Deadlines:
a journey. The outcome is unknown.
GEMBA Europe Asia Section
On reflection, some 18 months post
A distinctive component of the GEMBA is the 1st Round 16 March 2011
graduation, I would not change the
Leadership Development Process, providing a 2nd Round 18 May 2011
course that my journey has taken one bit.
context to discover and improve leadership 3rd Round 30 June 2011
I had reached a point in my professional
style. Through, courses, guest speakers, self- 4th Round 1 September 2011
life where I yearned for change. I then
reflection and group work, supported by
discovered the GEMBA at INSEAD. I,
individual and team coaching, participants GEMBA Middle East Section
like my peers, had a successful career
discover new things about themselves in a safe 1st Round 15 March 2011
behind me. We had diverse backgrounds,
environment. The class consists of a diverse 2nd Round 16 May 2011
but we shared a desire to move to the next
group of experienced, talented participants 3rd Round 15 June 2011
challenge. Change can be daunting, but
from over 38 countries who meet for modules 4th Round 17 August 2011
in the correct environment it can also be
of 1 to 2 weeks, amounting to 12 weeks of
fun. Contact
residential study with assignment work spread
over the duration of the programme.
The time at INSEAD was intense, hard EUROPE CAMPUS
work, enjoyable and above all exciting. Hilde Deschoemaeker
The choice of either the Europe-Asia or
INSEAD offered me the opportunity to Tel: +33 1 60 72 90 54
Middle East sections offer a convenient
develop a more rounded viewpoint to E-mail: hilde.deschoemaeker@insead.edu
format for participants based in these regions,
be able to see business challenges from
while also providing a truly global experience.
all angles. It also facilitated personal Patrick Parker
The two sections come together as a global
development and growth combined with Tel: +33 1 60 72 42 97
cohort for the second half of the programme,
real life working experience, not ordinarily E-mail: patrick.parker@insead.edu
with participants going to the three INSEAD
possible in such a short timescale. I had
campuses and further developing their
a further objective to equip myself with ABU DHABI CAMPUS
understanding of global practices as well as
the tools and techniques that support the Laith Dajani
gaining a truly rich and diverse international
option of setting up my own business Tel: +97 1 26 51 62 79
network. There is also another option with
at some point in the future. My peers, E-mail: laith.dajani@insead.edu
our dual degree EMBA programme offered
coaches and professors made the journey
by INSEAD and Tsinghua University in China
of change more memorable than one could ASIA CAMPUS
and Singapore, focusing on Asia. (http://
have imagined. The friendships that we Mark Sturman
tsinghua.insead.edu.sg/). Participants from
formed will last for a lifetime. INSEAD Tel: +65 67 99 53 56
both programmes meet for a joint elective
continues to play a major part in my E-mail: mark.sturman@insead.edu
module, extending further networks and
day-to-day life through the Alumni. The
cultural insights with the GEMBA class.
Alumni allows us to keep in touch with
an institution that we remain proud to
belong to."
Meet this program at the

TOPEXECUTIVE 79
 EXECUTIVE MBA
Kellogg-WHU
Executive MBA
www.kellogg.whu.edu
SCHOOL DATA & CONTACT DETAILS
Class profile (recent class) :
Class size : 50
International students : 54%
Average years work experience : 11
Average age : 35

Admission requirements :
Candidates must hold a good first degree
from a recognized higher education
The highly successful Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA Program is jointly offered institution, have a minimum of 5 years
by the world renowned Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern management level work experience, be
in full-time employment and have the
University (Chicago, USA) and WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management
company’s agreement to provide the time
(Vallendar, Germany, and truly synthesises the US American and European away from work. We require fluency in
management know-how. While designed for executives preparing for senior English (minimum TOEFL score of 100
management, the aim of the program is to prepare future senior managers to internet based or IELTS 7.0).
successfully lead organizations in a constantly changing business environment
Admission process :
by focusing on TEAM leadership and personal development. - Submit full application pack
- Two personal interviews
Now in its 14th year the program was ranked
- One group interview
14 in the world in the Financial Times Ranking
Emma Nicholls 2010 and was placed 8th in Europe in the
See our website for further details
TESTIMONY

Head of Business Separation same ranking. It is part of the global Kellogg-

Cheung Keung Infrastructure Group
EMBA 2009
"Participating in
the Kellogg WHU
EMBA programme
was an amazing
and invaluable
experience which
has unlocked a wide
and dynamic range
of new opportunities to me and provided
me with three main benefits. Firstly, the
knowledge to make informed and robust
business decisions - it's about knowing
what questions to ask and how to interpret
the answers. Secondly, it has provided me
with the ability to think about the bigger
picture and look at things from a much
wider perspective. Thirdly, it has provided
me with a network of new global business
colleagues, some of which have become
close friends."
Admissions Deadline :
EMBA which is among the best in the world.
31 July (rolling admission)
In addition to learning from world renowned
faculty from both the Kellogg School of Start Date :
Management and WHU-Otto Beisheim School Mid September each year
of Management, students can draw from the
diverse backgrounds of their classmates – Fees :
whether across cultures, industries and areas 70,000 € (includes tuition, books,
of expertise. Graduates earn a joint MBA accommodation and meals during
degree from both business schools, and international modules, meals during
benefit strongly from the outstanding and Germany-based modules)
active worldwide alumni network.
Contact :
The class schedule of the Kellogg-WHU Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA Program
Executive MBA Program allows executives to Burgplatz 2
continue working while actively participating 56179 Vallendar
in the program. Thus, students have the added Germany
advantage of applying their newly acquired
skills immediately in workplace situations. The Phone: +49 261 6509 186
program consists of thirty courses covering a Email: emba@whu.edu
broad range of topics covering all aspects of Web: www.kellogg.whu.edu
general management. Now in its 14th year,
the highly successful Kellogg-WHU Program
is modularly based, with classes generally
taking place in Vallendar, Germany every two
months with back-to-back weekends (Thurs-
So) over a 2 year period. Overseas exposure
include a required two-week session on the
Kellogg campus (Evanston/Chicago) and one
week module at one of the additional partner
schools in Hong Kong, Tel Aviv, Toronto or
Miami. As a result, the program is particularly
suited to candidates who wish to enhance
their global leadership skills and enter top
management positions or establish their
entrepreneurial path to success.

Meet this program at the

80 TOPEXECUTIVE
 EXECUTIVE MBA
Melbourne Business School
The University of Melbourne
www.mbs.edu/emba
SCHOOL DATA & CONTACT DETAILS
Student Profile:
Class size: 30-40
Percentage Women: 32%
Percentage International: 13%
Average Years Work Experience: 18 years

Price
AUD$105,000 - includes tuition, text books
and study notes, accommodation and most
Melbourne Business School (MBS) is one of the largest business schools in meals on class days for the four modules,
the Asia-Pacific region and a leader in management education. We focus on along with Melbourne University, Kellogg
preparing future leaders to take their place on the world stage. MBS is jointly School of Management and WHU fees.
established, owned and led by corporate Australia and the University
Excludes travel costs associated with the
of Melbourne. international module, such as airfares
to the USA, Germany & China, airport
The Melbourne Executive MBA (EMBA) transfers and incidental costs such as
Michael Phelan program is an innovative international visa(s) and travel insurance. Students are
TESTIMONY

experience designed for senior managers – responsible for the cost of their meals
Chief Police Officer
those with 10+ years of work experience, during free time throughout the program
Australian Federal Police
including significant managerial experience and some meals on class days during the
Australian Capital Territory and a track record of professional career international module. Other incidental
Executive MBA Class of 2009 progress. expenses incurred during the modules such
as telephone, laundry, car parking, alcohol
"I chose MBS It offers an experience like no other, through: and other personal charges must be
for its reputation
covered by the student. Students located
and also because · a unique structure of four one-month fully- outside Melbourne are also responsible for
of its association residential intensive modules over 14 months their travel costs to and from Melbourne
with Melbourne
for the three MBS based modules.
University." · limited numbers (30-40 in each intake)
Admissions Requirements
· separating study from work and personal
- Resume or curriculum vitae indicating
commitments (participants return home and
a minimum of ten years full-time work
to their workplaces and apply their learning
experience
between modules, with no formal study
- An undergraduate degree (in any
requirements during the intervals)
discipline). Please provide evidence in
the form of fully certified academic
· a global ‘classroom’ - Australia, USA, Germany
transcripts. Those without formal tertiary
and China
qualifications should contact the EMBA
office to discuss their options.
· a demanding, exciting and creative program
- The names and contact details (phone
with a diverse range of learning methods
and email) of two referees
(varying from interactive class discussions,
- Considered responses to questions about
case studies and group problem solving
yourself and your goals in support of your
to experiential activities and formal
application
presentations)
- GMAT may be required
Note: Applications are submitted online
· leading faculty from around the world

Application Deadline:
· a true executive peer network of like-minded
October 2011 intake – 31 July 2011
professionals

· participants who bring real experience and Contact

current business situations to the classroom, EMBA Office, 200 Leicester Street
analyse key principles and test management Carlton VIC 3053 Australia
concepts.
Phone: + 61 3 9349 8413
Graduates receive a Master of Business Email: emba@mbs.edu
Administration (MBA) degree from the Web Address: www.mbs.edu/emba
University of Melbourne, recently ranked one
of the world's top universities.
Meet this program at the

TOPEXECUTIVE 81
 EXECUTIVE MBA
Nottingham University
Business School
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nubs/mba
SCHOOL DATA & CONTACT DETAILS
- Class size 113
- % Women 25%
- Nationalities represented – 18 different
countries from the following regions:
Africa 3.5%
America 0.9%
Australasia 1.8%
Europe 10.6%
Far East 7.1%
With campuses in the UK, China, and Malaysia, Nottingham University UK 76.1%
Business School offers exceptional global reach and awareness that reflects - Average Age : 37
the increasingly global nature of business. Nottingham is one of an elite group - Average years work experience 13
of EQUIS-accredited business schools and the School brings a distinctive
Application Deadline
global approach to executive development. The Nottingham MBA has been Rolling admissions in January, March April,
accredited by AMBA since 1993, which ensures that our programme meets May July and September.
rigorous quality standards.
Admissions Criteria
Applications are welcome from individuals
The Nottingham Executive MBA programme You can customise your studies to match your who meet the admissions criteria and have
provides exceptional flexibility: the responsibilities and development needs and at least five years work experience with a
programme consists of 12 self-contained, one- we offer a wide range of elective modules. management dimension.
week block modules and you can vary the Coursework often allows our MBAs to look at a You must normally be a graduate of an
number you take each year according to your particular business issues from the perspective approved University holding an honours
commitments. Course members take seven of your organisation, so that you can apply degree or a relevant professional
core modules, plus five elective modules, your learning directly. qualification deemed to be equivalent to a
which run regularly during the year to allow Our campuses in Asia offer you the opportunity first degree.
you the flexibility to join the programme at to take some modules overseas, which can
various times. Specialist variants are available provide valuable international experience. English Language Requirements
as part of the Nottingham Executive MBA If your first language is not English, and you
programme in Corporate Social Responsibility, Global expertise do not have a degree from a UK institution,
Entrepreneurship, Finance, and Healthcare. Our we require either:
faculty are among the leading researchers in The Nottingham MBA leads the UK in • An IELTS score of at least 7.0 with a
their fields. Our faculty are among the leading responsible management education – minimum score of 6.0 in each of the four
researchers in their fields and have strong links it ranks 1st in the UK, 3rd in Europe and elements of the test.
with a large number of key businesses which 23rd globally in the Aspen Institute's 2009- Or any one of the following three options:
means that you will benefit from their business 10 'Beyond Grey Pinstripes' ranking of MBAs • A TOEFL score of at least 600, with a TWE
experience as well as the innovative research. that integrate sustainability and corporate score of 4.5
social responsibility into teaching and faculty • An Internet-based TOEFL score of at least
research. The School is ranked in the world’s 100, with a minimum score of 19 in each
top 100 by The Economist (Which MBA?) individual element of the test.
Dr Kathy Teahon 2009, while Nottingham was named 2008 Together with a Graduate Management
TESTIMONY

Executive MBA (Healthcare) Admission Test (GMAT) of at least 600 with

Entrepreneurial University of the Year,
awarded by the prestigious Times Higher an Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA)
“My Executive MBA score of at least 5.0.
Awards. Our Singapore MBA in partnership
in Healthcare offered
with PSB Academy, one of Singapore’s premier
a better foundation MBA Fees 2011-12
training institutions, has been named the ‘Best
and theoretical UK and EU £18,500
Overall UK MBA’ by Edupoll and Executive
understanding of Overseas £19,500
MBA course members can choose to take
business management *There is a bursary available for people
modules in Singapore.
as a speciality. The employed in the health sector in the UK, EU
Business School has or overseas
The Business School has pioneered
been extremely flexible in allowing me
entrepreneurship education at Nottingham, as
to access both the executive and evening Please contact:
we believe it is vital to equip our MBAs with
programmes. My first year was especially Nottingham University Business School
enhanced creativity and effective problem
exciting when I won a Scholarship from The MBA Office, Jubilee Campus
solving abilities that you can apply across all
the School to cover my fees.” Wollaton Road, Nottingham
business disciplines.
NG8 1BB, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 115 951 5500
E-mail: mba@nottingham.ac.uk

Meet this program at the

82 TOPEXECUTIVE
 EXECUTIVE MBA
The Open University
Business School
www.oubs.open.ac.uk
SCHOOL DATA & CONTACT DETAILS
Requirements:
• A bachelors or masters degree from
a university or other recognised degree
awarding body.
• Minimum of three years’ experience in a
managerial, professional or technical role

Format:
The program is delivered through
Make a real difference to your career with an MBA from The Open University supported distance learning modules
Business School. Our MBA programme is designed to meet the needs of combined with face to face tutorials,
residential schools and extensive online
today’s managers, with themes like critical engagement, creativity and
support.
global awareness integrated throughout our programme. This internationally
recognized qualification could really make a difference to your career. Duration:
The duration of the program is flexible and
based on the time you can allocate to your
You will learn from a rich blend of business studies. The recommended route through
Maggie Miller experts and world class academics. Our the program takes 3 years part-time.
TESTIMONY

study method is designed to fit around your (Estimated 12-16 hours of study per week)
CIO Warner Music Group
busy working day to give you the maximum
convenience. Supported by our cutting edge Student Profile:
‘The MBA gave me
technology, you study in your own time - Tutor/Student Ratio 1:16
valuable life lessons
whether at home, at work or on the move, Average Age 37
about priorities. The
giving you a true mobile learning experience, Average Years Work Experience 14
different courses also
our MBA programme meets the demands of Gender 36% female 64% male
helped me to acquire
the modern manager.
the beginnings Price:
of a common £16,000 - £20,000*
The programme is designed to take three years
language in which The tuition fee includes tutorials, books
but you can decide to study the programme
to communicate with professionals and residential schools. Travel to and from
over anything from two-and-a-half to seven
outside my chosen fields, and I now residential schools and tutorials is not
years depending on how much time you can
have an appreciation of these professions included in the tuition fee.
allocate to your studies
and their challenges and am better able
to understand how my own area can *Depending on electives chosen and
The Open University MBA encourages you to
contribute to their success.’ country of residence
challenge limits, cross boundaries and change
thinking, that’s why employers value what it
‘One of the delights was the calibre of Contact:
can do for their organisation. This experience
my fellow students. By definition, anyone The Open University Business School
opens you to new knowledge, people, places,
studying with the Open University is Walton Hall
methods, ideas and opportunities.
self-motivated. I remember being in a Milton Keynes
residential school in Holland where there MK7 6AA
The Open University Business School is among
were students from 13 different countries,
the top one per cent in the world with triple
including people with nine different first Phone: +44 (0)845 366 6035
accreditation from AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA.
languages, all studying and debating in Email: OUBS-ilgen@open.ac.uk
English. It was a humbling experience. Web: www.oubs.open.ac.uk
Our MBA accesses the world’s largest
I remember thinking that if I had to be
community of MBA management practice.
marooned on a desert island this would be
Students of The Open University Business
a great group to be there with.’
School are many and diverse; they are based
around the world, from different sectors and
industries and from different backgrounds.
We believe that this diversity enriches the
student experience and allows our students
to broaden their minds and gain a deeper
understanding of other cultures, industries
and backgrounds. On the Open University
MBA programme you can network with other
managers around the world, and with more
than 55 per cent of our students studying
outside the UK, and with alumni in more than
75 countries, The Open University Business
Meet this program at the
School offers you the multicultural experience
needed in today’s world.

TOPEXECUTIVE 83
 EXECUTIVE MBA
Warwick
Business School
www.warwickmba.com
SCHOOL DATA & CONTACT DETAILS
Executive MBA 2010-11 class:
Average Age: 36
Age range: 27-49
Percentage Women: 30%
Percentage International: 41%
Average managerial work experience:
12 years

Fees: £9,950 per annum (3 years in total)

Warwick Business School was the first in the UK to be awarded triple
accreditation (AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS) and the Executive MBA is consistently Scholarships and Funding
Scholarships available for outstanding
ranked amongst the very top European programmes. Our flexible, modular
candidates, up to £9,950 in the first year
programme offers international teaching and collaborative learning with an only; two scholarships of £4,975 also
experienced peer group, within a welcoming and supportive environment. available for outstanding female candidates.
Help available for preparing business cases
Studying with WBS is exciting and invigorating. for company sponsorship; please ask for
details.
Tom Watson We’ll share our knowledge and experience with
TESTIMONY

you, and you in turn will share your experiences

Head of Corporate Channel Admission Requirements
and background with an outstanding group of
Marketing, Daniel Swarovski Minimum of 4 years managerial work
equally motivated and eager participants.
Corporation AG experience
Current Executive MBA participant English language test for non-native English
The Warwick Executive MBA is an immersive
speakers
method of study using practice-orientated
A good UK honours degree, the
assessment – you’ll not only use case studies
“I came to a career international equivalent, or professional
but also be able to reflect on practice in your
in business later than qualifications. Enquiries from non-standard
own organisation. So, you take the learning
most; I wanted to applicants welcome.
back into the workplace – immediately and
fill in the gaps in practically. Start Dates
my knowledge, and March and October each year
satisfy my intellectual The Warwick Executive MBA sees you
curiosity. For me, visit WBS for a week at a time at regular Application Deadlines
the Warwick MBA intervals to study a particular subject in Rolling admissions accepted until:
offered the best combination of value for depth. This modular structure allows you 10th January for March 2011 intake
money, academic excellence, and diversity plan for attendance well ahead and makes 10th August for October 2011 intake
of backgrounds. There are few MBA it particularly suitable if your work involves
programmes in the UK that provide such a considerable amount of travelling, you are Also available: The Warwick Global Energy
high-quality executive education within a based overseas or are just really busy with MBA for professionals in the energy
larger University environment.” both personal and professional commitments industry.
and need to schedule well in advance.
Contact
Warwick MBA
You will study 13 self-contained modules,
University of Warwick
Jenny Harber normally held Monday to Friday, each
Coventry CV4 7AL
TESTIMONY

Consultant - Corporate Finance, exploring a particular subject in depth.

UK
Current Executive MBA participant This face-to-face tuition is supplemented
by extensive pre-reading and post-module
Access: 15 mins from Birmingham
assignments. Assessment is a combination of
International Airport, 1 hr 10 mins from
"My background syndicate group work, assignments, and a small
London by train.
as an accountant is number of examinations. The final project &
fairly specialised and I dissertation draws together your learning and
Phone: +44 (0)24 7652 4100
wanted to broaden by allows you to further apply it to real business
Web: www.warwickmba.com
knowledge of other practice.
Email: warwickmba@wbs.ac.uk
areas of business. Any Twitter: www.twitter.com/warwickmba
senior management Whilst studying at Warwick, our Executive
Facebook:
position requires MBA participants can also take part in a
www.facebook.com/warwickmbaadmissions
cross functional expertise and the Warwick specially designed Career Management
MBA gives an excellent grounding for Module, to help them to plan for their future
this. The quality of teaching is excellent; and to maximise the impact of their studies
you really feel that you are being taught on their career. This includes access to online
by academic leaders in their field." assessment tools, Executive Coaching sessions
and Career Workshops. Meet this program at the

TOPEXECUTIVE 85
Statistical review of Executive MBA programs
School Name Country Date Start Date Deadline Date Length Fees (local)
Established (months)

IAE Management and Business School Argentina 1978 Apr, Aug 24 / 15

Melbourne Business School Australia 2002 Oct July 14 $105,000

Vienna University of Economics and Business /

Austria Apr March 14 €39,000
University of Minnesota, Carlson
Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School /
Amsterdam Business School Belgium 1968 Sept 24 €29,500

Athabasca University Executive MBA Canada 1994 Jan, May, Sept Feb, June, Oct 28-36 CDN $45,076

Concordia University, Molson Canada 1985 Aug rolling 20 CDN $68,000

Kellogg / York University, Schulich Canada 2002 Jan 18 CDN $110,000

Queen’s School of Business Canada 1992 Aug 16 CDN $88,000

University of Toronto, Rotman Canada 1981 Sept rolling 13 CDN $89,000

University of Western Ontario, Ivey Canada 1991 Sept, Feb rolling 17 CDN $90,000

CEIBS China 1995 Mar Nov 24 RMB 458,000

Chinese University of Hong Kong China 1993 Aug Mar 24 HK $465,760

Kellogg / Hong Kong UST Business School China 1998 Jan Sept 17 HK $970,000

Copenhagen Business School Denmark 1994 Jan, Apr rolling 18 DKK 439,000

Finland / S. Korea /
Helsinki School of Economics 1988 Feb Dec 20 €41,500 (excl. VAT)
Singapore

EML Executive Development (EMLYON) France 1972 Oct July 12-24 €35,000

ESSEC & Mannheim France / Germany 1992 Oct (modular), Apr & Mar (modular), Sept 18 €47,000 / €44,000
Mar (w/e) (w/e)
France /China / Russia 14 +
HEC Paris / Qatar 1930 Varies with format rolling project contact HEC

INSEAD Global Executive MBA France / Singapore / UAE 2003 Oct (UAE), Nov Aug (UAE), Sept €90,000(France /
(France / Singapore) (France / Singapore) 14-15 Singapore) $90,000(UAE)

ESCP Europe France / UK / Germany / 1993 Jan Dec 18 €51,000

Spain / Italy

SKEMA Business School France 2002 Sept, Mar rolling 12-24 €21,000

HECTOR School of Engineering

Germany 2006 Sept June 18 €30,000
and Management

Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA Germany 1997 Sept July 24 €70,000


  Ireland 1964 Sept Dec, Feb, Mar, 24 €29,500
May, Jul

IPADE Mexico 1991 24

Rotterdam School of Management, Netherlands 1991 Jan Dec 24 €44,000

Erasmus University

Moscow School of Management, SKOLKOVO Russia 2009 Sept July 18 €90,000

National University of Singapore Singapore 1997 June Mar 16 S$95,000

ESADE Business School Spain Jan 18 €57,400

IE Business School Spain 2001 Jun, Nov rolling 13 €55,200 + € 120

IESE Business School Spain 2001 May (bi-monthly), Apr, Jul 19 €61,900
Aug (monhtly)

Stockholm School of Economics Sweden / Russia / Latvia 1992 Jan June, Sept, Nov 24 SEK 395,000 (excl. VAT)

IMD Switzerland 1998 various rolling 15-36 CHF 126,000

National Chengchi University – Taiwan Sept Dec (local) or Apr 18-60 NT $909,600
International MBA
National Taiwan University – Taiwan 1997 24 NT $652,500
College of Management

Ashridge UK 1993 Sept rolling 24 £32,350

City University, Cass UK 1982 Mar / Sept (evening), rolling 24 £42,000

May (weekend)

   UK 1981 Jan rolling 24 £33,000

Durham Business School UK 1991 Jan 24 £17,500

Imperial College Business School UK 1987 Apr, Dec 21 / 24 £39,500

London Business School UK/UAE 1983 Jan, Sept rolling 20 £53,000 / $88,200

Nottingham University Business School UK 1988 rolling rolling 24-48 £18,500 / £19,500

OU Business School UK 1989 Nov, May Sept, Mar 30-36 £16,000-20,000

University of Edinburgh Business School –

Part-time MBA UK 1984 Sept 36 £18,900

Warwick Business School UK 1994 Mar, Oct Jan, Aug 36 £9,950 per year

Bradford School of Management/ UK / Netherlands /

1999 Mar Dec 18 €52,500
TiasNimbas, Tilburg University Germany

86 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba

from around the world
Course Format Course Language Class Size Average Avg Prof Min Prof % Local % Female % Bus GMAT
Age Exp (yrs) Exp (yrs) Students Degree
Mon or Fri and Sat + 2-week
English / Spanish 32 9 5 73 38 required
international trip

4x1-month fully residential modules English 30-40 40 18 10 85 25 5 in some cases

   !  English 30-40 38 13 5 50 30 not required

2 evenings weekly + resid. Blocks English / Dutch 221 32 8 3 81 required

Online (with a residential component) English 240 40 18-20 10 32 15 not required

1 day per week, alt. Fridays and

Saturday + int’l trip + exam days English 25-30 late 30s 15 5 in some cases

5 modules: Fri & Sun altenate wkds +

English 38 13 in some cases
2 live-in weeks + int’l trip

Fri & Sat alternate weekends English 38 12 not required

Fri & Sat alternate weekends + 4

residence modules English 37 12 8 43 35 required

15 courses, 4 (Thurs-Sun) days once

English 50-55 39 15 7 70 25 in some cases
a month + resid. blocks
Once a month, Thurs to Sun, + 2
English 59 38 14 8 56 24 required
int’l trips
Fri & Sat weekends + 2 weeks in English / Chinese 40-50 16 7 33 32 required
residence

Fri, Sat, Sun + live-in weeks English 50-60 37 14 10 15 25 in some cases

Fri & Sat twice a month + int’l trips English 40-45 37 13 4 76 27 31 required

Thurs, Fri & Sat, once a month English 41 15 8 35 31 not required

Part-time: Thurs & Fri or Fri & Sat

weekends English / French 45 36 12 7 18

1 module every 6 wks or Fri & Sat

English 50 36 10 5 41 21 in some cases
alternate wkds; 3 int’l residence

Part-time: 8 modules English / French 40 15 8 50 required

(Chinese translation)

Global, modular English 80 / 40 36 10-12 7 18 required

9 part-time core-courses English 100 35 10 5 25 not required

1 week a month (24 months) or 2

English 30 34 8 3 25 50 20 not required
weeks a month (12 months)
Part-time: 10 modules of 2 weeks + English 5-15 30 6 3 65 25 not required
master thesis project work

11 modules + live-in weekends English 50 35 11 5 45 18 41 not required

Part-time: 2 evenings midweek or Fri

English 40 35 10 3 required
& Sat weekends

Mon & Fri every week + int’l trips English 30-40 7 15

Fri & Sat weeknds + 2 int’l trips + 2

English 4 required
weeks in residence
16 modules on campus +
English 35 34 10 5 85 34 42 not required
international module

6x2-week segments English 45 40 16 10 41 23 in some cases

Fri & Sat weekends English 40-50 5 required

Online or bi-weekly format English 32 36 10-15 8 10 20 40 required

Part-time: resid. sessions + online

English / Spanish 60 32 7 5 20 36 in some cases
distance learning

16 modules English 39 5 30 required

"#%'*<    =>?

distance learning English 60-70 39 15 10 16 required

Full-time or part-time English 30 6 3 50 32 not required

18 courses, 3 per term 10 10

13 modules (Sat & Sun) English 36-40 12 5 44 in some cases

2 evenings per week or monthly block

English 6 not required
weekends

Part-time and modular English 65 35 11 3 62 26 10 required

4-day blocks (Weds-Sat) every 6

English 36 10 required
weeks
Thr-Sun (weekend module) /
English 58 / 33 3 69 / 45 24 / 30 not required
weekday module
Fri & Sat alternate weekends OR
English 75 / 60 33 10 5 24 23 / 12 required
Once a month in 4 / 5 day blocks
Block format - Monday - Friday: Jan, English 25-30 37 13 5 75 26 18 required
Mar, Apr, May, July, Sept.

Supported open learning English 12-15 37 14 3 56 36 40 not required

Bi-weekly + 1 Sat per semester English 36 11 13 in some cases

13 x week-long modules, c. every English 40-50 36 12 4 59 30 19 not required

2 months
5 residence sessions each 2 weeks
English 41 37 12.5 5 13 36 in some cases
+ online periods

TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba 87

Statistical review of Executive MBA programs
School Name Country Date Start Date Deadline Date Length Fees (local)
Established (months)
Baylor University, Hankamer –
Dallas program US 1991 Aug June 21 $86,500

Brigham Young University, Marriott US 1983 Aug Dec, Jan, Mar, May 22 $45,000

College of William and Mary, Mason US 1966 Jan Aug, Nov 20 $79,500

Columbia Business School US 1945 Sept, Jan rolling 20 $148,320

Cornell University, Johnson US 1999 July rolling 22 $138,800

Drexel University, LeBow US 1997 Sept rolling 20 $78,000

Duke University, Fuqua US 1996 Apr Sept, Nov, Feb, Mar 15 $146,600

Emory University, Goizueta – US 1978 Jan, Aug Jun, Oct 21 $100,500 (residency option)
Modular EMBA $92,050 (non-residency option)
$54,000 (Florida resident)
Florida International University, Chapman US 1995 Aug July 20
$58,000 (non-resident)
Georgetown –
US / Spain 2008 June May 14 $135,000
ESADE Global Executive MBA

Northwestern University, Kellogg US 1976 Jan, Sept rolling 24 $76,950

NYU Stern US 1982 Aug, Jan Mar, May and Oct,

22 $144,000
Nov

Ohio State University, Fisher US 1999 Dec rolling 18 $77,125

Pepperdine University, Graziadio – EMBA US 1969 Apr, May Feb, Mar, Apr 20 Contact Pepperdine

Rice University, Jones US 1998 Aug rolling 22 $96,000

SMU, Cox US 1976 Aug Dec, Feb, May 21 $99,300

Temple University, Fox US 1942 Aug 22 $77,500

Thunderbird School of Global Management US 1946 Aug Apr, Jun 17 $84,500

TRIUM Global Executive MBA US / France / UK 2001 Sept rolling 16 $140,000

Tulane University, Freeman US 1992 Jan Dec 18 $63,00

UC Berkeley / Columbia US 2000 May Jan, Feb 19 $150,000

UCLA, Anderson US 1981 Sept June 22 $57,000 for the 1st year

University of California at Irvine, Merage US 1984 Sept July 21 $94,850

University of Denver, Daniels US 1989 Sept, Mar Feb, May 18 $71,700

University of Florida US 1993 Aug rolling 20 $46,000

$69,000 (Georgia resident)

University of Georgia, Terry US 2001 Sept rolling 18
$74,000 (non-resident)

University of Houston, Bauer US 1978 Aug May 18 $60,100

University of Iowa, Tippie US 1978 May, Aug rolling 21 $51,000 / $55,000

University of Miami School of Business US 1973 Jan, Apr, July rolling 23 $77,000 / $76,000 / $78,000

University of Michigan, Ross US 2001 Aug July 20 $125,000 (Michigan resident)

$130,000 (non-resident)

University of Minnesota, Carlson US 1981 Aug Apr, rolling 21 $95,000

$162,300 (Philadelphia)
University of Pennsylvania, Wharton US 1975 May Feb 24
$172,200 (San Francisco)

University of Tennessee at Knoxville US 1996 Jan July, Sept (US 12 $64,000

appl.), Nov

University of Texas at Austin, McCombs US 1981 Aug June 21 $75,000

University of Texas at Dallas US 1992 Aug rolling 21 $82,000

University of Utah, Eccles US 1955 Aug Mar, May, July 21 $65,000 – $67,000

University of Washington Business School US 1983 Sept Feb, Jun 21 $79,752

Vanderbilt University, Owen US 1978 Aug May 24 $48,850

Villanova School of Business US 2000 Aug Dec, Feb, Apr, Jun 21 $92,000

Wake Forest University, Babcock US 1969 Jan Sept, Nov 24 $67,200

Washington University, US / China 1983 Apr (monthly), Sept July 20 $95,500

Olin School of Business (weekly)

University of Pittsburgh, Katz US / Brazil / Czech 1972 Jan, Apr 19 / 16 / 16 $65,000 / $48,500 / $48,500
Republic

Purdue / Tias / CEU / GISMA US / Netherlands / 1999 Feb Dec 22 €52,500

Hungary / Germany

Columbia / London Business School US / UK 2001 May rolling 20 $144,156

$142,000 (US), £73,000 (UK),

University of Chicago, Booth US / UK / Singapore 1943 Jun Dec, Feb, Apr 21
SGD $180,000 (Singapore)

88 TopExecutive Guide www.topmba.com/emba

from around the world
Course Format Course Language Class Size Average Avg Prof Min Prof % Local % Female % Bus GMAT
Age Exp (yrs) Exp (yrs) Students Degree
Fri & Sat alternate weekends +
international study trip English 36 36 13 33 39 not required

Fri & Sat or Tues & Thurs evenings -

every week English 65 36 11 6 40 required

Fri & Sat twice a month + resid.

English 32 38 14.5 19 18 required
periods + int’l trip
Fri & Sat alternate weekends +
English 105 33 9 65 25 required
1-week international residence

Sat & Sun alternate weekends English 70 36 13 20 21 in some cases

3 times a month: 1 Friday & 2

Saturdays + 10 international resid. English 28-32 37 16 45 required

5 terms English 80-90 39 14 10 41 20 41 not required

Modular / weekend format English 36 38 15 73 33 43 required

Every Saturday + global business trip English 38 14 8 36 not required

6x12-day modules in 6 diverse

English 40 38 15 8 25 31 in some cases
countries

Bi-weekly, monthly programs English 12-15 8 in some cases

Fri & Sat alternate weekends English 38 14 51 34 44 required

Thur-Sun, once a month English 47 37 14 17 in some cases

Fri & Sat – every 3 weeks English 25 7 required

Fri & Sat weekends English 70 37 14 10 21 required

Fri & Sat alternate weekends + int’l

English 100 37 15 8 90 not required
study trips
3 times a month: 1 Friday & 2
Saturdays English 30 42 17 30 required

Fri & Sat alternate weekends +

residency session + tours English 40-50 38 14 8 25 25 not required

"#  @"?*<    X#

English 65 40 15 10 20 in some cases
on-site modules
Fri & Sat alternate weekends + exam
days + int’l seminars English 32 39 16 7 69 25 31 not required

5 terms, Thur-Sat English 70 36 12 76 21 required

Fri & Sat alternate weekends + 5

English 68 37 13 23 24 required
residentials

Fri & Sat alternate weekends English 78 40 15 10 30 not required

Fri & Sat alternate weekends +

international study trip English 30-40 37 14 10 30 not required

Fri & Sat once a month + int’l trip English 41 37 13 8 27 27 required

10 modules: 3 wkds per module +

distance learning + 10-day resid English 50 38 15 5 25 required

Fri & Sat alternate weekends + English 5 not required

international study trip
Fri & Sat alternate weekends +
English 35-40 37 14 7 required
international seminar

40 Saturdays per year English 30-50 9-12 26 36 in some cases

1 weekend per month + 2x10-day

residences English 35-50 38 14 not required

Fri & Sat alternate weekends English 115 37 14 8 23 28 not required

Fri & Sat alternate wkds, 5 ext’d

sessions, 1 week int’l seminar English 212 34 10 63 17 46 required

4x2-week resid. period + distance

English 29 41 18 17 in some cases
learning sessions

Fri & Sat alternate weekends English 65 35 12 8 18 54 required

3 times per month, 1 Friday and 2 English 5 not required

Saturdays
Fri & Sat weekly + 2x1-week sessions
English 60 38 13 6 20 24 in some cases
= ! 

Regional alternate weekends class /

English 40-50 37 14 39 20 18 required
N. America monthly class
Sat alternate weekends + English 48 36 12 5 20 18 required
international trip

Fri & Sat weekends English not required

37 Saturdays a year English 40-55 30 8 3 20-38 required

Monthly: Thur-Sat weekend format,

Fri-Sat English 8 not required

Fri & Sat (US) / Fri-Sun (BRA), Wed-

English 64 37 14 5 22 not required
Sun once a month (CZ)

5x14-day residency periods English 60 37 12.5 5 13 36 recommended

Core courses Wed-Sat once a month English 109 10 4 20 required

+ int’l seminars

17 classes (2 classes per quarter) English 90 37 12 32 17 not required

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