Global Knowledge, Global INSEAD
For six decades, INSEAD has defined excellence in management education. We’ve been a force for good, using knowledge and entrepreneurial vision to solve challenges that matter for people. Today, INSEAD is still pushing the boundaries of where that knowledge can take us as an institution, even as we develop new ways of creating value for our stakeholders.
One bold, recent example of how we are doing this is our customised, online learning programme. This innovation promises to change the landscape for executive education everywhere, enabling our faculty to use the latest digital tools, including high-quality video instruction, to transform the capabilities of organisations around the globe. You can learn more about this exciting initiative in this edition of Salamander.
Of course, making pioneering strides in education has always been part of the INSEAD DNA. Such innovation is possible because of the extraordinarily talented people who drive our success. In addition to our faculty, staff and alumni contributors, our Board of Directors plays a vital role in governing INSEAD. We are fortunate to have exceptional, engaged global leaders on our board. I am delighted to say that, in January, alumnus Andreas Jacobs, MBA’90D became our Chairman, bringing his great entrepreneurial and business leadership to support our mission. Andreas is Executive Director of Jacobs Holding AG and Chairman of Barry Callebaut AG, the world’s leading manufacturer of quality chocolate and cocoa products. He graciously has shared some of his perspectives with us in this magazine. I’m also very pleased to say that Philippe Houzé, MBA’74, joined our board in January. Philippe is Chairman of the Executive Board of Galeries Lafayette Group, France’s largest department store chain. He previously served as Vice President of Fondation INSEAD. Andreas and Philippe exemplify the excellence that defines our school’s global community. I am grateful for their partnership.
Speaking of global leaders, you may have seen the recent story in Financial Times highlighting the top business schools whose graduates are CEOs of some of the world’s largest companies. INSEAD ranked No. 1 out of all non-US business schools in having the most CEOs. This is a testament to our school’s global curriculum, culture and multi-campus structure. Among the INSEAD graduates mentioned in that article was Prudential plc’s Group Chief Executive Tidjane Thiam, MBA’88J, who now has been named the new CEO for Credit Suisse Group AG. We congratulate Tidjane on this achievement and applaud our other alums on the FT list.
Just as INSEAD boasts great global leaders, so too can we claim great faculty insights into global leadership. In this edition, you also will discover how our professors and alumni are creating value as “cosmopolitans” capable of driving innovation in organisations anywhere in the world. I believe this capability is one of the qualities that most distinguishes INSEAD. You’ll also see other ways that our faculty members are making an impact on the global stage—including as candidates for this year’s “Thinkers 50” awards, which recognise the best ideas in management education. Please be sure to visit Thinkers50.com to vote for the INSEAD professors who are nominated for this honour.
I hope you will also enjoy the alumni profile of Ngoc-Tu Thuy Ngo, MBA’14J who is successfully demonstrating the power of putting INSEAD ideas into action. She is a high-impact entrepreneur pursuing fresh ways of making a difference in the world.
As always, our alumni associations around the world do a fantastic job of engaging with our alumni through activities and events. I invite you to read more in the magazine.
Fundraising remains an important priority for the school too, and I would like to thank the members of our alumni community for their continued support. Do read about the impact of your gifts in the Donors Report 2013-14.
In closing, let me express my respect and condolences to a great visionary and friend of INSEAD: Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, who passed away on March 23. It is no exaggeration to say that Lee Kuan Yew was the founding father of modern Singapore and the chief architect of its rise to global prominence. His hard work and dedication over five decades created a fertile environment for numerous advances there and in the region. This progress included providing a welcoming home for INSEAD’s thriving Singapore campus. As we build on our achievements, we also will be building on the incredible foundation that Mr. Lee established.
I know that each of you will continue to pursue your unique vision, too, drawing on the knowledge and network gained at INSEAD. I wish you great success as you put your INSEAD education to work in remarkable ways!
Best regards,
Ilian Mihov
Dean, INSEAD
