Global Senior Management Program Part 2

November 17, 2026 at IE Business School, Madrid, Spain (invitation)

The “Global Senior Management Program” represents a bold new frontier in executive education—designed not simply to help leaders adapt to change, but to lead it. In today’s environment of relentless disruption, where technological breakthroughs, geopolitical shifts, and societal expectations are constantly reshaping the business landscape, incremental thinking is no longer enough. Senior leaders must think bigger, move faster, and act more decisively to create value in entirely new ways. This program is built to enable exactly that: empowering leaders from around the world to embrace disruption, harness megatrends, and drive radical, value-accelerating business reinvention through strategic innovation and transformation.

At the heart of the program is a recognition that disruption is not a one-time event—it is a permanent condition. From artificial intelligence and clean energy to platform economies and digital ecosystems, the forces reshaping industries are both powerful and interconnected. Leaders must therefore develop the ability to continuously sense change, seize opportunity, and transform their organisations accordingly. This requires a shift from traditional planning to dynamic strategy—where agility, experimentation, and bold decision-making take precedence over predictability and control.

A central pillar of the program is its deep exploration of global megatrends. Participants go beyond surface-level analysis to understand how structural shifts—such as decarbonisation, demographic change, urbanisation, and digital acceleration—are redefining markets and creating new arenas for growth. Rather than viewing these trends as external pressures, leaders learn to treat them as catalysts for innovation. The transition to sustainable energy, for example, is not just about compliance or risk mitigation; it is a massive opportunity to reinvent products, services, and entire business models.

What sets this program apart is its emphasis on learning from the world’s most exciting and value-creating companies—those that are not just responding to change, but actively shaping the future. Through deep dives into these organisations, participants gain insight into how breakthrough strategies are conceived and executed in practice.

Take Schneider Electric, for example. It has transformed itself from a traditional industrial player into a global leader in digital energy management and sustainability. By combining software, data, and hardware, Schneider has positioned itself at the centre of the energy transition, helping businesses optimise efficiency while reducing carbon impact. Its journey illustrates how legacy companies can reinvent themselves through purpose-driven innovation and digital transformation.

Similarly, Ping An has redefined what a financial services company can be. By integrating insurance, healthcare, and technology into a unified ecosystem, it has created entirely new value propositions for customers. Its use of AI, big data, and platform thinking demonstrates how traditional industries can be disrupted from within—turning scale into a competitive advantage rather than a constraint.

Another standout example is DBS Bank, widely regarded as one of the world’s most innovative banks. DBS has embraced a “digital to the core” philosophy, reimagining banking as a seamless, customer-centric experience. Its transformation highlights the importance of culture, leadership, and organisational alignment in driving successful innovation—not just technology adoption.

The program also explores the frontier of technological disruption through companies like OpenAI. As a pioneer in generative AI, OpenAI exemplifies how rapidly advancing technologies are creating entirely new possibilities for business and society. Leaders examine how such innovations can be harnessed responsibly and strategically to unlock new forms of value.

From an organisational perspective, Haier offers a powerful case study in radical management innovation. Its “microenterprise” model decentralises decision-making, turning employees into entrepreneurs and enabling extraordinary levels of agility and customer responsiveness. Haier’s approach challenges conventional hierarchies and provides a blueprint for building organisations that thrive in complexity.

The program also draws lessons from iconic global brands such as Mercedes-Benz, which is navigating the transition to electric and autonomous mobility while maintaining its legacy of luxury and performance. Its journey underscores the importance of balancing heritage with innovation—preserving brand identity while embracing transformative change.

Likewise, Microsoft demonstrates how even the largest organisations can reinvent themselves. Under a renewed strategic vision, Microsoft has shifted from a product-centric model to a platform and ecosystem approach, leading in cloud computing, AI, and enterprise solutions. Its transformation highlights the power of leadership, culture change, and strategic clarity in driving sustained growth.

These examples—along with others such as ASML, BYD, Climeworks, and Disney—are not مجرد case studies; they are living laboratories of innovation. Participants engage deeply with their strategies, exploring how they identify opportunities, allocate resources, build capabilities, and execute at scale. The goal is not to replicate these companies, but to extract transferable insights that can be applied across industries and contexts.

A defining feature of the Global Senior Management Program is its focus on strategic innovation as a core leadership capability. Innovation is treated not as a function, but as a system—one that integrates vision, experimentation, and execution across the organisation. Leaders learn how to build and manage innovation portfolios, balancing short-term performance with long-term transformation. They explore tools such as ecosystem strategy, corporate venturing, and platform design, enabling them to operate effectively in a world where value is increasingly created through collaboration and networks.

Equally important is the program’s emphasis on leadership itself. In times of uncertainty, leadership is about more than decision-making—it is about inspiration, alignment, and momentum. Leaders must articulate compelling visions, mobilise diverse stakeholders, and create cultures that embrace change. The program therefore includes a strong personal development component, helping participants evolve their leadership styles to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world.

The program is led by Peter Fisk, widely recognised as the world’s leading C-suite coach on strategy and innovation, working with many of the world’s top business leaders. His experience at the forefront of global business transformation brings a unique depth and relevance to the program. Rather than relying on abstract theory, participants benefit from real-world insights into how leading executives think, act, and succeed in practice.

Experiential learning is another cornerstone of the program. Participants work on real strategic challenges from their own organisations, applying new frameworks and tools in real time. Through simulations, peer collaboration, and interactive sessions, they develop not only knowledge, but also the confidence and capability to act. This ensures that the impact of the program extends far beyond the classroom.

Ultimately, the Global Senior Management Program is about transformation—of organisations, of strategies, and of leaders themselves. It challenges participants to rethink assumptions, expand horizons, and embrace bold ambition. It equips them to move from managing performance to shaping the future; from reacting to change to creating it.

In a world where disruption is constant and opportunity is boundless, the ability to reinvent is the ultimate competitive advantage. This program provides the mindset, tools, and inspiration to do exactly that—enabling leaders to drive growth, create value, and build organisations that are not only resilient, but truly future-ready.