IESE grows in Germany with new programs and more local activity for 2024

Amid a climate of economic uncertainty in Germany, IESE reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the country´s business community by introducing a new executive program and a series of activities tailored for local managers. Set to commence in 2024 at its Munich campus, these initiatives underscore IESE´s steadfast belief in Germany as a pivotal engine of growth and innovation in Europe.

IESE, which regularly appears at the top of the most followed international rankings, has been providing full-time business school training in Germany since 2005 and, in 2015, became the first leading international business school to launch a permanent campus in the country. Since then, IESE has been working closely with Mittelstand companies and multinationals in the region to provide world-class education for their executives, as well as providing a gateway to the local business culture for international managers.

IESE is now expanding its activity in Germany with the launch of a six-month long executive program designed specifically for local managers and entrepreneurs. The General Management Program (GMP) will start in November 2024, and aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of general management to participants, as well as a holistic view of entrepreneurial challenges, one´s own company and the competitive environment.

“IESE aims to empower local entrepreneurs and executives to excel in an uncertain global market, all while enabling them to become the best versions of themselves. The General Management Program and series of activities planned from our Munich campus during 2024 are pivotal components contributing to this overarching goal” affirms Dean Franz Heukamp, the first German at the helm of IESE Business School.

According to GMP program director, Gonzaga Garcia Ruibal-Amor, IESE´s global approach to business education, featuring professors from diverse backgrounds and participants spanning various industries, creates a unique environment for career development and a significant boost in productivity.

He adds that, “the program allows participants to refine their decision-making skills through in-depth discussions with executives from different sectors, while exploring cutting-edge case studies on globally operating groups.”

The GMP is taught in a part-time format that also makes it easy to integrate into the busy agendas of local executives and entrepreneurs. Participants come to campus for two and a half days of attendance every three weeks. The program also includes a module taught from the school´s Barcelona campus.

“This is specifically tailored to the needs of the German corporate landscape, because it allows managers to stay in the day to day of their companies, and they can apply the learnings from the first days to their job”, says IESE´s Munich Campus Managing Director, Michael Winkler.

In addition to the GMP, a new series of local Munich campus activities has also been launched by IESE, including sessions for alumni plus support for entrepreneurs, among others. These offerings complement IESE´s existing portfolio from the Munich campus, which includes the popular Executive MBA, alongside other executive and custom programs.

Nearly two decades in Germany

Since IESE launched full-time operations in Germany in 2005, the school´s activity in the country has gone from strength to strength.

In addition to continuing to provide a variety of executive and customs programs during this time, key milestones include the inauguration of IESE´s permanent campus in the heart of Munich in 2015, which was closely followed by, in 2016, Franz Heukamp becoming the first German dean of IESE Business School. 2019 also saw the launch of IESE´s Executive MBA Munich.

IESE Business School continues to be a driving force for innovation and excellence, fostering a dynamic and forward-thinking business community in Germany. IESE currently has almost 1000 active alumni members in Germany, and around 230 participants take part in IESE programs each year from the school´s Munich campus. Custom program clients include multinational enterprises such as Allianz, Bertelsmann, BMW and Deutsche Bank, among others.

More information about the General Management Program.