“We are 14 nationalities from three continents here in Barcelona, building bridges so that we can give back to society through business.”
This was the message Elżbieta Wojtczak, 2016 class president of the AMP Warsaw edition, shared during the program’s closing ceremony at the IESE campus in Barcelona this month.
The Advanced Management Progam (AMP) is delivered across North America and European editions. This year, marking a program first, the Barcelona, Warsaw and Munich editions came together to spend two weeks in Barcelona for the closing module of the program – an opportunity described by Wojtczak as a “chance to see the bigger picture.”
Ranked First in the World
This month’s graduation comes close on the heels of the Financial Times ranking for executive education which places IESE programs in the number one position worldwide in 2016, for the second consecutive year.
IESE executive education programs are lauded for their international dimension, their focus on cross-border business, and the caliber of IESE faculty who are at the forefront of research and best practice in global business.
The AMP is one of the flagship programs in IESE’s top-ranked portfolio. Delivered in different editions in Barcelona, New York, Sao Paulo, Warsaw and a special edition focused on media in New York and Los Angeles, the AMP furnishes senior executives and general managers with the insight and tools to lead change and sustain competitive advantage.
“The AMP has changed everything,” said David Grasa, class president of the AMP Barcelona 2016. “The future is full of possibilities and opportunities to make a difference with so many new contacts across the globe.”
Echoing this was Grasa’s Munich counterpart, Sebastian Moss, who added his praise for IESE faculty.
"We have learned that we’re standing in an economic quicksand. Our professors at IESE have opened our minds, and our hearts, to new ways of approaching this challenge. We are empowered to be part of the foundation of a new Europe – and to make an impact on those who will make an impact. Thank you or helping me to change the world.”
Participants of this year’s AMP come from companies including Audi, Bayer Schering, BMW, Danone, Deutsche Telecom, General Motors, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, JP Morgan, KPMG, Merk Finck, Nestlé, Qatar Fuel, Red Bull, SAP, Siemens, Thyssen Krupp, United Nations Office and Vodaphone.
Outside the Comfort Zone
Prof. Fernando Peñalva, general secretary of IESE, who hosted the closing ceremony, added his congratulations to the 2016 cohorts and called on them to remember their “sense of mission and purpose – to use management as a force to do good. Strive to bring out the best in others and to serve society.”
“The AMP has taken you out of your comfort zone and provided a unique opportunity to meet people from diverse backgrounds and nationalities. Use this platform wisely to do good and to give back to society.”
Prof. Marc Sachon, academic director for AMP Munich, echoed this sentiment: “Today we are closing an intense chapter of learning. But your journey as Alumni continues. “Apply your newly acquired knowledge to make a positive impact in business and society. Maintain the relationships that you have built over the past few days and months.”