Executive Education at WBS: Turning learning into leadership

Warwick Business School is on a mission when it comes to Executive Education. We don’t want to just deliver it; we want to create real, measurable impact.

So how are we doing that? We put that question to the person in charge of the mission – Camilla Jonsson – who explained how the School is helping mid-level to senior professionals develop the skills, confidence and strategic mindset to lead in a fast-changing world.

What is Executive Education?

“As Director of Executive Education at WBS, this is a question I’m asked all the time! Basically, Executive Education sits at the intersection of academic expertise and organisational need. It’s the part of a business school that works directly with professionals already in employment, helping both individuals and organisations tackle specific leadership and business challenges.

“At WBS, this takes two forms. The first is a portfolio of open programmes, where individuals enrol on short programmes focused on topics such as AI leadership, finance, business innovation, behavioural change and strategic leadership. The second is customised learning designed for organisations that want to develop larger groups of employees around a specific strategic challenge or transformation agenda.

“But the common thread is helping people develop the skills, capabilities and mindsets they need to succeed in an increasingly complex world.”

What are the benefits of Executive Education programmes for participants and organisations?

“For the individual participants, Executive Education offers the opportunity to step back from the day-to-day pressures and focus on personal development. They gain fresh perspectives, practical tools and exposure to the latest thinking in areas ranging from leadership and finance to sustainability and innovation.

“But one of the greatest benefits is the opportunity to learn from other people in the room. This is not only from the business school faculty but also from their peers in different industries and sectors, sharing challenges and building networks that often endure long after the programme has finished.  

“For organisations – and at WBS Executive Education we have strong relationships with quite a number of them – the benefits are equally significant. Many businesses use Executive Education to accelerate talent development, to strengthen succession planning and to futureproof their organisations.  

“Looking at our portfolio, custom programmes can be tailored around transformation initiatives, helping managers and executives look at a particular business issue.

“An open programme, meanwhile, can equip individual employees with specialist expertise in strategic areas such as artificial intelligence and financial decision-making. For instance, at WBS we have the Finance for Non-Finance Leaders programme, which runs for four days. It’s for people in an organisation who do not have a financial background, but who might have been promoted recently and need to take part in financial debates and financial planning.

“We also have the AI Leadership programme: a two-day, intense, highly-rated programme which does exactly what it says on the tin. It equips people with an understanding both of what a leadership role is in this new age of AI and what is happening in AI. It’s been designed to help leaders orientate themselves inside a technology that is moving so very fast, and give them the fluency to drive strategic AI adoption across their organisation.”

Why take an Executive Education programme at WBS?

“Warwick Business School occupies a distinctive position in the world of Executive Education.

“Firstly, participants gain access to world-class faculty conducting pioneering research. However, what really distinguishes WBS is the School’s longstanding commitment to ensuring that academic insight is closely connected to practical application.

“That goes back to the School’s roots and its founding mission in 1967 of serving society and industry. WBS has always maintained strong links with organisations and practitioners, often carrying out joint research with industry partners.

“And that heritage remains evident today throughout our Executive Education portfolio. People come here expecting to be challenged and expecting that what they learn will be directly relevant and applicable to their industry or business.

“The participant experience is another differentiator. WBS places considerable emphasis on personal support, beginning before the programme starts. Prospective participants receive one-to-one consultations to discuss their aspirations, development needs and concerns. This is particularly valuable for professionals who may not have studied at university for many years, or worry about whether they are the right fit for a programme.

“Participants also have a dedicated programme team member assigned to them who can answer all their queries and who will meet and greet them when they arrive at their programme – whether that be at the University of Warwick campus or Warwick Business School’s London hub at The Shard.

“So, the WBS model is what we call a ‘high-touch’ experience built around relationships, guidance and individual support.”

Who leads the Executive Education programmes at WBS?

“The programmes are led by academics across the faculty who combine research excellence with a deep understanding of organisational challenges. The Programme Director for AI Leadership, for example, is Neha Gupta who, after a technical and managerial career spanning various multinational firms, now explores the impact of AI on industry.

“Another very popular programme is The Strategic Mindset of Leadership, which is led by Dimitrios Spyridonidis, a Professor of Leadership and Innovation who is an expert in organisational studies.  

“But while WBS academics are the mainstay, in a complex world we have to be really good at collaboration and partnerships. So, we also draw on specialist contributors. These include executive coaches, leadership consulting firms such as BTS Spark, as well as practitioners in particular areas such as storytelling and organisational transformation.

“Storytelling is an interesting one. Leaders are used to building business cases but are often ill-equipped to tell the story of that business case. What is the project they are trying to pitch? Why should investors put their money behind it?

“So, on our week-long WBS Executive Leadership programme, we have brought in a theatre professional to coach executives on telling a story – how to put emotion into it, how to paint a picture of positive change."  

How does Executive Education at WBS differ from that of other training providers?

“It all comes down to our personality, in my view. Executive Education at WBS cannot be defined by a single trait; it is multifaceted.

“It’s about research excellence but also about relevance to practice. It’s about the engagement of academics but also about partnerships with practitioners and industry. It’s about getting out there and networking with new people but also about personal support. That personal touch.

“Many education providers can point to one or another of those things but not the whole package. At WBS, we offer a whole ecosystem of expertise, networks and relationships.

“Having said that, we don’t stand still. The market changes, organisations change and our programmes must be continually renewed and refreshed.

“John Colley is regularly reviewing his Mergers and Acquisitions programme, Michael Mortenson and Ram Gopal are keeping up-to-date on the fast-evolving world of AI and we are constantly bringing new faculty on board to share their insights. Tamara Friedrich, for example, on creativity; or Derin Kent on drawing lessons from people who work in extreme or crisis conditions."

How does WBS Executive Education equip participants to make a lasting impact? 

“Ultimately, Executive Education succeeds only if learning translates into action.

“That’s why WBS programmes are designed around practical application, simulations, exercises, problem-solving and reflection.

“Whether it’s employees taking on new responsibilities, preparing for their next career step or senior directors topping up their skills, our programmes will encourage them to identify specific actions they will take on their return to work, helping bridge the gap between the classroom and the workplace.   

“Whatever it was they came to WBS to do, when they leave they should feel equipped. They should feel able to go and influence, and to create, build and communicate new objectives."  

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