Far from being another EMBA, the University of St.Gallen’s IEMBA (International EMBA) is a distinctively crafted programme, merging rigorous academics, global immersion, and peer exchange to develop deliberate, globally attuned leaders with the contextual intelligence to meet complex challenges and lead with depth, range, and purpose.
In a world where certainty is no longer a given, what does it take to lead with clarity, conviction, and care?
It is indeed a daily reality for senior professionals operating in fast-moving global markets that ambiguity, disruption, and transformation are the norm. Effective leadership today requires more than confidence or competence, it calls for contextual awareness, strategic adaptability, and the discipline to think beyond immediate results.
At the University of St.Gallen—Switzerland’s top-ranked business school and consistently among Europe’s best (FT European Business School Rankings 2024)—this evolving definition of leadership shapes every aspect of its International Executive MBA (IEMBA) programme. Delivered part-time over 18 months, the IEMBA combines immersive study across four continents with rigorous and up to date academic content and a strong focus on personal development.
For those enrolled, it’s not only about what they learn—it’s about how they apply it, who they become through it, and the lasting professional growth
it enables.
Leadership as Strategic Presence
For Nawar Belshalat, a current IEMBA Student due to graduate in May 2025, the programme came at the right time, after years of consideration. “I’d been accepted into another EMBA years ago, but it never felt quite right,” she recalls. “Post-COVID, I was ready to commit—but I wanted something international, thoughtfully structured, and realistic for my work at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. St.Gallen stood out.”
One of the key shifts for her was learning to lead with more intention. “There’s so much pressure to react quickly and fix things. But the programme taught me the value of slowing down, creating space, and becoming more deliberate. That presence—how you carry yourself, how you listen—has become a core part of how I lead.”
Thanks to the modular structure—14 in-person weeks delivered across 18 months—she has been able to bring new thinking directly into her leadership practice. “You return from each module with something real to work through. It’s not abstract. It’s lived.”
Learning Through a Cohort of Equals
This real-time application is by design. According to Prof. Dr. Reto Hofstetter, Academic Director of the IEMBA, transformation happens when experienced professionals are immersed in environments that challenge, stretch, and support them. “We curate every cohort with intention,” he explains. “Senior leaders from across industries, functions and geographies. The learning comes not just from the faculty, but from the depth of exchange between peers.”
That design resonated deeply with Agnes Lonska, Head of Global Procurement Engineering at Roche and IEMBA HSG Alumna. “Before the programme, I often felt I had to navigate complexity alone,” she says. “Through the coursework, conversations, and informal discussions with peers, I realised the value of having a diverse, experienced network to lean on.”
The immersive format was key to that sense of community. “It’s not like attending weekend lectures. You’re removed from daily pressures, present with your cohort, and fully engaged. That builds trust very quickly. Some of those relationships have become long-term friendships—and professional connections,” says Agnes.
From Departmental Focus to Organisational Strategy
One of the most significant shifts for Agnes was her move from a narrowly defined operational lens to a broader, systemic view. “Before, I focused on what my department needed to deliver. But after the strategy modules—especially the frameworks taught in the Business Model Innovation course—I began thinking about how our work fits into the long-term vision of the company.”
“We help participants develop integrative thinking—so they can connect the dots, recognise interdependencies, and lead beyond the boundaries of their function.”
This shift changed the way she leads. “Now, when I set objectives, I tie each one clearly to our broader organisational strategy—and explain why it matters. That context has dramatically increased team engagement. They can see their part in the whole.”
This reflects one of the programme’s core intentions. “We don’t just teach strategy,” says Prof. Dr. Hofstetter. “We help participants develop integrative thinking—so they can connect the dots, recognise interdependencies, and lead beyond the boundaries of their function.”
Developing Contextual Intelligence Through Global Exposure
Another standout of the IEMBA is its international scope. The Programme Courses take place, not only in Switzerland, but also Singapore, Beijing, California, Cape Town and various other European countries. This format exposes participants to multiple business environments, regulatory landscapes, and strategic cultures.
“The China module was an eye-opener,” says Nawar. “It wasn’t just about doing business differently—it was seeing how deeply context shapes leadership, communication, and even how success is defined. That module shifted the way I approach global challenges.”
Prof. Dr. Hofstetter calls this “contextual intelligence”—the ability to adjust leadership approaches to different settings. “It’s no longer enough to be competent in one market or one culture. Today’s leaders must be agile, observant, and capable of leading across systems and styles.”
Transformation Grounded in Purpose
The IEMBA curriculum includes 10 Fundamentals and four Electives that students can select from a list of various topics, as well as a final thesis project. It spans topics such as AI, Management Accounting, Conflict Management and Leading the Sustainability Transition. What makes the programme distinctive is how these are delivered—with the full integration of theory and real-world application, supported by industry-respected faculty.
In parallel, the Personal Development Programme (PDP) runs across the entire IEMBA journey, enabling participants to reflect on their own leadership behaviours and development. “We don’t prescribe a formula,” says Prof. Dr. Hofstetter. “We offer a framework that encourages participants to ask difficult questions about their leadership style, their purpose, and their impact.”
For Agnes, this blend of intellectual challenge and personal reflection was key. “You’re not just learning models—you’re applying them, testing them, questioning them. And over time, you notice that your decision-making sharpens. Your confidence grows.”
Conclusion: Leadership for a World in Flux
If uncertainty is now the defining feature of modern business, then leadership must evolve with it. The University of St.Gallen’s International EMBA doesn’t teach leadership as a fixed formula. Rather, it creates the conditions in which leaders can interrogate their own assumptions, expand their perspectives through diversity, and practise new ways of thinking—and being—in a global context.
It is not about becoming someone different, but becoming more fully oneself, with greater range and responsibility.
This is not leadership for stability, but for flux. Not for commanding, but for connecting. And in a world where clarity, conviction and care can no longer be taken for granted, that may be what matters most.
Want to know more about the IEMBA programme or join the 2025 cohort – get in touch!
