The crux of the issue is not the technology, nor even what it can do. What really counts about AI in business is understanding what just changed, and how to manage that with the utmost effectiveness. Here is an executive master degree that trains leaders to do just that.
Generative AI has rewritten the rhythm of business. Strategies are being rethought in weeks, not years. Every boardroom conversation now includes questions about automation, data ethics, or how AI will change work itself.
Yet while the technology moves fast, leadership capability often lags behind. According to a recent McKinsey report, almost all companies invest in AI but only one percent believe they are at maturity in deployment (McKinsey, 2024). A Gartner survey found that only 48 percent of digital initiatives meet or exceed their business outcome targets (Gartner, 2024).
Because of this gap between technological ambition and leadership readiness, many experienced professionals find themselves expected to guide change without feeling fully equipped. For them, credibility now depends on fluency: being able to connect business value with technological possibility and to lead teams through the uncertainty that comes with both.
Yolande Gross, a participant in the IMD Executive Master in AI and Digital Business Transformation and a senior HR leader with more than two decades of experience, put it clearly:
“AI is transforming the way we work and lead. I need to anticipate change, have the right conversations at the table, and stay relevant. This program gives me the knowledge and the confidence to do that.”
For many leaders like Yolande, the program fills a critical gap in executive development. It equips them with a practical understanding of AI and digital transformation while strengthening their ability to lead people through it.
The demand for deeper capability
In the past two years, quick AI courses and digital bootcamps have multiplied. They introduce tools and trends but rarely give executives the structure to apply that learning meaningfully in their roles. Experienced leaders increasingly seek something more substantial: a learning journey that builds insight, develops judgment, and gives them a clear edge in conversations that matter.
The Executive Master in AI and Digital Business Transformation at IMD was built for this. It combines rigorous academic grounding with hands-on application, encouraging participants to test ideas, reflect on impact, and refine their approach through real strategic challenges.
This blend of depth and relevance is what drew IT and data professional Sothy Yogarajah to the program. After years navigating the disruptive landscape of AI and analytics, he wanted a structured way to elevate his thinking, sharpen his leadership, and reconnect with his professional purpose.
Applying learning in real time
One of the program’s defining elements is the Integrative Assignment, a three-credit applied project that ties together the tools, frameworks, and insights from across the degree. Participants select a real challenge from their sector and develop a workable strategy, guided by faculty and expert reviewers.
Sothy found this process pivotal. “The assignment helped me rethink a business challenge I was already facing. The feedback I received pushed my thinking in new directions, and I could use it straight away in my role. That kind of practical value is rare.”
His project explored how to reposition a holiday resource provider’s business model using digital transformation frameworks. Parts of the strategy are already being implemented, and he continues to refine it through what he learned about change management at IMD.
Sothy Yogarajah
Leadership development with a human edge
The Executive Master is not only about technology. It examines how leaders show up, communicate, and guide teams through uncertainty. This was particularly meaningful for Sothy, who identifies as neurodiverse. He found the program’s environment both inclusive and flexible, which allowed him to contribute in ways that felt natural and authentic.
“The space at IMD helped me grow as a professional. The structure, the flexibility, and the openness made it easier to focus on the content and the leadership work. It gave me the confidence to be myself.”
Conversations with peers also played a major role.
“In corporate settings, people are careful with what they say. Here, people are honest. You can talk openly about challenges, share experiences, and compare perspectives with people from completely different industries but similar fields. That kind of dialogue is powerful.”
He also described how IMD helped him reframe everyday leadership. One simple shift was how he approached one-to-one conversations. “I used to treat them like checklists. At IMD, I learned to treat them as moments to gather meaningful data about people. It changed how I listen and how I build trust.”
A learning journey that adapts to real life
The Executive Master is designed for people with complex careers and personal commitments. It can be completed in 18 months or extended up to 48 months. Some participants accelerate their studies during transitions. Others progress module by module while applying insights immediately at work.
The program includes five digital modules that build expertise in AI, automation, and data strategy, and three business transformation modules that develop transversal leadership skills. Participants can also select electives from IMD or partner schools to deepen their knowledge in specific areas.
Yolande Gross
Building a network that strengthens leadership
Each module brings together senior leaders, founders, and executives from different sectors. The mix is intentional. It creates the kind of ecosystem where ideas flow freely, experiences collide, and blind spots get challenged.
For Sothy, the exposure to different viewpoints reshaped how he thinks about transformation. He said, “You see how AI shows up in healthcare versus finance versus manufacturing. You understand what is universal and what is context-specific. That helps you build solutions that make sense in the real world.”
These relationships extend far beyond the classroom, becoming sources of support and collaboration long after the program ends.
Demonstrating impact that matters
Graduates of the Executive Master leave with a portfolio of applied work, including the Capstone Project or Integrative Assignment, which demonstrates their ability to connect innovation with measurable business value.
This gives participants evidence of capability. It shows boards, employers, and clients that the leader understands the landscape, can think strategically, and has already applied these ideas to meaningful challenges.
As Sothy reflected, “It is one thing to understand digital transformation in theory. It is another to have a piece of work that shows how you have made it real.”
Why this moment matters
AI has moved from a technical consideration to a defining force in global business. Leaders everywhere are being asked to navigate complexity, assess risk, and move their organizations forward with wisdom and clarity.
Research from PwC indicates that 73 percent of CEOs now view AI as central to competitiveness, yet only 37 percent feel ready to integrate it effectively into their organizations (PwC CEO Survey, 2025). The gap is not technological. It is human.
This is where the Executive Master in AI and Digital Business Transformation creates its deepest value. It equips leaders with the language, the mindset, and the experience to guide transformation with confidence and credibility.
As Yolande put it, “The program keeps you relevant and impactful at any stage of your career. It prepares you for the conversations that define where organizations are going.”
The pace of change will continue to accelerate. The leaders who thrive will be those who can connect emerging tools with organizational purpose, and who understand that digital transformation is as much about people as it is about technology.
IMD’s Executive Master gives them the foundation to do exactly that, one challenge at a time.
About the International Institute for Management Development (IMD)
The International Institute for Management Development (IMD) has been a pioneering force in developing leaders and organizations that contribute to a more prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive world for more than 75 years. Led by an expert and diverse faculty, with campuses in Lausanne and Singapore, a Management Development Hub in Shenzhen, and an Innovation Hub in Cape Town, IMD strives to be the trusted learning partner of choice for ambitious individuals and organizations worldwide. Our executive education and degree programs are consistently ranked among the world’s best. Through our research, programs, and advisory work, we enable business leaders to find new and better solutions, challenging what is and inspiring what could be. To learn more, visit www.imd.org
