ESSEC Business School
ESSEC AND YALE SOM LAUNCH NEW DUAL-DEGREE PATHWAYS
ESSEC Business School and Yale School of Management (SOM) have signed two new consecutive degree agreements that will allow students to complete studies across both institutions and earn a degree from each. Students in ESSEC’s Master in Management (MiM) and Global MBA programs can now apply to Yale’s one-year Master of Management Studies in Global Business and Society (GBS) or the Master of Advanced Management (MAM), respectively.
Under the new agreement, ESSEC students will divide their studies between ESSEC’s Cergy or La Défense campuses in France and Yale’s campus in New Haven, Connecticut. MiM students may apply to Yale’s GBS program during their first year at ESSEC, completing it in their second year. Global MBA students will apply during their one-year MBA program and continue their studies at Yale the following year. The first cohorts to benefit will begin in September 2026.
Graduates will hold two globally recognized degrees and join both the ESSEC and Yale SOM alumni networks, gaining access to expanded career and networking opportunities. The partnership emphasizes leadership and societal impact, giving students an immersive experience in both European and American business contexts.
The new collaboration adds to ESSEC’s growing portfolio of North American partnerships, including Berkeley, UCLA School of Law, and Carnegie Mellon University, reinforcing its global reach.
Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
KELLOGG APPOINTS JAKE COHEN TO LEAD GLOBAL EMBA AND EXECUTIVE EDUCATION
Kellogg School of Management has named Jake Cohen as its new Associate Dean of Global Executive MBA (EMBA) and Executive Education, effective January 1. Cohen joins from MIT Sloan School of Management, where he serves as Senior Associate Dean and was a founding faculty member and interim CEO, President, and Dean of the Asia School of Business in Malaysia. He previously served as Dean of INSEAD’s MBA program.
The appointment comes as Kellogg’s executive education portfolio experiences record demand. In fiscal year 2024, the school delivered 352 programs for more than 22,000 participants—the highest in its history. The portfolio includes 69 open-enrollment programs, 114 custom programs, 128 online iterations, and 41 nonprofit programs. “Jake’s global perspective and deep experience in executive and graduate education make him an extraordinary addition to our leadership team,” said Dean Francesca Cornelli. “With Jake’s leadership, Kellogg is positioned to deliver the transformative learning experiences that modern executives need to thrive.”
Jake Cohen
Cohen brings a mix of academic leadership and industry experience to Kellogg. In addition to his academic roles, he previously worked at KPMG and in PwC’s Mergers and Acquisitions legal tax group, and has consulted for companies such as Boston Consulting Group, Blackstone, and Blumberg Capital. His arrival follows Tom O’Toole’s five-year tenure as Associate Dean of Executive Programs. Rob Apatoff, Executive Director of the Kellogg Executive Leadership Institute, will serve as interim associate dean through December.
Cohen will oversee both the Executive MBA and Executive Education programs, which continue to expand globally. Kellogg’s EMBA program ranks No. 2 in the world by U.S. News & World Report and No. 1 by Fortune. The school recently expanded its Miami offerings and is building a new state-of-the-art facility on the Evanston campus to serve as the future home for its executive programs.
“The convergence of technological disruption and evolving leadership challenges creates a unique moment where world-class institutions like Kellogg can truly differentiate themselves,” Cohen said.
HENLEY AFRICA JOINS THE FOME ALLIANCE
Henley Business School Africa has joined the Future of Management Education (FOME) Alliance, becoming the first African business school to enter the 14-member global network. The Alliance, which includes leading schools from North America, Europe, and Asia, develops and delivers immersive online and hybrid business education programs.
Founded in 2018, FOME brings together schools that share a commitment to advancing online management education. Members collaborate on new technologies, share best practices, and conduct research to ensure that programs remain innovative and relevant. Henley Africa adds a distinct regional voice to the network, strengthening its global diversity and reach.
Jon Foster-Pedley, Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Global Engagement (Sub-Saharan Africa) at the University of Reading and Dean of Henley Africa, called the partnership a pivotal step toward the school’s goal of becoming “the number one AI business school in Africa by 2030.” He said the alliance allows Henley to “co-create the future of management education alongside top-tier global institutions,” using AI and digital learning to prepare students for leadership in the AI era.
Henley Africa, based in Johannesburg, offers a range of programs for business leaders at all stages, from undergraduate to doctoral levels, all designed for working professionals. The school is active in research on artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and immersive learning, and it holds Level 1 status under South Africa’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment legislation. As Jonathan Stock, Head of Innovation at Henley Africa, put it, the school joins FOME “not just as another member, but as a voice for the continent.”
PORTO BUSINESS SCHOOL LAUNCHES ADVANCED PROGRAM IN AI FOR BUSINESS
Porto Business School (PBS) has launched its Advanced Program AI for Business, an executive training course designed to help managers and leaders integrate artificial intelligence into their organizations’ strategies. Beginning in October, the program aims to turn data into decisions, innovation into sustainable growth, and technology into competitive advantage.
Structured around three modules—Introduction to Artificial Intelligence, Leading with AI, and Applying at Scale—the program explores AI’s applications in marketing, operations, and value chains. Participants will also examine AI’s impact on business models and address ethical, legal, and operational risks. It culminates in a Capstone Project, where participants design and present an AI action plan tailored to their own organizations.
The program is open to executives from diverse sectors, including healthcare, finance, energy, and telecoms. No coding experience is required; the emphasis is on strategy, leadership, and responsible innovation. Luís Paulo Reis, AI expert, senior IEEE member, and director of LIACC, will lead the program. Faculty include specialists in data science, ethics, and management, joined by international guest speakers such as Virginia Dignum (Umeå University), Florian Caringi (BPCE Group), and Gerhard Neumann (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology).
PBS developed the program amid growing global and national AI adoption. According to McKinsey & Company, 78% of organizations now use AI in at least one business function. In Portugal, 96,000 companies—about 41% of all businesses—adopted AI for the first time in 2024. “The challenge isn’t just knowing the tools, but applying them to create real, sustainable value,” said Reis. “That’s why we developed this program: to give managers the vision, confidence, and skills to connect business and technology, lead responsibly, and anticipate risks.”
The launch builds on Porto Business School’s growing expertise in AI-driven education. The school’s AI for Business Center, part of its Innovation X Hub, drives applied research and training in AI for strategy, operations, and talent management. PBS also integrates AI into its postgraduate programs, executive masters, and MBAs—including its Global Online MBA, ranked eighth worldwide and fourth in Europe by the Financial Times for its digital transformation.
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