Cambridge Judge Business School
TOP UK SCHOOLS TEAM UP TO BOOST FEMALE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
Four of the United Kingdom’s top business schools will come together in London this week to encourage more women to pursue Executive MBA education as a pathway to senior leadership. The June 18 event, Women, Leadership and the Executive MBA: Breaking Barriers – Real Journeys, Real Impact, brings together Cambridge Judge, Imperial College, London Business School, and Oxford Saïd.
The half-day gathering, hosted by London Business School, will feature keynote speaker Dr. Monica Wirz of Cambridge Judge, along with a panel of EMBA alumnae from each school. The women will share personal stories of how an Executive MBA helped them break through leadership barriers in business, government, and beyond.
The event is part of a broader collaboration among the schools to increase the representation of women in Executive MBA cohorts. While women now make up about 42% of EMBA students across the four programs, organizers say more progress is needed to close the leadership gap. The schools plan to rotate the event annually as part of a larger push to drive gender parity in senior roles.
According to the 2024 FTSE Women Leaders Review, women hold just 35% of senior leadership roles and 43% of board positions across FTSE 350 companies. Only 19 of those companies are led by female CEOs. This event, the schools say, aims to help change that.
Class of 2023 Executive MBA graduation at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business. Courtesy photo
GEORGIA STATE EMBEDS CRISIS MANAGEMENT INTO EMBA PROGRAM
Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business has introduced a new Certificate in Crisis Management Leadership as a built-in feature of its Executive MBA program. The certificate runs throughout the 18-month curriculum, making Georgia State the only Atlanta-based EMBA to offer a formal credential in crisis readiness as part of its core experience.
The certificate trains executives to manage complex, high-pressure situations that could impact their teams, reputations, or companies. Courses cover topics such as crisis communication, contingency planning, stakeholder response, and leadership in the aftermath of disruption. It joins a suite of embedded credentials that also includes generative AI, data analytics, Lean Six Sigma, and change management.
Nate Bennett, faculty director of the EMBA program, says the initiative helps leaders prepare before a crisis hits. “Executives may not appreciate the value of preparing for a crisis until they’re in the midst of one,” he said in the school’s announcement. “This certification offers that preparation.”
The new certificate supports the EMBA’s focus on real-time, applied leadership development. Students graduate with immediately actionable skills designed to improve organizational resilience and strengthen executive decision-making during critical moments.
ESSEC Business School
ESSEC AND NEOMA PARTNER WITH MISTRAL AI TO ADVANCE GENERATIVE AI IN BUSINESS EDUCATION
Two leading French business schools—ESSEC and NEOMA—have announced strategic partnerships with Mistral AI, the fast-growing European startup known for its open-source generative AI models. Both collaborations aim to strengthen AI research, expand digital education tools, and embed AI more deeply into institutional strategy.
At ESSEC, the partnership gives students and faculty early access to Mistral’s models and project opportunities that support applied research and responsible AI development. The school will use the collaboration to explore AI applications across sectors and train future leaders to integrate emerging technologies into business decision-making.
NEOMA Business School will begin offering access to Mistral’s generative chatbot Le Chat to 2,000 students starting in September 2025. The partnership will scale to over 3,000 community members within six months. It supports NEOMA’s broader Test & Learn strategy and follows recognition from AACSB through its 2024 Innovations That Inspire award. Dean Delphine Manceau emphasized the school’s commitment to digital sovereignty and sustainability, calling Mistral AI’s models “less energy-intensive than American or Chinese alternatives.”
Both partnerships reflect a growing movement among European institutions to adopt AI technologies developed within Europe. For Mistral AI, the collaborations are a chance to test tools at scale and improve its education-specific offerings with feedback from students, faculty, and administrators.
ESSEC NAMES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR NEW INSTITUTE ON GEOPOLITICS AND BUSINESS
ESSEC Business School has appointed Thomas Friang as the first executive director of its new Institute for Geopolitics and Business. Friang is founder and CEO of the Paris-based Open Diplomacy Institute and brings extensive experience at the intersection of international affairs, sustainability, and business strategy.
The institute, launched in October 2024, was created to help companies and leaders navigate today’s rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape. It serves as a hub for research, executive education, and public dialogue on global power dynamics, economic risk, and strategic leadership.
With Friang at the helm, the institute will accelerate its programs in research and policy engagement. His appointment signals ESSEC’s intent to expand its influence in shaping how businesses understand and respond to geopolitical disruption.
Friang also teaches geopolitics at ESSEC. In his new role, he will lead the school’s efforts to equip business leaders with the tools to act effectively in an increasingly complex global environment.
NYENRODE JOINS B CORP COMMUNITY, MARKS BENELUX MILESTONE
Nyenrode Business University is now a Certified B Corporation, joining a global network of over 9,500 organizations committed to balancing profit with positive social and environmental impact. With this designation, Nyenrode becomes the 500th certified B Corp in the Benelux region.
The certification confirms that the university meets high standards in five key areas: governance, workers, environment, customers, and community. Nyenrode scored 90.3 points in B Lab’s official assessment and now formally commits to continuous improvement and transparency in its operations and strategy.
“B Corp certification is more than recognition; it’s our commitment to continuous improvement,” said Micky Adriaansens, Chair of the Executive Board. “As a business university, we educate the leaders of tomorrow. This certification reinforces our mission — shaping responsible leaders for a sustainable future — and underlines the fact that we also take responsibility ourselves.”
Companies must recertify every three years to remain in the B Corp community, ensuring ongoing alignment with rising standards. Nyenrode’s inclusion signals both a milestone for the school and a broader commitment to embedding sustainability into education, leadership, and institutional policy.
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