The Role of the C-Suite in the Digital Age

Digital transformation transcends technology, which is why pinpointing its potential impact on your business model is key.
 

A never-ending surge of global connections and new digital technologies over the last three decades has transformed the way global businesses operate. E-commerce, Web 2.0, social media, virtual reality, mobility, cloud computing, big data, robotics, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things… the list of technological innovations is seemingly endless. 
 

The digital transformation has placed added demands on global business leaders as they aim to discover new revenues streams and capture new forms of value while staying attuned to innovations that could advance their strategic goals. Many senior managers, however, fail to anticipate the disruptive forces on their companies by viewing technological trends as isolated pockets of activity rather than as part of a larger whole.
 

A HOLISTIC OVERVIEW

Observes Javier Zamora, professor of IESE’s Department of Information Systems, “Senior leaders must recognise digital as a dimension that permeates the entire organisation and impacts all facets of the value chain. In order to stay competitive, IT knowledge can no longer remain confined to the IT department.”
 

His colleague Professor Evgeny Káganer agrees, adding, “It’s important to understand that digitisation is never ‘just about digital.’ It impacts work practices and human resource strategy since success will only ensue if there’s a talent pool in place with the right competencies to drive change. The role of CEOs and their teams is to detect exactly where it’s concentrated since that will ultimately inform the changes required on strategic and organisational levels.”
 

Against this backdrop, programs like IESE’s Advanced Management Program (AMP) provide a holistic overview to help senior leaders see their organisation through a digital lens and formulate strategic frameworks to gain competitive advantage in a digitally driven environment.

Delivered in Barcelona, Munich, New York, Sao Paolo and Warsaw, the AMP is a top-ranked leadership development program that exposes senior executives to new concepts and perspectives and hones their ability to drive innovation throughout their organisations.
 

A WEALTH OF COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE

Mireia Rius, IESE’s associate dean of executive education, explains: “The AMP is specifically designed to take senior managers out of their comfort zone. It’s an immersive and intense program that sharpens their ability to lead by challenging their beliefs and assumptions about business and leadership.”
 

The program gathers C-suite executives, general managers, company owners, country managers and senior directors who represent a diversity of sectors, cultures and professional profiles. The cohort reflects a wealth of collective experience, so participants discover new angles, acquire new skills and learn from both their peers and IESE faculty members. 
 

As Yolanda Serra, managing director of IESE’s Open Program explains, “The AMP targets top-level executives who aspire to break new ground, continue learning and stay competitive in the market. They want to look ahead at the next 10 to 15 years and start writing the next chapter.”   

The Advanced Management Program forms part of IESE’s Executive Education program portfolio, ranked number one in the world by the Financial Times for three consecutive years.   EG