What people development challenges were you seeking to address when you approached INSEAD?
Paul Orleman: There had been many changes in the industry and in our firm just before we approached INSEAD in 2000.Previously, we had been very fragmented in terms of global management development and were a very decentralised organisation. The new business landscape required a transformation of our strategy and our organisation. We decided that a new leadership paradigm was absolutely key to our future success.

What learning solutions did INSEAD Executive Education propose?
PO: After a detailed and thorough selection process, INSEAD came out very strongly as the business school that could best meet our needs. We wanted to create something powerful and it was important to us that the school have a global perspective and be willing to be creative and customise around our needs. We designed a Global Leadership Development programme with INSEAD that would handle 28 of our top 170 managers at a time. Each of its three modules was held in a different location: Fontainebleau, in the US and at our headquarters in Germany. Between each module, teams were given strategic issues to work on that had been identified by our board, which were then presented to it at the end of each session.

What does this learning partnership bring to SAP today?
PO: There is no question that it has benefited us. First, it provides a networking opportunity for our top executives to meet and it is usually the first time they get a chance to work deeply with colleagues outside of their own business area. In this sense, the learning experience is very real and in terms of the strategy recommendations to the board, the programme has had significant impact. Second, we have begun to notice that a common language is being built in the company. Among the top management, the concepts and tools that we learn in the programme are fairly frequently used. Third, of course, given the changes we have gone through, the skills and competencies the programme gives in terms of strategy and platform leadership are of immense benefit.

Moving forward, what other projects with INSEAD do you foresee?
PO: We are running our fifth Global Leadership Development programme this year and, two years ago, we launched a mid-management programme for regional managers. These two-week programmes are run all over the world: France, US and on the INSEAD campus in Singapore for our Asia-Pacific managers.Out of all the business schools that I have dealt with over the years, I’m most impressed by INSEAD, in terms of its flexibility, the global perspective both of the school and the faculty, not to mention the sheer outstanding quality of the faculty and willingness to co-operate in building programmes together. I admire the creativity of the school in being ready to try new things: it never takes the view that its is the only way. It’s a real pleasure to work with INSEAD.

Soumitra Dutta, Dean of Executive Education at INSEAD, adds: “INSEAD’s partnership with SAP goes well beyond executive education. In addition to taking part in our open-enrolment programmes, the company supports research by hosting PhD students and by funding substantial research initiatives. This makes the engagement between the school and the company much deeper and it means that we have a greater understanding of each other’s complementary strengths and weaknesses. It’s a win-win partnership when INSEAD is able to work with leading companies on issues that are of critical importance today. Working with SAP helps INSEAD become a better school. It allows our faculty to engage in the issues that are most relevant to business today and it ensures that we are addressing the right problems.”

For more information contact:
Marie-Helene Gille
Tel: +33 (0) 1 6072 4124
E-mail: marie-helene.gille@insead.edu