Harvard Business School Launches Senior Executive Program In Africa

BOSTON, March 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Harvard Business School (HBS) Executive Education today announced a new three-module program, Senior Executive Program—Africa (SEPA). The new program is comprised of a module in Cape Town, South Africa from August 14 – August 19, an independent work module from August – November, and a module on the HBS campus in Boston from November 27 – December 2. The program is designed to prepare executives to seize the region's growth opportunities and build insights into local, regional, and global markets by exploring the approaches of successful leaders.

In partnership with the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) of Pretoria University in South Africa, the 2016 offering will help executives build the knowledge, perspective, and confidence needed to lead more effectively and accelerate growth. Over time, HBS will partner with additional leading educational institutions to offer this program in different African countries, giving senior executives in Africa the opportunity to build leadership skills and grow a powerful network of peers.

The three-module program begins in Cape Town, South Africa, where executives will learn to design strategies that foster innovation and become more effective leaders. Returning to work in Module 2, executives will examine an important business challenge facing their organizations, before presenting the results in Module 3 on the HBS campus in Boston. Executives will expand their ability to lead their organizations through the creation and execution of effective growth strategies.

"Africa's expanding population and dynamic markets create a unique set of challenges and growth opportunities," said Professor Das Narayandas, Senior Associate Dean and Chair of Executive Education and Harvard Business Publishing. "This course teaches executives to design and execute effective strategies, nurture high-performance teams, and establish a network of peers that will help them generate short-term and long-term success in their organizations."

Complemented by ongoing support and networking from HBS, the program helps executives grow as leaders while minimizing time away from work. Designed to emphasize relevant business challenges facing leaders in Africa's growing businesses, the curriculum examines the experiences of executives from Africa and around the world to illustrate leadership best practices.  

"To achieve their full potential and navigate the rapid change in Africa, today's executives need a strong vision," said Ramon Casadesus-Masanell, Herman C. Krannert Professor of Business Administration and faculty cochair of SEPA. "We help executives see their business through a new lens and enhance their leadership skills by studying the practices of successful enterprises. This provides them with a competitive advantage for success in Africa and beyond."

"The tremendous amount of opportunity in Africa creates a need for exceptional leaders," said Srikant M. Datar, Arthur Lowes Dickinson Professor of Business Administration and faculty cochair of SEPA. "We teach executives to understand how their goals align with their team's goals. By matching their leadership style with the needs of their organizations, executives can build and lead high-performance teams to maximize their organization's talent."

Senior Executive Program—Africa is designed for senior executives and strategic decision-makers in African companies from any industry. Participants may include CEOs, CFOs, business line heads, and other senior executives, as well as directors of government agencies. Organizations might include local, multinational, or pan-African businesses, nonprofit organizations, or government agencies.

As with other HBS Executive Education offerings, Senior Executive Program—Africa will rely on research from leading HBS faculty, discussions with industry peers, and learnings from real-world case studies from successful global companies. The program also leverages insight from top faculty at GIBS and Lagos Business School.

Program Details:

Senior Executive Program—Africa will be hosted in three modules, from August through December 2016, in Cape Town, South Africa, in an independent work module, and on the Harvard Business School campus. Please visit http://www.exed.hbs.edu/programs/sepa/ for complete curriculum and to apply.

Senior Executive Program—Africa

August 14 – August 19, 2016 – Module 1 (Cape Town, South Africa)

August – November 2016 – Module 2 (Independent Business Challenge Project)

November 27 – December 2, 2016 – Module 3 (HBS Campus, Boston, U.S.)

Faculty:

Nick Binedell, Founding Director and Sasol Chair of Strategic Management of the Gordon Institute of Business Science.

Ramon Casadesus-Masanell, Herman C. Krannert Professor of Business Administration and faculty cochair of Senior Executive Program—Africa.

Srikant M. Datar, Arthur Lowes Dickinson Professor of Business Administration and faculty cochair of Senior Executive Program—Africa.

Benjamin C. Esty, Roy and Elizabeth Simmons Professor of Business Administration.

Reuel Khoza, Visiting Lecturer, Gordon Institute of Business Science.

Enase Okonedo, Dean of Lagos Business School (LBS) and Chair of the LBS Management Board.

Lynn S. Paine, John G. McLean Professor of Business Administration; Senior Associate Dean.

V. Kasturi Rangan, Malcolm P. McNair Professor of Marketing.

Forest L. Reinhardt, John D. Black Professor.

About Harvard Business School:

Harvard Business School Executive Education, a division of Harvard Business School, is located on a 40-acre campus in Boston, Massachusetts. In fiscal year 2015, HBS faculty developed and delivered 73 open-enrollment Executive Education programs and 50 custom programs for leading organizations worldwide. More than 10,000 business executives attended programs held on campus in Boston as well as classrooms in Mumbai, and Shanghai. With global research centers in eight key regions, HBS faculty continue to develop groundbreaking research, forge powerful alliances with global organizations, and fulfill the mission of educating leaders who shape the practice of business and innovation. Learn more at www.exed.hbs.edu.

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SOURCE Harvard Business School

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