Programme overview
The St.Gallen Board Academy is a joint initiative by the University of St.Gallen and Egon Zehnder to develope Europe’s New Generation of Board Members. It has been designed to support participants in preparing for their first non-executive mandate at a large company by bringing them together with incumbent non-executive board members from prominent European companies.
At the St.Gallen Board Academy, chairs and senior board members of Europe’s largest companies will share their experiences, perspectives and best practices with the next generation of Europe’s leading board members. The aim of the programme is to learn from each other and to equip prospective board members with insights and conclusions from decades of real-life boardroom experiences held by the Academy’s Board Faculty.
Note: If you already are a long-serving chair or senior board member of a large, listed company please consider the Academy’s sister programme, the St.Gallen Board Retreat.
Consultation
Learn more about this programme in a personal conversation.
Kristin FuchsKristin Fuchs Senior Acquisition Manager
Programme details
Programme type
Format
Language
Duration
Location
Price
Next date
| Start date: | 19.09.2025 | |
| places available | ||
| Start date: | 04.09.2026 | |
| places available | ||
| Start date: | 17.09.2027 | |
| places available | ||
Target audience
The St.Gallen Board Academy is aimed at the following participants who wish to prepare themselves for taking up a non-executive mandate at a large company:
All participants will be assessed prior to the programme in order to ensure that relevant peers will meet at the Board Academy. All industries, geographies, and functional backgrounds are welcome.
Programme benefits
Engage with peers from Europe’s most important boardrooms:
At the St.Gallen Board Academy you will engage with distinguished Board Faculty consisting of experienced chairs and board members from some of Europe’s largest companies. In addition, you will meet a carefully selected group of participants who will be your future peers at Europe’s leading boardrooms.
Prepare your first non-executive mandate:
Prepare your transition into your first non-executive mandate by understanding how the market for board members works and by internalizing the attitude and mindset as well as the dos and don’ts of being an effective board member.
Learn from personal experiences and evidence-based insights:
Learn from the experiences of our Board Faculty who will share how they have navigated their role as non-executive board member. In addition, you will benefit from the governance expertise of leading academics from University of St.Gallen and the hands-on boardroom insights of senior search and board consultants from Egon Zehnder.
Content
Today’s board members are expected to think more strategic and transformational than ever while having to fit into a governance context of increasing compliance and accountability. Developing into an effective board member requires to rethink one’s role in the organisation which means to embrace a new and often unfamiliar mindset: How to formulate the right questions rather than to make all the decisions? How to let go of your executive persona and transition into a non-executive mindset? How to know when to switch from supportive to interventionist mode in the boardroom?
The highly experienced Board Faculty of the St.Gallen Board Academy will share key learnings from their board tenures and support participants in growing into a non-executive role. The Academy will start with a virtual kick-off on 1 September 2024 (16.00-20.00) followed by an extended on-campus weekend from 20-22 September 2024 at the University of St.Gallen. A mix of plenary sessions and elective break-out discussions will cover both critical governance topics and offer in-depth reflections on focused questions.
The St.Gallen Board Effectiveness Framework will provide structure and conceptual clarity by laying out the critical topics that will be covered during the Board Academy:
Faculty
Board Faculty who have contributed to the St.Gallen Board Academy include:
Jill Ader
Senior Advisor and Fmr. Chair
Egon Zehnder
Ton Buechner
Board Member
Novartis
JC Deslarzes
Chair
Adecco Group
Judith Hartmann
Board Member
Unilever
Friederike Helfer
Board Member
Vesuvius
Lars Hinrichs
Board Member
Deutsche Telekom
Timo Ihamuotila
Board Member
SoftwareOne
Ines Poeschel
Board Member
Alcon Inc.
Lars Rasmussen
Chair
Coloplast
Gordon Riske
Chair
MTU Aero Engines
Hauke Stars
Board Member
Kuehne + Nagel
Regula Wallimann
Board Member
Straumann Group
Events
Do you require further information?
I am gladly available for you and look forward to hearing from you.
Why University of St.Gallen
At the University of St. Gallen (HSG), you can choose from one of the largest executive education portfolios in the German speaking region – the right programme for your needs and career objectives. The renowned quality and practical relevance of the learning experience convinces more than 6000 participants per year. Profit from an Executive Degree from St.Gallen – the best business school in the German-speaking world – and get ahead in your career!
