International Institute for Management Development

What International Institute for Management Development does

IMD Business School is a private, independent management education institution headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, with regional operations in Singapore (IMD SE Asia Pte. Ltd) and Shenzhen, China (Management Development Hub). The school serves senior executives, C-suite leaders, board members, HR and L&D professionals, and corporate organizations through a portfolio of more than 80 executive education programs, full-time degree programs (MBA, EMBA, MSc in Sustainable Management & Technology), executive master's degrees, and CAS-accredited executive certificates awarding 10-20 ECTS credits. Its 145,000+ alumni network spans more than 50 countries and is sustained through formal alumni clubs, 250+ annual events, and digital community platforms, representing one of the densest executive peer networks in the global business school market.

The school's product architecture spans multiple delivery formats including on-campus residential programs at its three international campuses, hybrid cohorts, and fully online offerings such as the AI-powered online learning platform with integrated AI Advisor support. Pricing is per-program and ranges from short online courses at approximately CHF 1,950 to multi-program executive certificates at CHF 29,000, with degree programs priced at typical top-tier European benchmarks. Revenue is generated through tuition for degree and executive programs, stackable certificate packages, bespoke custom programs developed for corporate clients, and ancillary income from research products including the annual IMD World Competitiveness Ranking (covering 70 economies) and IMD Smart City Index (covering 148 cities).

IMD's go-to-market is sales-led, with direct outreach to senior executives and HR/L&D decision makers supported by program advisor consultations, webinars, and proprietary thought leadership content via the I by IMD publication and podcast series. The institution invests in applied research through centers including the Global Center for Digital and AI Transformation, Global Board Center, World Competitiveness Center, and Center for Future Readiness, which produce rankings, case studies, and joint industry research. IMD is consistently recognized as one of the top global business schools in Financial Times executive education rankings, and operates custom programs for enterprise clients including Lenovo, IQVIA, Lonza, GSK, Logitech G, Mettler-Toledo, and AVEVA.

Name

International Institute for Management Development

Legal name

International Institute for Management Development

Website

https://imd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

IMD is a private business school headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, delivering executive education, degree programs, and accredited certificates to senior executives, board members, and corporate organizations worldwide, with 145,000+ alumni and campuses in Switzerland, Singapore, and China.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lausanne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Degree Programs (MBA, EMBA): Tuition fees from full-time degree programs including Master of Business Administration and Executive MBA
2. Executive Education Programs: Short-term intensive programs in general management, leadership, strategy, digital transformation, sustainability, and other business topics with per-program tuition fees
3. Executive Certificates and Diplomas: Stackable certification programs combining multiple programs with final assessments, priced as complete packages (e.g., CHF 8,900 for Online Executive Certificates, CHF 29,000 for AI and Digital Business Excellence)
4. Custom Programs for Organizations: Tailored executive education solutions developed for specific corporate clients and organizations
5. Research and Rankings: Revenue from publishing research including the World Competitiveness Ranking and Smart City Index

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IMD is a private business school that designs and sells degree programs (MBA, EMBA, MSc), executive master's degrees, and 80+ executive education programs in general management, leadership, AI and digital transformation, strategy, board governance, sustainability, and innovation, delivered on-campus in Lausanne, Singapore, and Shenzhen and via online formats. It also produces stackable Executive Certificates and Diplomas (CAS accredited with ECTS credits), custom corporate programs, and proprietary research including the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking and IMD Smart City Index.

Product overview

IMD Business School offers a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and research initiatives. The core offerings include degree programs (MBA, EMBA, MSc in Sustainable Management & Technology) and executive master's programs (Executive Master in Sustainable Business Transformation, Executive Master in AI & Digital Business Transformation). Executive education is delivered through multiple formats: on-campus programs covering General Management, Leadership, AI & Digital Transformation, Strategy, Governance, Sustainability, and Innovation; online programs including Sprint programs for rapid skill development; and executive certificates (CAS accredited, 10-20 ECTS credits) in areas like AI and Digital Business Excellence, Digital Acceleration, Leadership, Strategy, and Board Governance. The school also operates research centers including the Global Center for Digital and AI Transformation, World Competitiveness Center, and Global Board Center, producing rankings such as the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking and Smart City Index. Executive coaching services and alumni networking (145,000+ alumni) complement the learning experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IMD World Competitiveness Center: Research center that produces the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking
• IMD Global Center for Digital and AI Transformation
• IMD Global Board Center
• IMD Center for Future Readiness
• I by IMD
• IMD Startup Competition
• LeadiNNg to Scale-up

Products and services

• Master of Business Administration (MBA) A full-time MBA program focused on developing leadership capabilities and business acumen, aimed at career-accelerating professionals.
• Executive MBA (EMBA) An Executive MBA program for senior professionals seeking advanced business education while continuing their careers.
• MSc in Sustainable Management & Technology MSc degree combining sustainable management principles with technology expertise, targeting professionals seeking sustainability-and-technology depth.
• Executive Master in Sustainable Business Transformation An executive master's program focused on driving sustainable change and circular-economy business models.
• Executive Master in AI & Digital Business Transformation Executive master's program building expertise in AI and digital transformation, awarded as a Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) and counted toward the Executive Certificate in AI and Digital Business Excellence.
• Online Executive Certificate in Digital Acceleration Fully online CAS-accredited executive certificate (10 ECTS credits) providing digital acceleration expertise including AI strategies, business analytics, and digital transformation in practice.
• Executive Certificate in AI and Digital Business Excellence CAS-accredited (10 ECTS) executive certificate offering two pathways: 3x on-campus programs or 2x on-campus plus 2x online, covering leading digital and AI transformation, AI strategy and implementation, and building digital ecosystems.
• High Performance Boards IMD's flagship 3-day on-campus board governance program focused on board performance, effectiveness, succession planning, and crisis management, serving current and aspiring board members.
• Driving Sustainability from the Boardroom 2-day ESG-focused on-campus board program developed with WBCSD, addressing sustainability governance, ESG opportunities, and ESG crisis management for board members.
• Strategy Governance for Boards 2-day on-campus board program focused on the board's role in strategy formulation, disruption navigation, and avoiding common strategic pitfalls.
• Finance for Boards Board program providing essential finance knowledge including valuation methods, assessment of financial reports, M&A analysis, and capital structure decisions for non-executive directors.
• Mastering Board Governance 5-week online program covering board principles and practices, governance drivers, four pillars of board effectiveness, and immersive board simulations, used to prepare current and aspiring directors.
• Stakeholder Management for Boards Board program addressing stakeholder engagement, nonmarket strategies, alignment of purpose with KPIs, and crisis management for board members.
• Online Executive Certificates (Leadership, Strategy, Digital Acceleration) Suite of three online executive certificates (CAS accredited, 10 ECTS credits each) covering Leadership, Strategy, and Digital Acceleration, with personalized coaching and alumni network access.
• Board Readiness Diploma and Board Director Diploma Two diploma pathways for aspiring or experienced board members, covering governance principles, board effectiveness, and professional board credentials.
• IMD Executive Coaching Certificate 10-month coaching certification program preparing participants for ICF credentials using psychological approaches and access to an extensive coaching community.
• IMD World Competitiveness Ranking Annual global competitiveness ranking covering 70 economies, assessing economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure.
• IMD Smart City Index Annual ranking of 148 smart cities based on residents' perceptions of technology, governance, and infrastructure use to improve daily life.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates are 2.5x more likely to be promoted after completing a general management program
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AVEVAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2026Joint research partnership to produce the inaugural Industrial Intelligence Report on Digital Ecosystems and the Future of Connected Industries. Based on 275+ interviews with senior leaders across 12 sectors, the report reveals significant gaps between digital ecosystem ambition and execution in industry.
• AWScoreTechnology or Integration · 20 May 2026Strategic collaboration announced at AVEVA World 2026 to accelerate cloud-based industrial intelligence capabilities, expanding cloud scale intelligence for industrial sector clients.
• IFScoreTechnology or Integration · 20 May 2026Strategic collaboration to expand CONNECT platform capabilities for unified IT/OT data ecosystems across the global industrial sector.
• SnowflakecoreTechnology or Integration · 20 May 2026Strategic collaboration to unify IT/OT data ecosystems across the global industrial sector, announced at AVEVA World 2026 in Milan.
• InnovaudminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2026Co-organization of the LeadiNNg to Scale-up programme, a startup acceleration initiative that launched its 5th cohort with a record 17 startups selected. First session took place January 20th in Lausanne.
• AWS StartupsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 September 2025AWS Startups network access provided to winners of the IMD Startup Competition, offering CHF 5,000 Startup Scholarship and mentorship from IMD EMBA participants.
• WBCSD (World Business Council for Sustainable Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with WBCSD on the Driving Sustainability from the Boardroom program, enabling participants to fulfill their role of influencing and steering sustainability integration into company strategy.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• INSEAD: INSEAD is one of IMD's closest direct peers: a top global business school with campuses in France, Singapore, and Abu Dhabi, offering MBA, EMBA, and a broad executive education portfolio targeting the same senior executive and C-suite audience.
• London Business School (LBS): LBS is a leading European peer offering MBA, EMBA, and executive education with a strong international participant base, competing head-to-head with IMD in the FT executive education and degree rankings.
• HEC Paris: HEC Paris is a top European business school with deep executive education, MBA, and EMBA offerings, frequently ranked alongside IMD and serving the same C-suite and senior executive segments.
• IESE Business School: IESE is a top European peer with strong global executive education and degree programs, frequently benchmarked against IMD in the FT rankings and competing for the same corporate custom-program clients.
• SDA Bocconi: SDA Bocconi is a leading European business school with a global executive education and MBA portfolio, directly comparable in scale, pricing, and target audience to IMD's offerings.

Regional players

• CEIBS: CEIBS is China's leading business school with strong MBA, EMBA, and executive education programs. It is a relevant regional peer as IMD expands in Shenzhen and competes for Chinese executive students and corporate clients.

Broad incumbents

• Harvard Business School: Harvard Business School is the global benchmark for premium management education, offering MBA, executive education, and online programs (HBX, HBS Online) that compete with IMD for senior executive attention and corporate L&D budgets.
• Wharton (University of Pennsylvania): Wharton is a top-tier global business school with a large executive education and degree portfolio, serving as a broad incumbent competitor for the same high-end executive and corporate customers.
• MIT Sloan School of Management: MIT Sloan offers competitive MBAs, executive education, and custom corporate programs, often cited alongside IMD in rankings and competing for technology and industrial sector participants.
• Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern): Kellogg is a top-ranked US business school with strong executive education and degree programs, frequently appearing alongside IMD in FT and QS rankings and competing for similar executive segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IMD_Bschool
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCz2fgVGv1gNubFNZDLH_1cA
• Facebookfacebook.com/imdbschool
• Instagraminstagram.com/imdbusinessschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/imd-business-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments16 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Institute for Management Development