I by IMD

Oliver Zeidler is an Olympian who has successfully reinvented himself. After missing out on the Rio 2016 games as a swimmer, he switched sports to become a World Champion rower just three years later.

In conversation with IMD’s Susan Goldsworthy, Zeidler discusses growing up in a family legacy of Olympic success, which "normalized peak performance," and the critical role of his grandfather as a "secure base" who inspired him to pursue both a competitive sports career and a business career, at Deloitte.

Zeidler explains how combining an intellectual, office-based role with the physical demands of rowing has provided balance in his life. He talks about the key to his sustainable success and details a unique perspective on managing setbacks and embracing the "beginner's mindset". This powerful characteristic has allowed him to continuously explore and master new challenges, from switching sports at 20 to entering a demanding MBA program at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne.

This week we feature a recent episode of IMD's sister podcast, Leaders Unplugged. IMD President David Bach sits down with Henrik Andersen, CEO of Vestas, for a raw conversation on Europe’s energy transition and the courage leaders need to navigate it.

Andersen delivers a stark warning on Europe’s complacency: “Europe is 50% dependent on import of energy day in and day out. The truth is we import more LNG gas from Russia than we did in 2022.” He explains how China is building up its alternative energy capacities faster than any other nation – and dismantles hype around unproven solutions, such as hydrogen: “It is a little bit of a dream that is beyond a dream”.

His purpose for being an outspoken leader is clear: “Our kids will say, ‘we will never forgive you because why did you keep talking about something that doesn’t happen?’” And he delivers a strong lesson to his peers: speak out, take blows, and act boldly in a volatile world.

This week, we bring you a powerful conversation from OWP Singapore, IMD’s flagship five-day program focused on orchestrating winning performance. In this fireside chat, Professor Omar Toulan sits down with Dan Luo, IMD MBA alumna (Class of ’99) and a trailblazing leader whose career spans global giants like Heinz, Lego, and Fonterra.

Luo shares her remarkable journey from Wuhan to the world stage, navigating the Asian financial crisis, pivoting industries, and building a dynamic board portfolio. With deep experience in both B2B and B2C, she reflects on the leadership lessons that shaped her path: the power of democratic decision-making, handling conflict with clarity, and the importance of assembling and inspiring high-performing teams.

From career inflection points to personal milestones, Luo’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and impact. What does it really take to lead with purpose across borders and industries? Tune in to find out.

In conversation with IMD's Jean-François Manzoni, Novonesis CEO Ester Baiget discusses how the Danish biosolutions powerhouse uses advanced tech and its ‘library of strengths’ to transform food production and laundry processes.

Novonesis is rapidly becoming the world leader in the field of biosolutions. By leveraging the power of microbiology with science, it is increasingly transforming the way the world produces, consumes, and lives. 

Born from the 2024 merger of enzyme and cultures specialists, Novonesis has integrated complex technologies and navigated regulatory roadblocks. But blending two corporate cultures requires more than science alone. For CEO Ester Baiget, the key is leadership rooted in humility, transparency, and a relentless focus on sustainable growth.

The energy transition isn't coming. It's already here. From boardrooms to trading floors, from tech labs to oil rigs, the shift toward clean energy is reshaping how business gets done. On "Inside the Transition," hosts Julia Binder and Knut Haanaes are bringing you conversations with the people at the front line of this historic shift of the energy transition.

This week, Knut and Julia are joined by Paul Watkinson, a seasoned climate negotiator who enabled the adoption of the 2015 Paris Agreement. Just weeks before COP 30 in Brazil, they discuss the current state of global climate efforts and the need to overcome domestic political, social, and financial barriers to decarbonization. The conversation delves into the uneven pace of the energy transition, the pivotal but complex role of China in clean tech, Europe's regulatory challenges, and the essential need for a "just transition" to build public support.  

Mike Wade and Amit Joshi welcome their colleague José Parra Moyano, Professor of Digital Strategy at IMD and contributor to their book GAIN. Jose shares his perspective on how Generative AI is not just an efficiency tool but a powerful enabler for non-technical business leaders. 

The conversation explores how Gen AI democratises data analytics, enabling managers to reduce uncertainty and make informed decisions without needing to code. They discuss the shift from using AI for cost savings to driving innovation, the evolving role of data science experts, and practical advice for listeners on how to leverage these tools to gain a competitive advantage.

In this episode of Mike and Amit Talk Tech, on the IMD Podcast network, our hosts discuss the transformative role of generative AI in supply chains. Joining the show is Professor Carlos Cordon, an IMD expert with over 30 years of experience in technology and strategy. Cordon reflects on his journey from the world of IT leadership to academia and explains why the supply chain remains both one of the most complex and most critical engines of modern business.

The discussion examines why early experiments with generative AI in supply chain operations led to disappointment and how the rapid evolution of tools like Microsoft Copilot and DeepSeek has since transformed the landscape. From Excel spreadsheets to enterprise systems, Cordon explains how AI is now beginning to enhance accuracy, unlock deeper analysis, and make supply chain management more adaptive in a volatile geopolitical environment.

In this episode of the CEO Dialogue series, Jean-François Manzoni speaks with Morten Wierod, President and CEO of ABB, about how one of the world’s great engineering companies is transforming itself for the road ahead.

With 110,000 employees, 170 factories, and more than $30 billion in annual revenues, ABB has long been central to electrification, automation, and industrial innovation.

Now, under Wierod’s leadership, the company is driving a “leaner and cleaner” mission that connects competitiveness with sustainability.

On the IMD Podcast network, Mike Wade and Amit Joshi speak about the future of health, with Achim Plueckebaum, a contributor to their latest book GAIN.

As a senior executive with decades of experience in the life sciences industry, Plueckebaum believes AI will have a transformative impact on medicine, pharmacology, and patient care. He emphasizes the importance of data privacy, ethical considerations, and the need for AI to serve patients effectively.

Plueckebaum predicts significant AI-driven drug innovations within the decade, and even the discovery of entirely new treatments. From synthetic biology to personalized medicines, healthcare is set to change in a big way.

IMD Dean of Faculty and Research Stefan Michel sits down with Amar Bhidé - Emeritus Professor at Tufts University, and a founding member of the Center on Capitalism and Society at Columbia. 

Drawing on insights from his latest book, Uncertainty and Enterprise: Venturing Beyond the Known, Amar unpacks the vital difference between risk and uncertainty, why this matters for entrepreneurs, and how imagination shapes decision-making in business and innovation.

In today’s business environment, true visionaries rely on contextual judgment rather than just statistical models. And though the evolution of AI will bring many opportunities, understanding its pitfalls remains key to success. Amar discusses these issues and the surprising role that routines play in enabling creativity and collaboration.