Professor Susan Hart with some of the first MBA25 cohort.
Professor Susan Hart with some of the first MBA25 cohort.
The first participants on the innovative MBA25 programme, led by William Grant & Sons, were welcomed to the programme at a celebratory dinner at Grant’s Dufftown distillery in September 2011. Three years later, they attended the Barony at Strathclyde on November 14 for their graduation ceremony.
Taught part-time over three years, MBA 25 has three distinctive new electives in luxury brand marketing, entrepreneurship and family owned businesses, as well as a focus on leadership and innovation. All were developed in association with family distillers William Grant, who also assisted with scenarios and data for case studies.
Senior managers from other high-profile businesses were invited onto the programme, allowing all those involved to benefit from the interaction of a diverse group from multiple sectors, cultures and locations, providing insights into their own business and experience. A consortium of 23 was led by William Grant & Sons, with companies such as Alliance Trust, Craneware and Woolfson Microelectronics also on the programme as well as some individuals and not-for-profit organisations.
MBA25 introduced an international dimension with partnerships with the Stockholm School of Economics, where family-run enterprise is taught, Ca' Foscari University of Venice and Bocconi School of Management, Milan, for sessions on the Italian approach to luxury brand management.
The second cohort of MBA25 is halfway through with participants globally, including South America and Taiwan - and discussions are beginning on a third cohort. As a testament to the success of this executive education programme, many participants have received promotions during the programme and the organisations involved have reported significant impact in different areas of performance.