NEOMA Business School’s campus in Rouen, about 135 kilometers from Paris. NEOMA also campuses in the City of Light, as well as Reims and Shanghai, China. NEOMA photo
Almost immediately upon its formation in 2013, when it was created from the merger of two storied French management institutions, NEOMA Business School became a leader in shaping the future of executive education.
That’s because NEOMA’s flagship program, its Global Executive MBA program, is more than just a degree — it’s a transformative journey focused on human connection, leadership development, and cultural diversity.
A VISION FOR GLOBAL BUSINESS LEADERSHIP
With campuses in Paris, Rouen, and Reims, and an international presence in Shanghai, NEOMA offers ambitious professionals seeking career acceleration, industry transition, or a broader global business perspective a springboard to realize their ambitions.
NEOMA’s commitment to international learning is evident in the program’s diverse cohort and cross-cultural approach, says Aleš Popovič, professor of information systems at NEOMA who joined the school in 2020 from the University of Ljubljana School of Economics and Business. This experience, he says, extends beyond the classroom.
“We designed our executive MBA as more than just an academic program,” Popovič says. “We would like it to be — and I think we are quite successful at this — a professional and personal transformation.
“About the human connections, our cohort model, how we set it up, tries to foster a little bit deeper relationships among executives from different industries and especially different backgrounds. And we don’t want our participants to just learn from faculty, but also to learn from each other — as a matter of fact, my first key takeaway for them is that I want them to form bonds that last far beyond the program and way ahead of their graduation.” He notes that the latest cohort has participants from 15 countries.
By integrating Asian and European viewpoints, students gain insights beyond their immediate markets, Popovič says. “When we’re in France, we bring in the Asian perspective, and when in Asia, we introduce European perspectives. This cross-cultural engagement prepares our students to navigate the increasingly interconnected global business landscape.”
Read more about NEOMA’s EMBA program here … and Poets&Quants’ StudyIN France special here.
A PROGRAM ROOTED IN EXPERIENCE & INNOVATION
NEOMA’s Sami Attaoui: EMBA program is “an opportunity to change the way you think about business, leadership, and even yourself. You gain confidence, expand your professional network, and acquire the tools to take on new challenges”
“We have the experience, the expertise, and a strong legacy in delivering executive education,” says Sami Attaoui, Global Executive MBA Director. NEOMA’s edge, he says, lies in its commitment to real-world application and an international outlook.
“Our program is designed for ambitious individuals — executives and entrepreneurs — who want to evolve, take on new challenges, and drive change within their organizations,” Attaoui says.
“Our curriculum integrates real-world insights to ensure students are prepared for challenges such as technological advancements, sustainability, and shifting geopolitical landscapes.”
A MASSIVE ALUMNI NETWORK
Graduates of NEOMA Business School’s Executive MBA program become part of a broader network of 80,000 alumni across 127 countries. It’s an unparalleled global network, fostering and fueling relationships that last beyond graduation and throughout one’s career.
Within each cohort, too, the connections are deep and long-lasting.
“We maintain small cohorts and blend students from different intakes and international campuses, including Shanghai and Paris,” says Attaoui, who is also a professor of finance at the B-school. “We involve alumni extensively, creating a deep network of mentorship and collaboration.”
Beyond the classroom, NEOMA integrates family and personal development into the program. “We make it a holistic experience,” Attaoui adds. “Students don’t just train as individuals; they balance career growth with family and executive responsibilities.”
CRISIS MANAGEMENT IN THE HEART OF THE ALPS
A defining experience of the NEOMA EMBA is the Crisis Management Seminar in the French Alps, where learners undergo an immersive leadership and teamwork challenge.
“This experience, conducted in partnership with the Gendarmerie (French military police), is about handling uncertainty, managing teams under pressure, and adopting a leadership mindset,” Attaoui says. “The soldiers teach us invaluable lessons about teamwork, resilience, and looking out for one another.”
Participants learn critical crisis response skills in a high-stakes environment, which directly translates into their leadership effectiveness in the corporate world.
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH PRESTIGIOUS B-SCHOOLS
NEOMA has established strategic partnerships with a pair of prestigious European B-schools: BI Norwegian Business School and Polimi Graduate School of Management in Milan. Through this collaboration, learners attend specialized seminars, industry-focused conferences, company visits, workshops, panel discussions, and executive talks — experiences that provide EMBA students with deep-dives into specialized business topics and access to top industry leaders across Europe.
“These partnerships allow our students to take electives at partner institutions, engage in joint symposiums, and collaborate on specialized topics such as innovation and sustainability,” Attaoui says. “We organize three-day events where academics, industry experts, and students come together to tackle pressing business challenges.”
A STRONG ALUMNI NETWORK DRIVING REAL-WORLD LEARNING
NEOMA’s Aleš Popovič: “We are more than just a degree. We are a catalyst for transformation”
With three decades of history, NEOMA has cultivated a robust alumni network that plays an integral role in the program.
“Our alumni mentor new students, host talks, and assist in company visits,” says Popovič, who is also NEOMA’s Program Director for the MSc in Business Analytics and Director of the Area of Excellence “AI, Data Science & Business,” which seeks to foster collaboration among researchers interested in exploring innovative applications of AI in various application areas. “They are also instrumental in helping us organize international field trips.”
These global excursions allow students to immerse themselves in international business environments and learn firsthand from industry leaders. Last year’s students traveled to Shanghai and Africa to study business practices firsthand.
“These experiences are invaluable in developing a truly international business acumen,” Popovič notes.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING ACROSS THE GLOBE
NEOMA’s Global EMBA is not confined to the classroom. Each year, students embark on immersive experiences across multiple continents.
“We take our students to Accra, Ghana, to study social entrepreneurship, to Seoul for innovation, and to Milan and Oslo for business and sustainability,” Attaoui says. “Each trip is a week-long deep-dive into different industries, from healthcare and technology to music and finance.”
The trips expose students to new business models and challenge them to think beyond their traditional frameworks.
“In Ghana, for example, we explore how businesses remain profitable while making a positive social impact,” Attaoui says. “It’s eye-opening.”
A DIVERSE & INCLUSIVE COHORT
Diversity is at the heart of NEOMA’s approach. “We currently have 12 different nationalities represented in our cohort,” Attaoui notes. “Our classrooms are a melting pot of perspectives, with professionals from Africa, South America, Europe, and Asia. And with a balanced gender ratio, we ensure diverse leadership perspectives.”
This multicultural environment fosters dynamic discussions and broadens the way students approach business challenges.
“Many executives come in with a sector-specific perspective,” says Popovič. “Through this program, they get exposed to different industries, different ways of thinking, and they emerge with a truly global outlook.”
A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE
What should prospective students know about the NEOMA Global EMBA that they can’t get from a website?
“It’s an opportunity to change the way you think about business, leadership, and even yourself,” Attaoui says. “You gain confidence, expand your professional network, and acquire the tools to take on new challenges. Many of our students transition into new industries or leadership roles during the program itself.”
For some, the journey is about career advancement. For others, it’s about transformation.
“Some students come in uncertain about their next step,” Attaoui says. “Through coaching, mentorship, and exposure to different industries, they discover opportunities they hadn’t even considered.”
For many, in the end, NEOMA’s Executive MBA is not just about the degree — it’s about transformation, impact, and a lifelong network of global leaders. As Popovič says: “We are more than just a degree. We are a catalyst for transformation.”
DON’T MISS WHY STUDY BUSINESS IN FRANCE and NEOMA’S BRIDGE TO ACHIEVEMENT, THE GLOBAL EXECUTIVE MBA
