IMD Names Its First Dean Of Degree Programs

Canadian-born Professor of Leadership Alyson Meister has been named IMD’s first Dean of Degree Programs

Canadian-born Professor of Leadership Alyson Meister has been named IMD’s first Dean of Degree Programs. a role that will have her oversee the school’s MBA, EMBA, and new Executive Masters programs. Effective Sept. 1, Meister will succeed MBA Dean Omar Toulan and EMBA Dean Vanina Farber who will both remain in their current roles until year-end.

In this new role, Meister inherits a strong portfolio at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland. The school’s MBA program is currently ranked #1 in Europe by Bloomberg and was named Program of the Year by Poets&Quants in 2024. On the EMBA side, IMD recently announced the introduction of an innovative EMBA Flex. Earlier this year, the institute launched two groundbreaking stackable Executive Masters programs focused on AI & Sustainability.

IMD said that Meister will work closely with President David Bach, setting the strategy for IMD’s degree programs and leveraging the institute’s pedagogy, its deep business expertise, and its proximity to global enterprises to help the school achieve its vision of becoming the world’s most impactful business school.

IMD’S MEISTER HAS WORKED WITH LEGO GROUP, L’OREAL & HEINEKEN AMONG OTHERS

Alyson Meister

Meister brings significant experience to the new role. She directs IMD’s prestigious Future Leaders program and its successful Change Management program and has worked with executives, teams, and organizations across a range of sectors, including leading engagements with clients as diverse as Booking Holdings, DP World, Heineken, Hilti, LEGO Group, L’Oreal, Maersk, and Sandvik. Having lived and worked on five continents, Meister joined IMD in 2019 from the Universidad de los Andes in Colombia. She received her PhD from Melbourne Business School and is a graduate of the Ivey School of Business in Canada.

An accomplished researcher, Meister has published on topics including identity and diversity, as well as workplace stress, mental health, and wellbeing in top journals including Academy of Management Review, Journal of Management, Journal of Business Ethics and Harvard Business Review. Her current research is focused on the neuroscience of leadership. She was named on the Thinkers50 Radar list in 2021. As the Director of IMD’s Workplace Well-being Initiative, Meister will bring her expertise to bear to develop emerging leaders holistically and prepare them for an increasingly uncertain and demanding business environment.

“I am thrilled that Alyson has agreed to lead our degree programs forward,” said IMD President Bach in a statement. “Her experience in working closely with top organizations and leaders across a wide range of sectors makes her the perfect candidate to build on our strong momentum. More than ever, business schools must evolve their MBA, EMBA, and Masters’ offering to meet the test of time. At IMD, we have always challenged what is and inspired what could be, and with Alyson at the helm we will accelerate our innovation and broaden our impact in the degree program space.”

‘SHE HAS THE DRIVE, INTERPERSONAL SKILLS & FORESIGHT TO LEAD

“I am honored to take up this important role in shaping the future of IMD’s degree programs,” added Meister in a news release announcing the appointment. “It’s exciting to build on the inspiring work of Omar Toulan, Vanina Farber, and the entire degree programs team. Together, we’ll continue evolving our programs to meet the challenges of today’s world. We’re committed to developing leaders with the clarity, resilience, and skill to lead in a demanding and rapidly changing global context.”

MBA Dean Toulan believes “Alyson is the right person to build upon the progress we have made with the MBA program. She has the drive, interpersonal skills, and foresight to lead the program to even further greatness.”

Vanina Farber, Dean for the Executive MBA, also voiced her support. “So excited for what’s ahead. With Alyson’s vision and energy leading the integration of our world class degree programs, this next chapter is in great hands,” she said in a statement.

DON’T MISS: Inside IMD’s New & Highly Innovative Executive MBA Program or IMD Launches First New Degrees In 25 Years: Stackable Executive Masters In AI & Sustainability

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