Global Executive MBA

duration15 months
languageEnglish
locationOnline + Residentials in Madrid, Oxford, Singapore and Los Angeles
intakeSeptember
MODE OF STUDYPart-time
FORMATBlended

Lead change and make your mark in the global boardroom​

The Global Executive MBA is a unique learning experience for senior professionals who want to make their mark at the highest levels of business. Designed for top executives, corporate climbers, career switchers, entrepreneurs, and family business owners, the program combines rigorous academics, real-world application, and cutting-edge innovation to meet the demands of today’s leaders. 

The program’s 15-month timeframe offers a streamlined learning journey with an emphasis on real-world impact. Our project-based learning methodology will see you engage in real-life challenges that enhance your problem-solving and decision-making in a practical context, while the hands-on CEO Challenge and Board Leadership modules will give you vital experience in digital transformation, strategic foresight, and governance through expert mentoring and carefully crafted simulations. Meanwhile, the program’s international residential weeks at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Singapore Management University, Oxford University, and at IE Business School’s campus in Madrid offer unrivalled insight into the global business landscape. 

With focus areas that include Entrepreneurship and Change Management, you’ll be ready to lead in uncertain times, while the program’s Sustainability curriculum will empower you to build purpose-driven organizations on sustainable principles—making you ready for the highest levels of executive leadership, anywhere in the world.  

WANT TO KNOW MORE?
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See business from a global perspective ​

The Global Executive MBA’s international residential periods are what set the program apart. Spanning three continents, they provide an opportunity to learn from industry leaders firsthand, develop your regional expertise, and gain insight into business challenges across North America, Europe, and Asia. Based at our top-tier partner institutions, you’ll experience business from a truly global perspective, unlocking the knowledge and skillsets to be a key player in the C-suite. From green energy to deep tech, AI to financial management, this is a unique chance to immerse yourself in some of the world’s most important global business hubs. 

  • A professional portrait of a smiling woman with long dark hair, wearing a navy blazer and a striped shirt.
    ​ Global Executive MBA Program Specialist

    Ready for your next step? ​

    Whatever your career goals, our Program Specialist is ready to answer your questions. Schedule a personal consultation call now to see how this program fits your personal and professional ambitions​.

overview

REASONS TO STUDY THE GLOBAL EXECUTIVE MBA

  • PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

    Engage with real-life challenges, fostering practical problem-solving and impactful decision-making. 

  • CEO CHALLENGE & BOARD LEADERSHIP MODULE

    Hands-on exposure to digital transformation, strategic foresight, and governance through simulation and mentoring.

  • LEADERSHIP COACHING

    One-to-one coaching to hone your leadership abilities and establish and meet your professional milestones.

  • IMPACT SKILLS ACCELERATOR CERTIFICATE

    Build critical thinking, digital, and behavioral skills, including: Critical Thinking, Negotiation, Business Data Analytics, Public Speaking, and more.

  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

    Advanced content on entrepreneurial management for executives and scaling new ventures.

  • CAREER COACHING

    Work with a dedicated coach from consul.

Meet our partners ​

The Global Executive MBA offers the chance to study on a truly global platform. IE Business School has developed an in-person residential experience that puts you on the world stage and prepares you for the next step in your career. Spanning three continents, you’ll gain first-hand regional insights from global business destinations – a unique experience to set you apart from your peers. ​

  • University of Oxford

    As part of the global curriculum, this residential – in collaboration with the IE Center for the Governance of Change – focuses on strategic global foresight topics relevant to top executives. ​Students will get hands-on exposure to the key issues and discuss them in depth with academic leaders and business executives in the field.

  • Singapore Management University ​

    The Singapore Management University residential provides a unique regional perspective and key insights from Asia. Singapore’s status as a global and regional hub makes it the perfect location to gain strategic insights into financial services trends and HealthTech innovation. Leveraging the first-hand expertise of leading companies and executives, you’ll also have the chance to draw on the experiences of IE Business School alumni. ​

  • University of California, Los Angeles

    The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is renowned as a center of innovation and technology, which form the focus of this residential week. You’ll broaden your perspective on US business and gain insights into how technology is shaping industries across the board. In addition, you’ll meet with regional companies, executives, and thought leaders who will offer first-hand experience, with the added benefit of networking with the local community of IE executive alumni.​

Class profile

  • +15
    YEARS OF EXPERIENCE ​
  • +18
    Nationalities
  • 40
    Average age
  • gENDER
    Male
    Female
  • Academic Backgrounds
    Banking / Insurance / Financial Services
    Technology / Telecommunications
    Consulting
    Consumer Products & Retail
    Marketing / Advertising / Communication
    Transport & Logistics
    Healthcare / Pharma / Biotechnology
    Real estate / Construction
    Other
  • Function representation
    ​ General Management
    Sales & Marketing
    Operations
    Business Development
    Finance
    Consulting
    IT
    Human Resources
    Communication & Legal

MEET OUR STUDENTS AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY

Program Structure

Program Structure
15 Months
Description
    TERMS
    MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR GLOBAL EXECUTIVE MBA
      Term description
      RESIDENTIAL PERIOD
      IE BUSINESS SCHOOL, MADRID
      BUSINESS FUNDAMENTALS I
      Term description
      RESIDENTIAL PERIOD
      SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY, SINGAPORE
      BUSINESS FUNDAMENTALS II
      Term description
      RESIDENTIAL PERIOD
      Oxford University
      ADVANCED COURSES
      Term description
      RESIDENTIAL PERIOD
      UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELEs
      BOARD LEADERSHIP MODULE
      CEO CHALLENGE
      FINAL BOARD PRESENTATION
      RESIDENTIAL PERIOD: IE BUSINESS SCHOOL
      A group of business professionals listening attentively in a conference room.

       

      The Global Executive MBA is an immersive program designed for C-Suite professionals who want to make their mark in the boardroom. The Global Executive MBA is delivered in a blended format, combining online lectures, forums and consultative group work. In addition, five residential periods across three continents will give you the perfect opportunity to enhance your professional development and expand your global network.

      Alongside your studies, we offer a range of additional services and options to enable you to truly make the most of your Global Executive MBA. From leadership and career coaching to support from a group facilitation expert and a Board Leadership module, the program offers every opportunity for personal and professional development outside of the classroom.

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      • Two professionals, a man and a woman, are smiling and looking at a laptop screen in a modern office setting.
      • A group of professionals sitting at a conference table focusing on a presentation.
      A focused woman working on a laptop in a modern office setting.

      Personal advisory Program that includes Leadership coaching and Career Coaching

      IE Business School’s Personal Advisory Program will see you work side by side with a leadership coach to hone your skills and achieve your goals. Here, you'll be able to pick between two tracks: Leadership or Career. In the Leadership track, you'll work one-on-one with a coach to strengthen a specific set of leadership abilities. In the Career Track, you will work with a coach to help determine your next career move and how to get there. You will meet with your coach throughout the program to establish and measure personal and professional milestone accomplishments.

      Two professionals, a man and a woman, are smiling and looking at a laptop screen in a modern office setting.

      Group facilitation expert

      The Global Executive MBA will showcase from the beginning how collaboration across the globe is a key component of driving success on the world stage. Throughout the program, your group facilitation expert will guide you as you work with international groups of dynamic peers. This guidance will help you to confront the challenges that arise, equipping you with the tools to ensure lasting real-world success.

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      Board leadership module to obtain Corporate Director Certificate

      The Path to Board Director Certificate will be awarded upon completion of the required Board Leadership module. Providing comprehensive insight into the realities of boardroom imperatives, you’ll study new courses alongside your program classes: Disruptive Risk & Resilience, Strategic Foresight Navigating Uncertainty, Board Dynamics & Leadership. The Board Leadership module culminates in a presentation of your final project and a final exam in a boardroom setting. You’ll graduate with an additional certification on your Global Executive MBA, demonstrating your boardroom readiness and leadership competencies.

      Your first term begins with an opening ceremony in Madrid and the first residential period at IE Business School, where you'll begin to think about leadership and gain key skills that you will apply during the program. You'll then complete an online Business Fundamentals module to lay a strong foundation in a range of topics crucial to business leaders.

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      From day one, the Global Executive MBA provides an immersive experience of leadership impact skills, starting with the first residential period in Madrid. Beginning your journey, you will learn to understand yourself and how you are viewed by others, which offers the basis for applying your leadership skills. Through hands-on workshops, simulations, and role-play in different scenarios, you will not only gain insights into problem-solving, critical thinking, resourcefulness, strategic thinking and decision-making, active listening, and inspiring others but will also integrate and apply them in numerous business scenarios throughout the program.

      The Global Executive MBA continues with a module featuring the foundation of key aspects of business for leaders in a variety of roles. Within this, you'll complete courses such as Leading People in Global Organizations; Economic Environment and Country Analysis; Financial Accounting; Competitive and Corporate Strategy; Managing Communities of Work; Marketing Management; and Teambuilding workshops.

      Your second term will broaden your global understanding of business, taking you to Singapore for your residential period. You'll also complete additional business classes during your online period to further enhance your understanding in key areas of management, strategy and entrepreneurship.

      Singapore

      The Global Executive MBA’s next residential period at Singapore Management University will take you to your second continent: Asia. This is where your global awareness will grow as you learn about Asia’s perspective and insights, as well as the latest market trends and business innovations in the region. In addition, you can take advantage of company visits and meet IE Business School alumni and local executives.

      The second term will include a deeper dive into management and strategy best practices. This will cover subjects including Global Operations & Supply Chain Management; Financial Management; Strategy Implementation; Managerial Accounting; Marketing Strategy and Plan; and Entrepreneurial Management for Executives.

      Being a business leader in the 21st century poses more challenges than ever before. But how do you overcome these challenges to drive success in your organization? The third term will equip you with the skills and knowledge to elevate your management and entrepreneurial spirit. You'll spend a week learning and networking at the world-renowned University of Oxford. Additionally, you will master storytelling, build resilience, and lead diversity and well-being.

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      For this term's face-to-face sessions, you'll visit the University of Oxford for a week to expand your professional network and take a deep dive into topics such as the digital world, data and innovation. You'll also complete further online advanced classes to expand your business leadership skill set and propel your career even further.

      For this term's face-to-face sessions, you'll visit the University of Oxford for a week to expand your professional network and take a deep dive into topics such as the digital world, data and innovation. You'll also complete further online advanced classes to expand your business leadership skill set and propel your career even further.

      During your fourth and final term, you'll spend a week in Los Angeles, gaining regional insights and learning about the latest business trends. What's more, as the final term, you'll have the opportunity to combine all your learnings to complete the CEO Challenge, a highly immersive experience where you'll solve a real-world business problem as part of a team before presenting your strategy to your client. This term also offers the chance for you to complete the Board Leadership module and prepare for your Final Board Presentation.

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      Your global mindset will be developed further as you move to the third continent to study at the University of California in Los Angeles. Here, you will gain a US regional perspective and insights into green energy trends and DeepTech. As with the other residential periods, you can take advantage of company visits and meet IE Business School alumni and local executives.


      The Board Leadership Module equips senior executives to tackle the realities of modern corporate governance. Equal parts academically rigorous and hands-on, the module imparts advanced competences through a comprehensive core curriculum, practical application and an experiential Board Simulation. This well-rounded blend shapes visionary, dynamic leaders with the capacity to drive organizational success in the C-suite, boardroom and beyond.

      The Global Executive MBA’s CEO Challenge provides a comprehensive, integrated and highly immersive experience where you will resolve an executive-level business challenge of a real company. The challenge will address critical aspects of business and the organizational transformation of a global company. You will work in teams and be guided by an assigned coach toward developing top-quality business proposals before presenting them to a client's executive stakeholder.

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      Coming to the end of your Global Executive MBA, you'll return to where it all began: IE Business School in Madrid. Here, you'll showcase your final board project using the knowledge gained in the applied board practices module. By this point, you will be poised to embark on the next step of your business career.

      Program Structure
      15 Months

      OFFICIAL DEGREE

      Students must meet the following conditions and requirements to be officially enrolled and entitled to request the official university degree upon completion of the master program. If educational prerequisites are not provided and/or if the requirements are not met on time, the student will not be able to request the official university degree as issued by the Spanish government. In this case, the studies will not be official under Spanish educational regulations. 

      THE NEXT BEST YOU 

      As well as developing your skills to be ready for the boardroom, the Global Executive MBA will help you become the next best you. This is a core element of the Global Executive MBA that will set you apart from your future C-Suite colleagues. At IE Business School, your education is more than learning data and facts. Soft skills are key to transforming not only your career but your impact and purpose: a true leader of people who will bring value to your workplace – wherever in the world that may be. 

      • YOUR CAREER 

        The first step to transforming your life is to make the decision to do so. The next step is to achieve it. Our mission is to help you realize your personal and professional goals by forming a deep understanding of who you are, where your strengths lie, and your ambitions. Then we tailor a unique career development plan specific to you and your objectives, designed to provide you with the skills, behaviors, and real-world experiences to make them happen.

      • YOUR IMPACT 

        No matter how broad your skill set, knowing how to use it effectively is vital. The ability to make things happen sets you apart in the boardroom. Impact is measured not only in visible results but also in the way you behave – how you think, how you collaborate, how you adapt to different situations, and how you embrace new technology. Through our Impact Skills Accelerator and project-based learning, the Global Executive MBA will equip you with these skills, enabling you to reach the highest levels of the C-suite.

      • YOUR PURPOSE 

        Purpose is key to building a fulfilling career. At IE Business School, we believe business should be a force for positive change, so we’ll help you to align your career path and goals with the things that matter to you – maximizing your potential as a transformative leader. Our Sustainability focus will equip you to build purpose-driven organizations, while the program’s real-world focus will enable you to expand your professional network to form long-lasting relationships with colleagues around the world. Find your sense of purpose, and lead change in the business world and beyond.

      OUR FACULTY ARE HERE TO GUIDE YOU 

      MEET THE EXECUTIVE MBA VICE-DEAN LUCIA EGEA

      As the Vice Dean of Executive MBA programs, Lucia is dedicated to guiding leaders in discovering their purpose and creating sustainable, long-lasting business models.

      With over 20 years of international corporate experience and a passion for finance, she excels in solving complex problems through a blend of analytical thinking and creativity, fostering positive disruption in the process. In her role as an adjunct professor, Lucia enjoys teaching financial reporting and analysis, as well as entrepreneurship, across various programs within IE University.

      Her boundless curiosity and energy drive her to be a lifelong learner, with interests spanning futures design, human-centered approaches and digitalization. Lucia holds double cum laude degrees in business studies from Spain and the UK. She also has an Executive MBA from IE Business School, for which she was named the top student in her cohort.

      Black and white photo of a smiling woman standing in front of a background with the word 'EXECUTIVE'.

      DISCOVER OUR FACULTY

      At IE Business School, our faculty’s commitment to you goes far beyond teaching. Their mission is to help you understand the person you are now and guide you on the path to the person you want to become.

      From working with you to reveal your strengths and surface your career goals to helping you refine how to make the impact your sense of purpose demands – or even discovering what that purpose is – they’re on hand to challenge you to think about yourself in new ways, learn the skills you need for your future career and become the next best you.

      Drawn from all over the globe, our faculty brings expertise from a vast range of industries, roles and functions, meaning they’re equipped with the real-world experience to help you succeed.

      • Accounting & Management Control

      • Economics

      • Entrepreneurship

      • Finance

      • Human resources and Organisational behaviour

      • Information Systems & Technology

      • Law

      • Marketing

      • Operations & Technology

      • Strategy

      A Lifetime of Benefits​

      MASTER CLASSES & VIP SPEAKER EVENTS

      Leaders who join the Global Executive MBA program at IE Business School understand that personal and professional transformation is an ongoing journey, not a destination. That’s why our commitment to you extends far beyond your graduation. We’ll support you as a lifelong learner by providing exclusive, engaging educational content such as master classes on the topics that matter to you, VIP speaker events, and updates on the latest from the worlds of business, technology and more – all at no additional fee.

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      Global Alumni Week

      Our annual Global Alumni Week ensures that opportunities to connect with top-level global executives and industry leaders continue even after your program has ended, and you’ll have lifetime access to our unparalleled professional network of more than 70,000 alumni worldwide.

      Talent & Career service

      And to support the executive career transformation plan that you’ll develop during the Global Executive MBA, we offer lifetime access to our Talent & Careers service, meaning our expert guidance remains at your fingertips.  

      The journey to becoming the next best you doesn’t end when you finish your studies; that’s why we’ll be your trusted guide every step of the way.

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      ALUMNI STORIES

      Global Executive MBA almuni are changemakers equipped to bring positive leadership to their companies and industries. Read their stories below to discover how the program has shaped their careers - and what studying at IE Business School could do for you.

      • A woman working on a laptop at a modern desk with plants and flowers in the background.
        Play

        KAVYA KANCHANA

        Global Executive MBA Alumna at IE Business School

      • Play

        Reine Mbang Essobmadje

        Global Executive MBA Alumna at IE Business School

      Leading at the Top video
      Play

      Leading at the Top: Why Executive Alumni Chose the Global Executive MBA

      JOIN OUR EXECUTIVE MASTER IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION EVENTS

      Regulations and quality

      Learn more about our regulations and educational quality in Madrid and Segovia.

      FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

      • The next best you is a fundamental concept at IE Business School. It means we focus on helping you analyze the current you, determine your desired impact as a leader and give you the skills, mindset, and tools you need to reach your full potential.

        Our approach is personalized and tailored to each individual student, rather than using a one-size-fits-all method. We offer a range of guidance, options, and support throughout the program to help you identify and refine your strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations. We provide a wide variety of workshops, mentorships, career advisors, industry connections, and extracurricular activities to help you develop the insight, skills, and abilities you need to succeed.

        This personalized approach sets IE apart from other leading universities. Not only does it set you up for greater success, but our approach is valued by recruiters seeking graduates who have undergone this transformative process and have received a highly personalized education.

      • Blended: The Global Executive MBA is delivered in a blended format, combining online lectures, forums, consultative group work, and project-based learning for invaluable real-world insight. In addition, five residential periods across three continents will enhance your global business perspective and expand your global network. 

      • 15 months: The Global Executive MBA has been revamped to offer the same comprehensive learning journey in an accelerated timeframe. Accommodating the most demanding professional schedules, this is a high-impact program with a streamlined structure that will enhance your skills in all aspects of global business leadership. 

      • The Global Executive MBA is an official degree recognized by the Spanish Ministry of Education and you will receive a Master’s in Business Administration. 

        Students must fulfill the following requirements to be able to request the issuance of the Official University Degree upon completion of the master’s program. If educational prerequisites are not provided and/or if the requirements are not met on time, the student will not be able to request the official university degree as issued by the Spanish government. In this case, the studies will not be official under Spanish educational regulations.