Strategy Core Course:
Case Challenge

In order to secure a better understanding of these tools and concepts, the International Executive MBA (Cohort 6) students were presented with Case Challenges, which are actual strategic cases from leading international organizations that include Allianz, Google, and Novartis.

In the framework of the Strategy Core Course, the students delivered their Case Challenge presentations before a jury that comprised Prof. Dr. Karolin Frankenberger (Academic Director, Executive MBA HSG; Faculty Member, School of Management, University of St. Gallen) and five top executives  from recognized multinational firms: Alexander Thiel (Partner at McKinsey & Company), Carsten Quitter (Group Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director at Allianz), Elisabete Ramalho (Industry Leader—Luxury, Finance, CPG at Google Inc), Markus Schmidt (Entrepreneur in digital transformation and former EVP of Bosch), and Samir Shah (Global Head, Investor Relations at Novartis AG).

Following each Case Challenge presentation, the students were required to answer probing questions from the jury, who also provided them with in-depth feedback following the pitches. The day’s schedule also included presentations by the jury and a plenary discussion that addressed some key strategic issues the top executives faced in the course of their daily operations.

Prof. Dr. Karolin Frankenberger stated, “The Case Challenge Day allowed the students to master key strategic concepts and understand how to apply such concepts in a high VUCA business environment, acquire the management capabilities to become global leaders and understand how to best present their complex solutions to top-level executives.”

Sarah Clark (Class of International EMBA, Cohort 6) concluded, “It’s been a great experience for me to structure a complex problem within a few days, applying strategic tools and presenting our case to top executives. We learned a lot about what kind of challenges industries are facing today, and where they are going next. We need to build strategic business models in order to prepare for the future. We have to go broader than where we stand today.”