SOLVAY EXECUTIVE MBALead the Transformation

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Objectives n Business n Insight

Freedom of expression n Shared

values n Competencies n Personal

growth n Ethical management

Training n Research n Commitment

Multicultural n Diligence n Innovative

Relationships n Networking n Smart

International n Efficient n Cultural

Reputation n Opportunity n Success

Heart of Brussels n Academic

Management Experience n Expertise

Diversity n Knowledge n Study

Careers n Collaboration n Graduation

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FOREWORD 7

ABOUT THE PROGRAM 8

Why an MBA at Solvay ? 9

How we teach 12

Faculty 14

Executive profile 18

PROGRAM STRUCTURE 22

Core 22

Labs 24

CAP 26

FROM CLASSROOM TO BOARDROOM 30

Corporate partners 30

Business Voice Series 31

TIME COMMITMENT 32

FINANCING YOUR MBA 34

ADMISSIONS 36

LEARN MORE 38

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05060708

CONTENTS

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their goals navigating around volatility by anticipating and managing risk. We prepare our graduates to lead ventures in the most complex areas of business today. It should come as no surprise that our alumni are founding companies and leading projects all across the world in any environment. It’s our responsibility, and privilege, as Academic Co-Directors to enable you to “Lead The Transformation” – for you, your company, for society. However you choose to express your contribution into the future, our new Solvay Executive MBA program will turn you into a prized, and internationally desired leader, manager, or entrepreneur ready to take on any business opportunity.

We’re living in a VUCA world - a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous one. The advancement in technologies around us - in computing, networks, sensors, artificial intelligence, and robotics - are quickly transforming society. For those among us keen to learn, the VUCA world offers exciting opportunities to explore, and Solvay is uniquely positioned to help you tap into these. Our revamped Solvay Executive MBA leverages our heritage in technology management, innovation and entrepreneurship to turn you into a confident leader able to thrive in the new technology-driven world. Our faculty excels at teaching executives exactly how to advance

01 FOREWORD

John Metselaar,

MBA Co-Director

Bruno van Pottelsberghe,

SBS-EM Dean & MBA Co-Director

ENABLING EXECUTIVES TO THRIVE IN A VUCA WORLD

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The newly revamped Solvay Executive MBA provides you with just the right foundation to propel you boldly into a new future.

Choose Solvay, and start leading the transformation for you and your business now.

WHY AN MBA AT SOLVAY?

Our namesakeInnovation. Entrepre-

neurship. Exploration. Risk-taking. Humanism. This is the legacy of our namesake, scientist and

businessman, Ernest Solvay, which has been

embedded into the very foundation of our school for more than a century.

Ernest Solvay (1838 – 1922)

02ABOUT THE PROGRAM

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Innovation and entrepreneurshipSolvay labs enable you to explore and experiment with the latest business concepts alongside expert faculty and like-minded peers. You’ll get the chance not just to learn about innovation and entrepreneurship, but also to live it.

Strength in diversityHigh-achievers from around the world choose Solvay because of our diverse, international community. You’ll thrive with the support, network and opportunity that our students, faculty and alumni offer.

Unparalleled access to business and governmentWe offer unparalleled access to business and government in the capital of Europe. You’ll learn from experts across industries and at the highest level of government in the classroom, throughout Brussels and indeed the world.

Academic excellence Our faculty members influence business in almost every sector in Europe. They teach a transformative and ever-evolving curriculum that develops leaders poised to create opportunity in any environment.

Whether you’re looking for a career change or a career boost, our Executive MBA program is among the very best in Europe.

02 ABOUT THE PROGRAM

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If you’re passionate about innovation and entrepreneurship like me, there’s no better place in Europe than Solvay.

Get ready for experience-based learning that will transform the way you reason, problem-solve and conceive of yourself, others and the world around you.

Our faculty will challenge you to think creatively and critically about how to design new businesses – or improve existing ones – and in the process, help make the world a better place.

We’ll study the latest theory in-depth, but focus on practice and real-world applications to get you ready for career success. In Solvay Labs, you’ll work on a thrilling personal project where you develop an innovative new business or help top companies enhance theirs.

Be prepared for robust exchanges about your ideas and solutions in an environment designed to bring out the very best in you. You’ll emerge from your Solvay experience transformed with the acumen and attitude to lead anywhere, anytime.

HOW WE TEACH

KEY BENEFITS

Experience-based learning that reflects the needs of today’s business world. Practical real-world applications that you can leverage immediately in the workplace.

Personal project that showcases your talent and abilities for employers and investors.

Ability to tailor your Executive MBA to your specific interests and needs.

02 ABOUT THE PROGRAM

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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

Ant Bozkaya and Sandra Rothenberger embody the Solvay spirit of academic excellence and entrepreneurship that define our community.

Professor Bozkaya is an economist, entrepreneur and business executive with ties to Harvard University, MIT Sloan School of Management, University of California at Berkeley and more. His insights as a former CEO and management consultant have propelled the careers of some of Solvay’s most successful alumni.

Technology and social media have transformed the way that businesses conduct marketing today. Professor Rothenberger teaches executives how to interpret and predict consumer behavior and then harness the right mix of marketing tools to reach them. Her practical courses rely on the case-study method, incorporating insights from her varied consulting roles.

The Solvay MBA develops and prepares people for the future. The outside-the box thinking engages students to an innovative mindfulness in a new age of complexity!

Solvay network offers a unique opportunity to prepare future global

entrepreneurial leaders to refine their entrepreneurial

thinking and broaden their skill set in today’s

increasingly challenging business landscape.

«

« DR. SANDRA ROTHENBERGER, Professor of Strategic Marketing

ANT BOZKAYA, Professor of Global Entrepreneurship

02 ABOUT THE PROGRAM

THE key to achieving success is to meet great people.

FACULTY

Our faculty is best in class. Not only do they come from leading business schools and universities from around the world, but they also offer you real-world business experience that counts. Their corporate positions, board memberships, and consulting arrangements bring a whole new perspective to the classroom.

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I have so many ideas for my start-up that I don’t know what to do first.My classmates

totally inspire me, challenging me to be my best self.

Classes are strongly rooted into the business world. I’m solving real management problems that I face each day at work.

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AVERAGE CLASS SIZE

WOMENINTERNATIONAL

AVERAGE WORK EXPERIENCE

AVERAGE AGE

33

years

25-30students

8years of

experience

87%

35%

TYPICAL SOLVAY CLASS PROFILEEXECUTIVE PROFILE

Your peers are just as integral to your learning experience as the faculty. At Solvay, you’ll learn alongside talented business leaders who represent diverse functions, industries and geographies.

Classes will reflect a stimulating mix of backgrounds, cultures, career interests and management roles. As a result, you’ll gain a broader perspective on everyday business challenges, as well as a wider network of executives around the world.

I was inspired to get my MBA because I had just invested in a start-up public affairs consultancy with other investors in Brussels. Solvay [Labs] enabled me to develop a toolbox of skills to grow the business.

Antonio Dai Pra, MBA Alumnus 2015,

Co-founder and Partner at Community Public Affairs

02 ABOUT THE PROGRAM

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Finance and economics

for global managers

Excellence

in business performance

International business

and marketing strategies

Financial accounting

Managerial economics

Macroeconomics

in the global economy

Managerial accounting

Finance

Operations management

Project management

Negotiation analysis

Marketing

Strategic brand management

Growth strategies

1. CORE

2. LABS

3. CAP

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Managing and leading

in the face of complexity

Innovation, technology

and entrepreneurship

Team building and

leadership

Organizational behavior

Strategic management

Managing innovation

Information technology and

e-commerce

Global entrepreneurship

The digital enterprise

CORE1

We begin your transformation by building within you a strong core of knowledge in five key areas. Core courses are mandatory to earn your degree.

Our Executive MBA is based on a strong foundation of core courses combined with Solvay labs and the Career Advancement Program (CAP).

03PROGRAM STRUCTURE

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I chose Solvay because it gave me the freedom and resources to experiment with my idea to build a stronger bridge between business and culture. Jackie Xiao, MBA Participant 2015-2017Professional violinist

Shirley Suarez Photography

Test the theories you learn and ideas that pop during class in the real world with Solvay Labs. You’ll work closely with faculty to develop a thrilling personal project where you test an innovative new business or help top companies enhance theirs.

Labs embrace experiential learning, enabling you to turn a company into your classroom and the world into your campus. It’s hands-on, full-on learning to launch you boldly into a new future.

Consulting Lab (C-Lab)Help a company tackle a crucial business challenge in areas ranging from capital financing and product launch to supply chain management.

Entrepreneur Lab (E-Lab)You’ve got a bright idea for a business, now put it to test with the support of faculty, your peers, alumni and the full weight of the Solvay Brussels School.

Research Lab (R-Lab)Take the time to explore a new area of business from all sides with the Research Lab.

Global Lab (G-Lab)Discover the broader world through campus labs outside Europe.

LABS GIVE YOU ACCES TO:

• Business angel groups

• Personalized counsel from leading entrepreneurs

• Insiders at banks and major financial institutions

• Top notch, directly applicable knowledge in Entrepreneurship

LABS2

03 PROGRAM STRUCTURE

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We help you to see yourself and the world differently…to create

new possibilities for yourself that you never imagined before.

Martine George,

Professor of Management Practice and Certified Coach

KEY BENEFITS

Career counseling including job search strategies and interview preparation.

Access to a global alumni network of 22,000 professionals.

Access to member-restricted job boards.

Professional development workshops, expert panels and networking opportunities.

Lifetime career resources and counseling.

«

The Career Advancement Program (CAP) gives you the tools and insights to launch yourself into a bold new future. You dream it, we give you the resolve and resources to go out into the world and do it. Our faculty and expert coaches offer group seminars and personalized counsel to help you realize your best, most authentic self on your MBA journey. Together, we prepare you for a lifetime of achievement.

CAP3

Personal coachingOur team of executive coaches will personally guide you, offering the insights and professional networks you need for post-MBA success. Our coaches come from various industries and backgrounds, reflecting the diversity of our community.

Class networkYour fellow classmates will be one of the most valuable resources you gain from your MBA. Friendships and relationships that begin on campus will continue through life, enriching your personal life and career in unforeseen ways. Alumni networkYour degree offers access to an exclusive group of 22,000 alumni around the world. Our alumni are among the best and brightest in business, and can contribute in critical ways to your success.

03 PROGRAM STRUCTURE

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Roel SterkenMBA Alumnus 2015

Project Development Manager at DROIA

recommend these trips to all future MBA students; it’s an experience of a lifetime.

What advice would you give to perspective students?

Plan ahead and inform your family, close friends and colleagues about the journey you are about to begin. You’ll need their support and understanding to succeed. Be prepared that you’ll need to spend a lot (if not all) of your free time on your studies to get the most from your degree. You’ll need to make tough choices sometimes,

but the sacrifices are worth it. My MBA is undoubtedly one of the best decisions I’ve made in life.

How can students prepare for their Solvay MBA?

Dust off your forgotten dreams, write down your most outlandish ambitions, think big and define what you want your legacy to be. Then, get excited because you’re about to gain the tools and insights you need to do it all. Solvay is a journey of a lifetime. Get ready.

How did the Solvay MBA transform you?

The company I work for, DROIA Oncology, is a venture capital group that invests in life science start-ups. During my two years of study, I advanced from a scientific analyst to investment manager because I learned the hard skills of finance and strategy alongside the soft skills of people management and leadership. Without the MBA, this achievement would have taken much longer.

What did the MBA do for you?

What was impossible before is now possible today. Solvay gave me the tools to define a vision for myself and create a strategy that I can confidently execute. I learned to project manage a business plan from initiation to closing. I learned to identify my personal competitive advantages, and build a great team around me that can fill in the gaps.

What is most valuable to you from the MBA?

As a scientist by training, everything I learned about business was valuable. Today, I have the skills and insights needed to start and run any business, which opened up a whole new world of opportunity for me. No aspect of business is completely foreign or intimidating to me now. This is priceless.

What were your classmates like?

Like most Solvay classes, we had a super diverse group of people including corporate directors, diplomats, lawyers, and even a few scientists like me. Some of us were more interested in finance, others in start-ups. Some of us were shy and reserved while others loved the spotlight.Despite these differences, we had an incredibly strong bond because we all shared the same goal of learning and expanding

our horizons. Together, we learned about ourselves, and discovered we could raise our bars and push our boundaries far higher than we ever imagined.

How did you connect with Solvay alumni during your studies?

While I was working in my Solvay Lab on a business plan for a start-up, professors connected me with alumni in the start-up scene. The advice and “real-life” feedback I received was simply invaluable and really inspired me. Now that I’m a graduate myself, I’m planning on paying this forward by taking an active role in the alumni biotech and entrepreneur network.

When did you laugh the most with your classmates?

I had the greatest fun during G-Labs to Silicon Valley and China where I had the down time to really bond with my classmates. I strongly

One of the best ways to learn about the Solvay experience is to talk to a student like Roel Sterken. Your Solvay class will be full of men and women with the same entrepreneurial spirit and drive to succeed. We asked him all the questions we know you’re curious about.

03 PROGRAM STRUCTURE

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Business Voice Series

Solvay offers exclusive access to leading executives from top companies and organisations from around the world. With our Business Voice Series, students have listened, learned and engaged with executives on some of the most important and challenging issues facing business leaders today.

Events in this series combine learning with networking by bringing invited guests together with students, faculty and alumni from across the Brussels school on a monthly basis.

• Thomas Jordan, Board Chairman of Swiss National Bank• Peter Hinssens, Founder of Nexxworks• Paul Bulcke, CEO of Nestlé• Dominique Leroy, CEO Proximus• Karim Hajjar, CFO Solvay S.A.• Frank Stockx, COO ING Belgium

Solvay is a career accelerator that helped me to realize my full potential.

Elena Gil , MBA Alumna 2015,

Strategy Consultant at Proximus

«

There’s a reason why some of the world’s best companies recruit and hire Solvay graduates. As business becomes increasingly global and competitive, companies need innovative thinkers and accomplished doers who they can trust to lead. After your MBA, you’ll have the profile employers are looking for.

Corporate partners

Our corporate partners hire and train students while also contributing to Solvay’s governance and academic design. They play a key role in ensuring your coursework matches the real business needs of employers. Visit us online to see the full list of our partners.

04FROM CLASSROOM TO BOARDROOM

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Our students «collaborate to graduate». They don’t just work together as teams in the classroom. They build supportive personal relationships with each other

and faculty that are crucial to balancing work, school and life.

John Metselaar, MBA Co-Director

Our MBA starts each year in October. You can complete the program in one or two years depending on your schedule and objectives. Course times and dates are designed in such a way that they accommodate busy professionals.

05TIME COMMITMENT

Thursdays (evening)

Fridays (full day)

Saturdays (full day)

Sunday: (half day)

1 x monthly 2 x monthly

2-YEAR PROGRAM

1-YEAR PROGRAM

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Public fundingMany governments offer funding in the form of grants and scholarships. Contact the authorities in your country or visit educational platforms online to learn more about the resources that may be available to you.

Student loansStudent loans remain the most common source of financing. We have negotiated preferred rates and packages with leading European banks for students who meet certain criteria.

Honor loansWe offer a limited number of honor loans of up to 50% of total tuition based on a student’s merit, financial need and good standing.

Tax deductionYour MBA may be a tax-deducible expense. Check with the authorities in your country to learn more.

DiscountsULB alumni and staff are eligible for a tuition discount. Reduced tuition is also available for partner organizations and companies as well as employees of non-governmental organizations who self-finance their MBA. Visit our website to learn more about eligibility criteria and applicable discount rates.

The Executive MBA will change who you are, enabling you to successfully seize more challenging opportunities and contribute to

improve your environment

Bruno van Pottelsberghe,

SBS-EM Dean & MBA Co-Director

«

Solvay has a well-earned reputation as a school of opportunity for all. Our admissions team can help you to identify and access the financial services and resources you need to make your MBA dream a reality.

Tuition and fees• 32.000 € (self-supported) • 37.000 € (company-sponsored)

Company sponsorshipSome employers will finance all or part of your MBA tuition. We welcome the opportunity to talk with employers about sponsorship.

Solvay scholarshipsWe offer numerous scholarships each year to promote diversity in the classroom, academic excellence and equal access to learning. Scholarships are awarded based on merit and financial need, offering up to 50% off tuition. If you live in Western Europe or a country with an equivalent standard of living, however, scholarships are capped at 25% off tuition.

Scholarships are awarded each year for:

• Excellence and leadership

• Cross-cultural diversity

• Women in business

• Professionals with disabilities

• Senior professionals. *Terms and conditions apply. Visit us online to learn more.

SAVE 10 % NOW

Enroll early and save up to 10 % on your tuition.*

06FINANCING YOUR MBA

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solvay mba, One of the best places to meet interesting people and share your passion

Here are some of the requirements you’ll need to pass selection:

• Minimum three years of significant work experience

• Outstanding academic record

• English proficiency certificate from TOEFL, TOEIC or Solvay test

• Scores from GMAT, GRE or Solvay test

InterviewAfter reviewing your application, you may be invited for an interview which can take place in-person or online.

Rolling admissionSince admission is rolling, you can apply anytime. Visit us online to get started with your application.

Apply earlyEnrollment is limited so it’s important to apply early, especially if you are a non-EU citizen and require a visa.

THINK YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES FOR AN EXECUTIVE MBA AT SOLVAY?

07ADMISSIONS

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Embarking on an MBA is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in life. I’m

here to advise you on this journey and help you plan your Solvay experience.

Anna Calgaro, MBA Admissions Manager

Get a personal assessmentMake an appointment to have our admissions manager assess your profile and fit for the Solvay Executive MBA. Assessments can take place by phone or in-person. Fill out our assessment form online to get started or contact us..

Visit an open dayVisit campus during one of our regular “open days” to meet the staff, faculty, alumni and students who will define your MBA experience. The information sessions, master classes and mixers with students will teach you everything you need to know.

Attend a classAttend a class to see our faculty in action, challenging students to expand their minds and horizons.

08LEARN MORE

INTERESTED IN THE PROGRAM, BUT WANT TO LEARN MORE?

CONTACT ANNA CALGAROMBA Admissions Manager

anna.calgaro@solvay.edumba.admissions@solvay.edu

+32 (0)2 650 66 73www.solvay.edu/emba

SOLVAY BRUSSELS SCHOOL

Université Libre de BruxellesCampus du Solbosch

Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 42B-1050 Brussels - Belgium

www.solvay.edu/emba

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