Studying the leadership track record of Napoleon Bonaparte as a military general and as an emperor, INSEAD Professor Ludo Van Der Heyden finds a rich resource to extract lessons for 21st century leaders. In his Bicentenary Memorial Lecture: A 21st Century View on Napoleon Bonaparte’s Leadership to Swiss alumni in early May 2021, there are many takeaways for business executives, board members, institutions, even politicians. Not to mention, a fascinating analysis of Napoleon’s impact on modern Switzerland, such as ending a civil war, putting in place the decentralized governance model, empowering the French-speaking cantons and adding 6 more to the Federation (Aargau, Sankt-Gallen, Ticino, Thurgau, Vaud), enabling diversity, and a thriving democracy.
Download the Bicentenary Memorial Lecture slide deck (pdf)
The event was moderated by Brigitte Reverdin, MBA ’81, President INSEAD Alumni Fund Switzerland, and organized by Mina Draganova, MAP’17J, Member of the Executive Committee, INSEAD Alumni Association, and former president of the Geneva Chapter of the INSEAD Alumni Association Switzerland.