Cross-Continental 'Bridges' Form Connections Between Business and the Business School Classroom

Tampa, Fla., USA (July 31, 2017)— Seasoned business professionals are sought after for their insight on the past, present, and future. From their strong grasp of business fundamentals to their extensive leadership acumen, senior leaders carry significant impact. The world’s top business schools recognize this—and are continually integrating practitioners into their faculty through the innovative AACSB Bridge Program (Bridge Program).

Together, AACSB International (AACSB) and the Chartered Association of Business Schools (Chartered ABS) are pleased to announce the graduates of both a U.S.- and U.K.-based Bridge Program. Offered on two continents, the two Bridge Programs were hosted concurrently by the UCLA Anderson School of Management Executive Education at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Cass Business School of City, University of London.

Developed in 2006 by AACSB as a way to prepare industry experts for a career in academe, the AACSB Bridge Program is an intensive five-day workshop that gives business executives an inside look into academia. As of today, the following two cohorts of professionals are prepared to swap the boardroom for the classroom, following the completion of a program covering teaching techniques, course planning, and simulations:

• U.S. Bridge Program graduates: John Althoff, Ram Arthanari, Paul Bader, Evette Barbier, Barry Benjamin, Peter Brockway, Charles Carpenter, Primo Custodio, Krishan Dhawan, Michael Falk, Jennifer Gilman, Scott Greene, Eric Hutchins, Giovanni Lamarca, James Maritan, Michael McManus, John Nanno, Mark Napier, Nicolas Raby, Philip Reitz, Jon Seltenheim, Richard Spangler, Christopher Sulla, Robert Thomas, and Robert Vernon.
• U.K. Bridge Programme graduates: Oliver Boucher, Stephen Cheetham, Jonathan Choqueel-Mangan, Manuel Dominguez, Frederick du Plessis, Gerry Eckersley, Anne Groves, Rebecca Hindley, Joerg Knaf, Matt Lanfear, Heather McGregor, Jerry Möllenkramer, Swen Nicolaus, John Rogers, Joan Shapiro Beigh, Dil Sidhu, Paul Smith, and Mohan Subbiah.

“Globally, the pace of change in higher education is moving at an exponential rate. Across this business schools are committed to providing the most relevant and resourceful education possible,” said Thomas R. Robinson, president and chief executive officer of AACSB International. “For more than 10 years, the AACSB Bridge Program has helped senior-level executives from the business community learn how to best implement their real-world knowledge within the classroom setting. We congratulate each of the 2017 graduates, and celebrate how each are uniquely positioned to make a powerful impact on our next generation of global business leaders.”

Collectively, the 2017 graduates will bring significant experience from a variety of fields, including accounting, advertising, business startups, commercial real estate, consumer products, data analytics, global finance, investments and securities, health care, higher education, insurance, international trade, marketing, media and entertainment, manufacturing, supply chain management, stocks and equities, technology, and venture capital.

Anne Kiem, Chief Executive of the Chartered ABS said “At a time when there is great pressure on business schools to deliver high quality teaching, we were thrilled this group of highly experienced industry executives were so passionate about teaching and sharing their knowledge. They have been exposed via the Bridge Programme to the techniques of delivering their wisdom to students, and prepared for the challenge of making the transition from the boardroom to the lecture hall. We are excited to follow their journey into academia and observe the impact they make through teaching.”

To be eligible for the program, applicants must be actively participating in their field of interest, have five to seven years of extensive industry experience and have a master’s degree or its equivalent. Individuals are carefully selected to ensure that they will have a powerful impact in the classroom and that they meet the requirements for a scholarly or instructional practitioner at an AACSB-accredited institution.

Since its inception, more than 420 global executives have successfully completed the program—from small business owners and entrepreneurs to individuals from corporations including Booz Allen Hamilton, Ernst & Young, ExxonMobile Corporation, Hallmark Cards, Inc., KPMG, Lockheed Martin, NBC Universal, PwC, United Concordia Companies, TIAA, and Time Warner Inc. Many of these executives now serve as valued faculty members at business schools throughout the world.

For more information on the recent global graduates, please visit the AACSB Bridge Program section of the AACSB website.

About AACSB International
As the world’s largest business education alliance, AACSB International (AACSB) connects educators, students, and business to achieve a common goal: to create the next generation of great leaders. Synonymous with the highest standards of excellence since 1916, AACSB provides quality assurance, business education intelligence, and professional development services to over 1,500 member organizations and more than 790 accredited business schools worldwide. With its global headquarters in Tampa, Florida, USA; Europe, Middle East, and Africa headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore, AACSB’s mission is to foster engagement, accelerate innovation, and amplify impact in business education. For more information, visit aacsb.edu.

About the Chartered Association of Business Schools
The Chartered Association of Business Schools is the voice of the U.K.’s business and management education sector. We support our members to maintain world-class standards of teaching and research, and help shape policy and create opportunities through dialogue with business and government. For more information about the Chartered ABS, visit charteredabs.org.