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Monday, October 16, 2006

New leader at INSEAD - Frank Brown

Business schools choose deans like sports clubs select managers. Directional changes are meant to inspire new blood and vision, while harnessing the existing strengths catapult the institution to new heights in the rankings, enrollment and the fund raising sweepstakes.

This past summer the American accountant Frank Brown took over at INSEAD replacing Gabriel Hawawini, a product of the French education system. The greatest difference between Frank Brown and his predecessors is that he is a businessman and not an academic. In certain circles this is blasphemy. Mr. Brown does not have a doctoral degree beloved by the academic world and dare I say it, it does not have the treasured MBA degree.

What he does have, and a sure fire incentive to entrepreneurs is chutzpah and 26 years working in the commercial centre, most recently at PriceWaterhouseCoopers $3.5bn Advisory Services operating unit. He sees his corporate expertise essential to improve the INSEAD organisation and the process within the school. Anybody who has worked with such institutions as PwC, know that people at his level don't mess around and really mean business. Academics are just academics. This is not a pejorative statement but a point of fact that people in the field know to be true.

INSEAD will need to use his skills, particularly because they operate in Fontainebleau and Singapore and now to be the Middle East. As he states, "my role is connecting the dots". His attitude is contagious and exudes a 'steam ahead' attitude and has a clear global picture of what he wants INSAED to become.

"I'm really smitten with the place itself, the enthusiasm, the entrepreneurial spirit. You get the impression there is nothing you can't do if you put your mind to it. What do I wan t this place to be know for? The one thing that screams to me is leadership."

Mr. Brown's concept of leadership has been forged in the field of business practice not academia. He will therefore have a much more muscular approach. It should be anchored in a practical corporate setting.

"To me leadership means developing other people, leading by example. It 's about sharing authority, and accepting responsibility. One of the highest misnomers in leadership is that it is given. It isn't. It is earned.

Furthermore, Mr. Brown would like to distinguish two different brands: the MBA programme as an entity and the INSEAD brand as a separate entity.

"If you look at the MBA, what does it qualify for you? What happens over the past decade is that it has become less of a requirement. What we have to demonstrate is that it develops the next generation of leaders."

The corporate branding of INSEAD will require another strategy. Mr. Brown understands this and will use his strength to better promote the school in the USA where he believes the qualities of this internationally focused school are largely unknown. American corporations are basically unaware of INSEAD's diversity and that it graduates 900 professionals every year as much as HBS and Wharton combined.

He stipulates that promotion should be 'through word of mouth not a $50m advertising budget. Word of mouth is best. We have to talk to people, the right people. It's hard work. However, we've not had a person with broad business experience trying to do that. It happened to be something I enjoy doing. We've just to focus on doing more of the same."

Mr. Brown is also keen to further promote. He believes that firms planning to enter the Chinese market should see INSEAD deep expertise in Asian economies as a resource and a bridge. Promoting executive education at INSEAD is particularly significant as this short non-degree programmes account for up to 45% of the business school's revenues.

For anyone who has doubts on his abilities, they should think twice. First, he has bee with the school since 2000 in an advisory role. He has been on the Board since 2005 and understands the culture and strengths of his institution. He has already re-organised the top management team. Now he is embarking on fundraising. He acknowledges that this is more challenging in Europe than in the USA.

"We have a lot of alumni in Europe who have been very generous, but the difference between Europe and USA is that giving is not a natural European reflex."

At the moment INSEAD has raised $88.7m, which give s the school an annual income of +$3m. The best way to raise money, he says is to 'appeal to the heartstrings".

All and all, it will be exciting to see which direction Mr. Brown takes this noble academic institution in its relentless drive to expand the scope, power, and influence of one of Europe's leading business schools.

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