Investment AB Latour is a diversified investment company with its head office in Gothenburg, whose shares have been listed on Nasdaq OMX Stockholm since 1985.

Latour’s main business idea is to invest long-term in companies with their own products and brands, great development potential supported by global megatrends, and good conditions for internationalization.

To further develop the leaders’ competence and skills, Latour initiated a collaboration with the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg in 2017. Nominated managers participate in a customized program, the Latour Executive Programme (LEP), which runs for nearly a year and prepares them for increased responsibility in the future. The program also aims to strengthen Latour’s ability to retain key competencies within the group.

The Latour Executive Programme is conducted entirely in English and combines academic rigor, professional expertise, and a high degree of long-term practical relevance. Examples of topics covered include digitalization, sustainability, business model innovation, crisis management, pricing, organizational culture, communication, and change management.

Latour intends to run the program every two years. The pilot round started in 2017 and gathered 16 managers from Sweden, Finland, and Italy. A second program round was conducted in 2019 with a similar international participant group from companies in Latour’s expanded portfolio.

Since 2017, the ABLE program (Advanced Business Leadership) has developed leaders at the second highest management level within the Volvo Group, known as Leading Leaders.

The program is conducted in collaboration with the School of Business, Economics and Law’s Finnish partner Aalto University Executive Education. Participants are nominated from all over the world and from all companies within the group. They are encouraged to adopt an external perspective with a focus on strengthening customer orientation, re-evaluating their own organization’s value creation and strategic thinking, and successfully driving and communicating change.

The program comprises a total of 11 full days spread over five months. So far, approximately 80 leaders have completed the program.

“Our goal is to develop all leaders within the Volvo Group, regardless of the country they work in. For the ABLE program, we wanted a provider with roots in Swedish culture, as the Volvo Group has its headquarters in Sweden, but also with a global presence so that participants meet lecturers with different cultural backgrounds. By choosing GU School of Executive Education and Aalto University Executive Education, we got exactly that,” says Marion Trumel, Learning Programme Manager at Volvo Group University.

Regulation and Governance of Banks
Since 2018, GU Executive Education, in collaboration with the Department of Business Administration at the School of Business, Economics and Law in Gothenburg, has offered the program Regulation and Governance of Banks. The program provides participants with a broad understanding of the financial, regulatory, and strategic conditions that affect banking operations and governance.

The program is structured around three central areas: risk, financial markets and instruments; regulation and compliance; and strategy and governance. Participants deepen their knowledge of risk management and financial markets, the regulations and compliance requirements affecting banks, and the connection between strategy and governance. The program also addresses how financial information can be used to analyze operations and support decisions.

The program is conducted over several meetings at the School of Business, Economics and Law in Gothenburg, with each meeting comprising two to three full days. Between meetings, participants work with course materials and assignments through self-study. The program concludes with an examination and comprises a total of 7.5 higher education credits.

Through the combination of academic knowledge, instructor-led teaching, and independent work, participants have the opportunity to progressively deepen their knowledge and develop a holistic understanding of the conditions that form the basis for understanding, analyzing, and governing a bank.

Capio Närsjukvård AB, which is now part of Ramsay Santé, collaborated with GU Executive Education on leadership development for members of regional management teams within its Swedish operations.

Through two-day modules, participants developed their business acumen and their ability to lead change. The training combined lectures, discussions, and practical exercises with researchers and experts from the School of Business, Economics and Law.

IKEA of Sweden, based in iconic Älmhult, is the company within the IKEA Group responsible for global business and product development. In 2017, IKEA of Sweden’s HR managers chose a customized leadership program from the School of Business, Economics and Law as a way to take the next step in business development:

“IKEA has a strong business focus and we constantly strive to develop. This program is another step in raising our professionalism and competence when it comes to developing IKEA’s operations,” says Christina Stenberg, HR & Competence Manager, responsible for procurement and co-development of the program.

16 participants, all experienced HR managers from various global business areas, participated in the program. The program’s design and structure created good conditions for collaborative learning over time. As a positive side effect, the group also developed into a strong and well-functioning unit.

The program comprised ten days spread over eight months, with each day based on a carefully selected theme linked to IKEA’s business priorities. The lecturers were researchers and experts in their respective fields, primarily from the School of Business, Economics and Law, supplemented by two professors from the Netherlands and the USA. The entire program was conducted in English.

IKEA appreciated the program’s pedagogical approach, which gave participants access to the depth of research and new perspectives on important societal trends. They also appreciated the School of Business, Economics and Law’s work in ensuring that all lecturers understood IKEA’s reality and how the business is conducted. Our program manager ensured that all modules of the program were adapted to IKEA and was present at every occasion to ensure a cohesive learning experience.

“The inspiring discussions and reflections on a wide range of business issues have given me completely new perspectives and tools. The program has strengthened my business focus and my desire to make a difference,” says program participant Marléne Sinclair Ståhl, HR & Competence Manager.

For more than a decade, GU Executive Education has developed and implemented customized leadership programs for SKF in areas including finance, HR, and other management fields.

SKF Enabling Functions Executive Program

“I now have a much better understanding of many aspects of organizational dynamics – this was truly valuable.”

“Overall a fantastic experience with many learnings. A perfectly organized program!”

SKF HR Executive Program

“I found the program to be very well organized and provided great value. Good discussions and interaction, and many concrete lessons to take away.”

“Overall an excellent program that met and exceeded my expectations.”