After 18 months of sharpening their skills in developing and leading organizations, in parallel with managing the challenges of their professional lives, it was time for the EFL Executive MBA program class of 2018 to graduate. In the company of family, friends, and company representatives, a cheerful crowd of program participants were awarded their diplomas at AF-Borgen in Lund.
The graduates, freshly arriving at AF-Borgen’s festivities from their final residential session, were met with outpourings of praise from invited guests who gathered to watch them receive their well-deserved diplomas. “Let’s give praise where praise is due – this is your night,” said Tony Åkesson, Director Executive MBA at EFL. “You’ve all worked long and hard for this.”
Top line: Ulrika Nordqvist, SWEP International AB, Nilla Lundin, Swedbank AB, Charlotte Adelgaard, SAP Denmark A/S, Jonas Hagberg, Senso Detect AB, Louise Strand, Region Skåne, Pierre Elzouki, Raviteq AB, Elisabeth Brevenson, Twilio, Pernilla Ernholdt, Malmö Stad, Christian Donaldson, pcSKOG AB, Magnus Lewrén, Sony Mobile Communications AB. Bottom line: Magnus Wendt, Tetra Pak Processing Systems AB, José Miguel Jimenez, Sertech AB, Victoria Thell Palmsten, Sandoz, Paul Sandström, Web Manuals Sweden AB, Helene Sollderhed, Farina AB/Pågengruppen, Henrik Börjesson, TeQflo, Åsa Stoije, arjo, Mikael Kluge, Bredband2 AB, Irina Åström, Fingerprint Cards AB, Hans Banke, Ferring Läkemedel AB, Carsten Winther, Region Skåne
Over the course of the 18-month program, the participants completed the Micro Bachelor, Business Fundamentals, Business Solutions and International Business Project modules. For the last module, the participants split into groups with different assignments and visited countries on the African continent. “It’s been fantastic to follow your development,” said EFL Program Director Robert Wenglén in his speech to the new graduates. Wenglén has followed the class of 2018 from the outset 18 months ago.
EFL’s CEO Henrik Lundgren welcomed the new graduates to a strong alumni network and talked about some of the social outreach initiatives that former Executive MBA students been involved in with EFL. One of the alumni who is well acquainted with the program is Pontus Bodelsson, an alum from the Executive MBA class of 2008 (and who graduated almost precisely ten years ago to the day), who described how his take-aways from the program have helped him in his career. Last out on stage was commencement speaker Hans Banke from Ferring AB, whose playful and engaging speech described the class of 2018’s exciting journey from its start in September 2016 to the final destination in March 2018.
The program, which is administered in partnership with the Lund University School of Economics and Management, is a management and leadership program in tune with the strategic challenges of each participant’s company. “Our teaching model is grounded primarily in learning from the participants’ own real cases in real time,” says Tony Åkesson, Director Executive MBA at EFL. “Watching business ideas, strategies, or business models take shape in the program and then successfully take off is, of course, incredibly inspiring.”
All photos from the graduation ceremony are available on our Facebook page.
Read more about Irina Åström in HD-Sydsvenskan 8till5 (in Swedish only)