Award underscores INSEAD’s mission to develop leaders with the experience and understanding to operate across cultures
INSEAD, the leading international business school, today announced it will present its second annual Award for Transcultural Leadership to Carlos Ghosn, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., and President and Chief Executive Officer, Renault S.A. INSEAD established the award to honour those individuals who believe in the importance and necessity of working across borders. Mr. Ghosn was selected as the recipient of this year’s award for spearheading the Japanese-French alliance of Nissan-Renault, driving the organisation into emerging markets, and perhaps most notably, for his emphasis on diversity.
‘Increased globalisation is changing the landscape of the business climate and creating a demand for business leaders who can operate in and across different cultures,’ said J. Frank Brown, Dean of INSEAD. ‘Carlos Ghosn personifies the essence of a transcultural leader by recognising that cultural diversity is an integral component to his organisation’s future success.’
Mr. Ghosn added: ‘I think one of the basics of transcultural leadership is empathy and respect. It is essential for leaders to develop a deeper understanding of the country and the culture in which they operate and try to learn about its strengths.’
Mr. Ghosn has consistently embraced the dynamics of cross-cultural management and led one of the most renowned turnarounds in the automotive industry. At the helm of one of the world’s largest auto groups, Mr. Ghosn has demonstrated that transcultural leadership is essential for long-term success. He has leveraged the Japanese-French partnership as an engine of growth in emerging markets and developed a culture that respects regional differences. In addition, Mr. Ghosn has developed an initiative that focuses on increasing the percentage of women working in Nissan’s management which has seen a marked improvement since he called for this change.
Mr. Ghosn is the third global business leader acknowledged by INSEAD with the Transcultural Leadership Award. In April 2007, John Thain and Jean-François Théodore of NYSE Euronext, were the first recipients recognised as transcultural leaders for the merger of the NYSE and Euronext which created the first truly global exchange group.
The notion of transcultural leadership underscores INSEAD’s objectives to inspire and develop the next generation of leaders. As a leading international business school, INSEAD has more than 70 nationalities represented in its MBA programme. To further enhance participants’ cultural learning environment, INSEAD provides students with the opportunity to learn from renowned faculty in Singapore and Fontainebleau, France. Additionally, INSEAD’s U.S. partnership with The Wharton School creates an opportunity for students to study across three continents. Each year, a new class emerges from their studies with a unique, global perspective that combines the most sophisticated business knowledge with cultural sensitivity and awareness.
INSEAD recently presented the Transcultural Leadership Award at its Leadership Summit in Fontainebleau, France on 11 April and will formally honour Carlos Ghosn at a gala dinner on 28 April in New York City. The evening will be hosted by INSEAD and moderated by Rick Smith, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Newsweek. The main sponsors of the Award include:
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About Nissan-Renault Alliance
The Renault-Nissan Alliance is the first of its kind involving a Japanese and a French company, each with its own distinct corporate culture and brand identity. Created in 1999, the Renault-Nissan Alliance aims to be ranked in the top three in terms of quality, technology and profitability amongst the major global automakers.
