The WAN / IFRA Executive Development Program In association with Scandinavian International Management Institute

Leaders 2000: First Executives Graduate

Leaders 2000, the new development programme for "high flyers" in the global press industry, came to a close in October with the graduation of thirty-three newspaper executives from thirteen countries.

The first graduates showered the programme with praise, saying that it had provided immediate practical applications for their businesses as well as new strategic tools.

"I would not have missed the course for anything," said Maj-Britt Höglund (maj-britt.hoglund@vasabladet.fi), Editor-in-chief and Publisher of Vasabladet in Finland. "I have more theoretical knowledge and can apply strategic thinking in a more efficient way. The theories and models presented in class have turned into tools for analysing the economics and the mechanisms of the industry."

Liam Holland (holland@irish-times.ie), Advertising Sales Manager of the Irish Times, said: "The program was extremely well put together. A lot of the things we learned I'll use in my day-to-day business. I've already used them, in fact, for various new product development."

"We made lasting friendships, good contacts that will be useful in the future," he added.

Leaders 2000, which was created by WAN and IFRA, was organised in three, four-day segments spread over five months. Participants came from newspapers in Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, India, Ireland, Malaysia, The Netherlands, Norway, Uganda, and the United Kingdom.

The first two segments were held in Copenhagen at the Scandinavian International Management Institute (SIMI), which organised the programme; the final segment was held at the Lillienberg Entrepreneurial Forum on Lake Constance in Switzerland.

In addition to lectures by professors from some of the world's top business and journalism schools, the programme featured "action learning" where participants completed work-based programmes at their companies. Case studies and input from leading CEOs in the industry were also offered.

WAN and IFRA are now taking applications for Leaders 2001, which will again be held in three, four-day segments between March and June 2001.

Professors from some of the world's top business and journalism schools have joined the faculty. Among them are Andrew Davis of the Northwestern University Media Management Centre, United States, Paul Wang of the Medill School of Journalism, United States, and Soumitra Dutta of INSEAD, France.

"I recommend Leaders 2000 to people who want to get a better understanding of the world-wide changing landscape in the newspaper industry and to all those who want to become a key player within the New Economy," said Helmut Schoass (hschoass@styria.com), Managing Director of Steirischer Monat Zeitungs in Austria.

Other comments

"For too many years, newspapers have neglected the essential requirement of management training which is why I believe that Leaders 2000 now provides the industry with the ideal platform on which to build a structured approach to training and education and, who knows in the future, a possible MBA."

Michael Brophy (michael.brophy@SundayWorld.com), Managing Director, Sunday Newspapers, Ireland

"It was a great learning experience, meeting different people from different countries, different newspapers, different cultures. The crossover of skills was very good – we had editors, managing directors, and people from a technical background.

"Part of the course was home assignments, so we actually went back to our companies with the knowledge and tools we had learned in the course. The process of doing that was very valuable – I think you'd call it interactive learning."

Paul Hollister (paul.hollister@mediabase.co.uk), Editorial Business Manager, Associated Mediabase, UK

"The program gathers a good portfolio of knowledge, starting with strategic thinking, going through management skills and into marketing and branding, customer retention and orientation, to the future challenges of the information business, and finally you have to sort everything out for the case study.

"There are two other important things: networking, which has been probably one of the major assets; and the evening speakers who came from European media companies, sharing with us their thoughts, ideas and different views what to do, what they are doing and how new ideas are performing."

Robert Daniel Nobile (rnobile@agea.com.ar), Finance and Administration Manger, AGEA, Argentina

"The very best part of Leaders 2000 was the possibility of meeting and getting to know media leaders from different countries and cultures. We tend to say it is a small world, but for my part this was the first time I had the priviledge of discussing media business with colleagues from India, Africa, Asia, South America and several European countries."

Anne Setsaas (anne.setsaas@apressen.no), Director, A-pressen, Norway

"I was very happy and satisfied with the programme. I got new instruments and frameworks for the strategy work I have to do when positioning my company in the new media world. I also got many good tips for the leadership challenges I face in everyday life. One very important offering of the programme was the network of colleagues that we met. It was great to get to know so many nice people from all over the world."

Mikael Pentikäinen (mikael.pentikainen@stt.fi), General Manager and Editor-in-chief, The Finnish News Agency

"I think, in the end, the programme was very good. I was sceptical at first because everything had to get settled in for a new way of learning. But I think the last session was especially good – we stayed in the same hotel, we had sessions close to where we lived and we spent a lot of time together outside of the classroom and had very good discussions."

Jan Karlsen (jan.karlsen@aftenposten.no) Assistant Director, Aftenposten, Norway

"The mix between knowledge about the industry, theoretical models and leadership was good. In addition, you also establish industry contacts across national boundaries.

"I've been in the industry for only three years so the day-to-day talk and knowledge exchange, together with knowledge about the industry, was very useful. The models connecting strategy to marketing was very useful for me as we are in a strategic change process in our organisation."

Stein Hallingstad (stein.hallingstad@scanpix.no), Director Finance & Administration, Scanpix, Norway

"The highlight of the programme was primarily the good professors and their very lively lessons. I think the match between theory and practice was quite good, and easy to understand."

Claus Thomsen (claus.thomsen@jobdanmark.dk), Sales Manager, De 3 Stifstidender & Jydske Vestkysten, Denmark

"The highlights for me were the evening speakers, who presented their strategies within their respective business areas, some of the professors, and knowledge sharing with other participants."

Anita Roarsen (anita.roarsen@aftenposten.no), Vice President, Aftenposten, Norway

Applicants for Leaders 2001 must have a minimum of three years management experience with an expectation by senior management that they can reach Management Board level and play a leadership role in the industry. For more information, contact Mette Bock, Programme Director, SIMI, E-mail: mfriis@simi.dk.

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