The power of partnership: how iVentiv and HEC Paris drive Executive Development together

In the ever-evolving world of executive education and corporate learning, partnerships are key to success. iVentiv has nurtured a long-standing relationship with HEC Paris, a prestigious European business school that was founded in 1888, since 2010 and has become a leading institution in Executive Development. Through this collaboration, HEC Paris has not only elevated its presence within the corporate learning community but has also provided valuable insights and support to iVentiv’s events worldwide.

Join us as we dive into the partnership between iVentiv and HEC Paris, how it's bloomed over the years, and where it will go next. Read the Case Study in full now.

HEC and iVeniv

 

HEC Paris and iVentiv in collaboration 


The relationship between iVentiv and HEC Paris began in June 2010 when the school sponsored its first iVentiv event: the Training and Development Executive Knowledge Exchange in London. HEC Paris’s participation was the start of a long partnership, cultivating a host of valuable relationships with Heads of Learning and Executive Development, and the partnership has since flourished.

Over the past decade and a half, HEC Paris has sponsored 88 iVentiv events, making it one of the most dedicated sponsors in iVentiv's history. Not only have experts from the school, such as Jeremy Ghez and Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, shared their knowledge at these events, HEC Paris also hosted iVentiv events at their UK House in both 2023 and 2024.

What sets iVentiv apart according to HEC Paris?


For HEC Paris, one of the key reasons for the success of this partnership is the unique approach that iVentiv takes to Executive Development and L&D events. Unlike traditional conferences, iVentiv events focus on creating an interactive, conversational environment – something that the HEC Paris team consider a game-changer in corporate events.

In their words, “if you go to a big conference, there’s a lot of people in the room, but you have to grab them and it’s not the best way to meet people.” In contrast, iVentiv’s events are designed to foster meaningful connections through psychological safety, and “transparent” conversations. The opportunity to participate in intimate 1-2-1 meetings with senior learning professionals provides a much deeper level of engagement.

This structure, according to HEC Paris, creates a positive environment for sponsors, where hard sales pitches are replaced by organic relationship-building. Over time, sponsors have the opportunity to meet the same people at different events, fostering long-term relationships with key decision-makers. As the HEC Paris team notes, these meetings are “extremely well organised,” with iVentiv’s proactive team ensuring that every detail is tailored to the sponsor’s needs.

The value of a great partnership


From the HEC Paris’s perspective, the partnership with iVentiv has been nothing short of invaluable, with Ann Gilmore classing these events as “my absolute, complete and utter benchmark.” HEC Paris has won significant contracts through connections made at iVentiv events which are, they said, a direct result of the quality of attendees that iVentiv attracts—senior Learning and Development professionals from large global organisations who are actively looking for innovative solutions to their learning challenges.

The HEC Paris team is quick to praise iVentiv for its dedication to bringing the right people into the room, with one member stating that “there’s a huge amount of work involved in contacting and finding out who these individuals are.” As a result, HEC Paris has been able to gain valuable insights from potential clients and the market at large, which have directly impacted the programmes they offer.

Why HEC Paris chooses iVentiv


HEC Paris’s experiences underscore why iVentiv is the partner of choice for so many organisations. From the perspective of the team, iVentiv events offer a host of benefits that set them apart from other event providers; events are not just a venue for delivering content—they are an opportunity for real dialogue and collaboration.

As one of the team members put it, “we greatly appreciate that we could be considered just a supplier, but instead, we have the feeling that we are not just a supplier. We feel like we are partners.” This spirit of partnership permeates the entire experience, from the quality of the Event Chairs to the seamless follow-up after the event has ended, allowing sponsors to continue building lasting client relationships.

Looking to the future


As the partnership between iVentiv and HEC Paris continues to grow, the benefits for both sides are clear. In July 2024, they signed a two-year extension to their annual sponsorship agreement, ensuring that they will continue to play a pivotal role in iVentiv’s events through 2026 – a commitment that reflects HEC Paris’s confidence in iVentiv’s ability to connect them with the right decision-makers.

For iVentiv, this partnership continues to enhance the richness and diversity of its events, bringing world-class expertise and insights to its community of L&D professionals. Together, iVentiv and HEC Paris are shaping the future of executive education and driving innovation in L&D and Executive Development.

Read the Case Study in full now.

 

 

More Insights

Speaking to iVentiv Content Director Temi Bamgboye, Alison Shea, the Former VP of Global Talent Development & Learning at State Street, shared her insights on the pivotal role of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and belonging in organisations. Shea brings a wealth of experience, including her tenure at Thomson Reuters, not to mention a genuine passion for talent development and learning. In a wide-ranging conversation, Alison discussed DEIB and how it isn’t a problem you’re trying to solve, it’s a key driver of success. She spoke about how not all diversity is visible and how “invisible” traits such as neurodiversity can be truly impactful. Businesses, she says, should support all voices that don’t get heard enough by traditional means and leaders and DEIB champions should encourage everyone to learn from their mistakes. Watch the full interview and read more here.

Leadership is more than just a job title. Leadership is about the behaviours a person displays and the actions they inspire. Often, the most effective leaders – certainly from the perspective of L&D teams – are those who are always seeking to learn, develop and grow themselves. In this blog, we explore some of the key questions that Chief Learning Officers are asking about leadership, and highlight some of the methods L&D leaders have adopted to help develop better leadership skills across the organisation. Read more here.

Marianne Schenk, Global Head of Leadership Development at Julius Baer, shares her insights on the importance of adaptability and reflection in effective leadership. Marianne discussed the idea being on a "dance floor" versus viewing from the "balcony." Marianne Schenk is Managing Director, Senior Advisor, Global Head Leadership Development at Julius Baer and a Senior Organisational Change expert with a global portfolio. Read more and watch the full interview here.

Doug Scott, the former leader of Executive Leadership at GE, and Jay Moore, the Global Learning & Culture Leader at GE Crotonville, spoke with iVentiv about GE’s Corporate University campus at Crotonville, its history, and significance. The two experts shared their experiences and insights on leadership development, the role of emotional intelligence, and the importance of trust in building a culture of collaboration. Read more and watch the full interview here.

Jay Moore, Global Learning and Culture Leader, GE references the importance of coaching at GE, how the company ‘spends a great deal of time with our most senior leaders for them to be better coaches’ and how it ‘continues to be a needed and necessary skill for leaders’. In essence, it is the tailored approach to development that coaching offers, that can help executives improve their leadership skills and achieve their goals, making it an attractive option for learning, talent, and leadership executives to invest in. Read more here.

Adeline Looi, Global Head of Integrated Leadership Development at Nestlé is responsible for helping 30,000 people leaders and 273,000 full-time employees in over 180 countries grow in leadership. Speaking to iVentiv’s Temi Bamgboye, Adeline discusses about the Nestlé Leadership Framework, her own philosophy on leadership, and why it is that fewer people now want to be leaders. Watch the full interview.

Employees should be more than satisfied, they should thrive. Increasingly, CxOs see their success with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) as key to achieving that. In 2022, 21% of the Global Heads of L&D, Talent Management, and Executive Development who attended iVentiv events selected DEIB as one of their priorities. This is one part of HR’s wide range of priorities, but more and more leaders in learning and talent are looking to make DEIB a key part of what makes them successful going forward. Read more about why and how leaders are incorporating DEIB into their HR strategies here.

Phil Rhodes is the Head of Learning and Leadership Development at WM, the largest environmental services company in North America, and is a frequent conference keynote speaker on topics ranging from organizational effectiveness, leadership development, change management, and learning trends. He has specific expertise in crafting dynamic Learning and Development (L&D) solutions that enable data-driven decision-making and help employees reach their full potential. Ahead of his breakout session at Learning Futures New York, Phil blogged for iVentiv sharing his perspectives on the trends shaping L&D. Phil writes about skills, partnering with business functions, making the most of AI, and measuring the impact of L&D on business outcomes. .Read the full blog here.

What are the priorities driving global Heads of Learning, Talent, and Leadership? Before every iVentiv event, we ask you to tell us what areas you’re focusing on, and what questions you want to ask your fellow participants. We’ve pulled together those responses into a report summarising the big themes and key questions driving HR as we head into 2023. This blog summarises the key takeaways, and the full report includes commentary from experts in learning, talent, and leadership.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, corporations have taken a range of steps to support Ukrainian employees and customers. Speaking to iVentiv ahead of her session at Talent Management Zurich in October 2022, Nataliia Gorbenko, Global Head of Talent, Performance and Rewards Management at Luxoft, spoke about how businesses have the opportunity to support Ukrainian talent with real benefits to both parties. Read more and watch the full interview here.

Pages