Global Energy Seminar

Market volatility, uneven globalization, and complex regulations continue to challenge business leaders charged with managing value chains and delivering energy services. To succeed in this competitive marketplace, both emerging players and established companies must evaluate political and economic risks as they respond to consumer needs. In response, Harvard Business School (HBS) Executive Education has developed the Global Energy Seminar. Along with an elite group of energy executives, you will explore new ways to capitalize on global growth opportunities—and position your company to succeed in this rapidly changing landscape.

What You Can Expect

This groundbreaking seminar examines how recent developments are impacting the global energy arena. Through the renowned HBS case study method, you will gain fresh insights and strategies for developing, managing, and distributing new energy sources.

Your Course of Study

Engaged in an interactive learning experience, you will explore the key issues facing energy companies today—globalization, business–government relations, geopolitics, risk management, emerging business models, and technological innovation.

Who Is Right for the Program

This leadership development program is appropriate for executives who are responsible for the exploration, management, development, and delivery of energy sources and services, including those in the areas of innovation and strategic planning.

What You Can Expect

Improving Your Organization's Performance

The current global energy marketplace is fraught with obstacles—among them tightened regulations, environmental vigilance, and uneven globalization. In this highly competitive climate, industry leaders must manage elevated levels of investment risk as they take on the challenge of creating value.

Designed for senior executives who are responsible for energy service at every stage, from exploration to delivery, this program examines the trends that are shaping the future of the industry. Interacting with renowned faculty and elite industry peers, you will explore new strategies for driving your organization's growth and prosperity in these uncertain times.

Taking Your Skills to the Next Level

As you acquire the integrated knowledge and broad perspectives required to successfully navigate this complex global landscape, you will:

"I have attended the Global Energy Seminar two years in a row to keep abreast of issues that affect the global energy industry across all sectors. This experience has provided immediate and measurable value for both my employer and my career. I apply the insights I gained from the seminar—particularly those related to economic and regulatory effects on energy businesses—every day in my role at ConocoPhillips. But the seminar was also helpful beyond its intellectual aspects. The participants provided perspectives distinctly different than my own and helped me relate more effectively to people of diverse cultures and backgrounds. I also have made lifelong friends, which is something you can’t put a value on. I am already looking forward to the next session of the seminar."
Christopher Gabriel, Category Manager, Global Procurement Services, ConocoPhillips Company, U.S.

Your Course of Study

Against the backdrop of an evolving industry, the Global Energy Seminar examines the recent trends, innovations, and dynamic forces that affect how energy is produced and distributed. Through a combination of HBS case studies, interactive classroom discussions, and guest lectures, you will learn how energy executives are exploiting opportunities to position their companies for long-term success. The curriculum focuses on several key themes:

Globalization and Geopolitics

Around the world, uneven globalization is creating unique challenges for energy organizations seeking to expand internationally. You will:

Business–Government Relations

Recent regulations have had a significant impact on traditional energy providers and on producers of alternative and renewable forms of energy. You will:

State-Controlled Markets

In countries that possess their own sources of energy, the state exerts influence over how energy markets evolve. You will:

Risk Management

To be effective, risk management programs must address the latest market developments, including price volatility, advances in technology, political uncertainties, and regulatory changes. You will:

New Service Providers and Business Models

Today's dynamic energy marketplace has given rise to a host of emerging players and new business models, dramatically altering the competitive landscape. You will:

Technological Innovations

Rapid innovations in technology are driving the development of new energy sources and services that enable better management of energy distribution. You will:

Who Is Right for the Program

This program is appropriate for executives who are responsible for the exploration, management, development, and delivery of energy sources and services, including those in the areas of innovation and strategic planning. Ideal participants are senior decision makers within organizations that are classified as energy developers, technology providers, financiers, utilities, or distributors.

Past Participants Represented:

Industries Nationalities
7% Chem/Pharm/Bio 14% Asia/Pacific
1% Consumer Products 34% Europe
5% Financial 12% Latin America
6% Manufacturing 40% North America
5% Nonprofit Services
1% Other Services
11% Professional Services
44% Raw Materials/Energy
3% Real Estate/Construction
1% Retail Services
16% Utilities/Telecommunications

"I attended the Global Energy Seminar to gain a better understanding of the big questions that need to be addressed over the next decade by my company and by the industry in general. I came away with greater insight into the macro trends within the energy sector as well as a view of the industry from various perspectives. The program also helped me from a leadership standpoint—it not only helped my thinking process but also made it very clear to me that better decisions are made when different opinions are shared and debated. There is always more than one correct answer."
Ingvild Saether [Vice President, Shuttle Tankers], Teekay Corporation, Norway

Meet the Program Faculty

Like all Harvard Business School Executive Education programs, the Global Energy Seminar is developed and taught by a core faculty of HBS professors. Our faculty members are widely recognized as skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors.

Through publishing, consulting, and teaching, they leverage their business expertise and field-based research to create new knowledge and enduring concepts that shape the practice of management. The result is a teaching team that exposes participants to multiple perspectives, challenging their thinking and encouraging new practices that result in superior business leadership. For more detailed biographies, click on each faculty name.

Rawi Abdelal, Joseph C. Wilson Professor of Business Administration. Faculty associate of Harvard's Weatherhead Center for International Affairs; member of the Business, Government and the International Economy Unit; member of the executive committee of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies; and faculty cochair of the "Global Energy Seminar."

Rebecca M. Henderson, John and Natty McArthur University Professor. Member of the General Management and Strategy Units; and faculty chair of the Business and Environment Initiative.

Shon R. Hiatt, Assistant Professor of Business Administration. Member of the Organizational Behavior Unit.

Joseph B. Lassiter III, MBA Class of 1954 Professor of Management Practice. Member of the Entrepreneurial Management Unit.

Noel Maurer, Associate Professor of Business Administration. Member of the Business, Government and the International Economy Unit; and faculty cochair of the "Global Energy Seminar."

Forest L. Reinhardt, John D. Black Professor of Business Administration. Faculty chair of the European Research Initiative; member of the Business, Government and the International Economy Unit; faculty cochair of the "Global Energy Seminar"; and faculty chair of the "Agribusiness Seminar: An Asian Offering."

Richard H.K. Vietor, Paul Whiton Cherington Professor of Business Administration. Senior Associate Dean; and member of the Business, Government and the International Economy Unit.

Admissions

Because a diverse participant mix is an important part of every HBS Executive Education program, we look for candidates who reflect a broad range of industries, functions, countries, and backgrounds to enrich the learning experience.

Fees, Payments, and Cancellations

The program fee covers tuition, books, case materials, accommodations, and most meals.

No payment is necessary until you have been accepted into an HBS Executive Education program. After admission notification, we will send you an invoice via email; payment is due within 30 days of the invoice date. If admission is within 30 days prior to the start of the program, payment is due upon receipt of the invoice. Payment is required prior to the program start date. We accept payment by company check, bank wire transfer, or credit card (American Express, MasterCard, Visa). Details are included on the program invoice.

If you need to cancel or defer participation, you must submit your request in writing more than 30 days before the start of the program to receive a full refund. Due to program demand and the volume of preprogram preparation, cancellations or deferrals received 14 to 30 days prior to the start of the program are subject to a fee of one-half of the program fee. Requests received within 14 days are subject to full payment.

Requirements

Although there are no formal educational requirements, admission is a selective process based on professional achievement and organizational responsibility. We look for professionals who have demonstrated business talent and leadership potential.

HBS Executive Education programs enrich both participants and their sponsoring organizations, and require full commitment from each party. While participants devote time and intellect to the learning experience, sponsoring organizations agree to relieve individuals of their work responsibilities during the program.

Language Proficiency

We deliberately design our programs to encourage individual growth and to foster productive interaction among participants. For that reason, proficiency in written and spoken English is essential. If English is your second language, or if you have less than one year's experience working in an English-speaking environment, HBS requires a brief statement documenting proficiency in English-language skills, both conversational and written. This may include a list of the English-language certification programs that you have completed; the degrees you have earned at English-speaking colleges and universities; or the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam. The Admissions Committee also may request a telephone interview.

Application Process

Program participants must be nominated and sponsored by their current employer. HBS must receive your application and all required documents in order to prepare the application for review by the Admissions Committee.

To apply, you may use our online form or download an application. You also may request a brochure by mail.

If you submit your application online, we will promptly acknowledge receipt of your submission via email. In the unlikely event that an email acknowledgment is not received, please contact the Admissions Committee by email: exed_admissions@hbs.edu, phone: +1-617-495-6226, or fax: +1-617-496-1731.

If you choose to submit a printed application, be sure to type or print legibly and sign your application. Send the application to the address or fax number listed on the form. Mailed or faxed applications are processed and acknowledged promptly upon receipt via email.

Complete Your Application

Please answer all questions thoroughly—the Admissions Committee will only consider completed applications. After reviewing your application and making the necessary edits or corrections, print or copy the application for your records.

Meet the Deadlines

We request applications at least four weeks in advance of the program start date. Early application does not guarantee admission. Programs often fill to capacity, so early application is recommended.

Notification of Acceptance

We acknowledge receipt of all applications and maintain all application information in strict confidentiality.

To optimize the learning experience and maximize the exchange of ideas, the Admissions Committee selects a class that balances each participant's experience, the scope of his or her current responsibilities, and the type of organization.

The Admissions Committee begins reviewing applications four months before the start date, and qualified candidates are admitted on a rolling, space-available basis. Once the review process has begun, applicants are notified within three weeks via email regarding Admissions Committee decisions. If your application is received within three weeks of the program's start date, the Admissions Committee will notify you of their decision as soon as possible.

Need help?

For further assistance, contact our client service specialists at: 1-800-427-5577 (outside the U.S., dial +1-617-495-6555).