Recently, we sat down with OPM 45 alumnus Philipp A. Hofmann, the president of Structural Technologies. In this candid interview, he shares how the Owner/President Management (OPM) program at Harvard Business School (HBS) transformed his business perspective and role as a leader, and expanded his capacity to innovate and create value as an entrepreneur.
Harvard Business School is a leader in management research and in business publishing, particularly given the Harvard Business Review. With that in mind, I came to OPM to refresh my management and business administration knowledge. I also wanted to have time away from my business and day-to-day duties while on campus. Studying other industries and cases expanded my view and inspired me to reflect on next steps and strategies for both my company and my professional future.
The Owner/President Management program is a unique executive program that can't be found anywhere else in the world. It was a truly humbling and highly inspirational learning experience that exceeded my expectations in many ways—I returned to my company with a very different view of the world, of business in general, and of my role as a leader in particular. I also expanded my network to parts of the world where I have not had dealings, such as India, Central America, and Australia.
First and foremost was the caliber of the Harvard Business School professors who were selected to teach at OPM 45. Many are living legends in both business and academia. Second, the diversity of the program participants—by industry, nationality, age, as well as business size and maturity—set the stage for study group and classroom learning that was unparalleled. And third, the composition of the curriculum and case studies selected.
Not only were the case studies current, impactful, engaging, and extremely valuable, but the professors presenting the material were stellar as well. Because of the diverse leadership experiences and industry perspectives in the classroom and the real-world experience of the HBS faculty, we were able to study, dissect, analyze, and discuss each case in a much broader and deeper way. The learning went far beyond the focus of each case—it was integrated seamlessly across the entire program.
We explored different ways to innovate and create value as an entrepreneur—and that's what OPM is all about. The strategy module was an all-encompassing update and highly relevant to my business. The global markets module flattened the world and brought together the areas of the globe that were specifically reflected within our OPM class. In-depth knowledge about the systems and inner workings of the BRICS, energy, and other underpinnings of global business were delivered in a truly global classroom.
The Owner/President Management program has fundamentally changed my perception of myself as a business leader and as an entrepreneur. It helped me to transform my view of the business as well as my relationship with employees. Perhaps most important, OPM has made a positive impact on my desire to pursue future entrepreneurial endeavors.
