Since 2014, I have had the privilege of working with London Business School; first as a consultant, then as a member of staff. Over the years, there have been numerous memorable moments and lessons learned, but above all, what has always stood out are the people: the colleagues, contributors, and incredible participants who make this work so rewarding.

My main focus since 2019 has been the Senior Executive Programme (‘SEP’), which is the School’s flagship executive programme. We worked hard to redesign, refocus, and reimagine a programme that has been running continuously since 1966. In 2019, our open enrolment offer was ranked 23rd in the world. Following the disruption, in 2020-2021, we began creating something more relevant and compelling for senior leaders.

Then something truly special happened in 2024. We saw cohorts form deeper, lasting connections. We witnessed facilitators and contributors stretch and elevate their craft. We experimented, explored, and delivered learning experiences that challenged thinking in powerful ways. And we welcomed some of the most talented, thoughtful participants I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with.

Today, that collective effort has been recognised LBS Executive Education has been ranked #1 in the world by the Financial Times, with a near-perfect participant satisfaction score of 9.79/10.

We’re #2 globally for Custom Programmes—climbing five places from last year. And most meaningfully: we’re the only school in the world ranked in the top 3 for both Open and Custom Programmes.

To be part of this journey; to contribute to designing experiences that bring people together, spark new thinking, and make London come alive as a learning environmen has been nothing short of an honour.

But rankings only tell part of the story. This recognition is a testament to the incredible community around us: our world-class faculty, dedicated staff, expert facilitators, and most of all, the participants who choose to invest their time, energy, and trust in us. Especially to those in our #SEP cohorts. Thank you for your openness, your insights, and your feedback. You’ve helped shape something extraordinary.

To see that reflected in the FT rankings is humbling, but the real reward is in the relationships, the breakthroughs, and the shared growth we’ve experienced along the way.

Here’s to what we’ve built together. To see this recognised by the FT today is humbling.

PS. The picture is of SEP113 visiting the London headquarters of Apple in November 2024.