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Diploma in Commercial Excellence
Program for Business Leaders and Managers Responsible for Making and Implementing Commercial Decisions
The program gives you a holistic view and concrete tools for planning and implementing your commercial strategy. You will learn and practice how to renew or explore new business models with greater agility, customer-centricity, and innovativeness.
The Diploma in Commercial Excellence program introduces structures, tasks, and tools for implementing value-based thinking in marketing, sales, and other key business functions. You will gain market-proven methods and practices to systematically explore new business models and value creation for your customers.
The program can be adapted to your personal development needs and time frame. The Diploma consists of two core modules (3 + 3 days), one elective module, and one online course. Elective modules and online courses can be chosen from the selection of topics offered in different Aalto EE programs. This allows you to tailor your Diploma based on your specific learning goals and needs. All modules can also be taken as a stand-alone for an individual fee.
The core modules focus on implementing value-based thinking in marketing and sales and increasing customer-centricity to enhance own value to customers. They also introduce market-proven tools and methods for modeling your business and competition and for systematically validating the value you create for your customers.
After completing the Diploma, you know what commercial success and customer-centricity really are about. You have concrete tools and methods to reassess your future commercial strategy and success factors, and you know what needs to be done when executing the plan.
The Diploma in Commercial Excellence is worth up to 13.5 ECTS credits, depending on the chosen elective module. The ECTS can be transferred to Aalto EMBA or Aalto MBA program.
Elective modules can be chosen from the selection of topics offered in different Aalto EE programs, which allows you to tailor your Diploma based on your specific learning goals and needs.
Each element in the Diploma is planned so that you will be able to seek commercial excellence and growth on a global scale.
Study credits from this program can be transferred to the Aalto Executive MBA or Aalto MBA program.
Benefits
The program updates the mindset and perspectives to value-based thinking and customer-centricity as sources of competitive advantage. It introduces systematic, market-proven approaches to explore new business opportunities and create value for your customers. Gain perspectives and concrete tools to reassess your future commercial strategy and success factors and understand what needs to be done when executing the plan.
Learn to apply customer-centric framework from planning all the way to execution and follow up
Learn how to position your products and services for an attractive portfolio
Practice methods to explore new business opportunities with greater agility, customer centricity, and innovativeness
Gain tools for systematically validating the value you create to your customers
For
The program is designed for business leaders and managers responsible for making, evaluating, and implementing commercial decisions. You can operate in B2B, service, or consumer businesses.
You may operate as a business unit leader, function leader, or in product, service, or offering management.
The program is also suitable for marketing and sales professionals seeking new perspectives and concrete tools to reassess their commercial strategy and explore new business models with greater agility, customer-centricity, and innovativeness.
Contents and Schedule
The core modules focus on implementing value-based thinking in marketing and sales, as well as increasing customer-centricity to enhance own value to customers. The modules introduce tools and methods for modelling your business and competition, and for systematically validating the value you create to your customers. Elective module can be chosen from the selection of topics, allowing you to tailor your diploma based on your specific learning goals and needs.
During the modules, participants will acquire knowledge from a variety of examples from both business and consumer markets in a comprehensive manner using interactive expert lectures, hands-on workshops and strategy simulation, visiting industry representatives, and company cases.
Program Structure
Pre-module period of 2-3 weeks
Individual preparation and assignments
Three-day module
Intensive contact learning session with instructor and peers
Post-module period
Take-home assignment
During the modules, participants will acquire knowledge from a variety of examples, from both business and consumer markets. Modules include interactive expert lectures, hands-on workshops, strategy simulation as well as visiting industry representatives and company cases.
Modules
Instructors
Nermin Hairedin
Nermin Hairedin is a digital, data, and marketing professional. She has an extensive background in digitalizing businesses for over 20 years.
Hairedin has proven track record of successful turnarounds and growing businesses exponentially, both greenfield and M&A. She has been part of founding Fonecta and worked as one of the pioneers in setting up data-driven businesses. She has held several global senior management positions at Nokia. Her last corporate position was as the Finnish CEO of marketing agency giant Dentsu before moving into board work and entrepreneurship.
Hairedin has practical knowledge of global markets. Her business experience covers services, telecom, media, retail, sales, data&analytics, and marketing. She has specialized in digital transformation, which is all about organizational culture, as well as driving marketing to be a strategic asset for growing company value.
She is currently the co-owner and CEO of a customer-friendly IT and software development startup Frumatic Ltd. She also serves as a board executive in SOK (S Group), Örum Ltd, VR Group, Delipap Ltd and HopLop Ltd. In addition, she works as a strategy advisor, keynote speaker, and investor. Hairedin holds an M.Sc. degree from Aalto University (Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration) and has university studies also from France, Turkey, the USA, and Sweden.
Mikko Laukkanen
Mikko Laukkanen is Professor of Practice at Aalto University School of Business and Academic Director at Aalto EE where he is responsible for the academic quality of Aalto EE’s programs.
Dr. Laukkanen specializes in customer experience management, service design and service business, strategic marketing, business model innovation, and innovation management.
He has an extensive background in consulting and research projects with large international firms and is a well-liked lecturer and sought-after public speaker. He has pioneered a number of experiential teaching methods in his executive and university teaching.
Mikko Laukkanen has a Doctor of Science in Economics and Business Administration from Aalto University School of Business.
Fabian Sepulveda
Dr. Fabian Sepulveda is a Senior Advisor at Aalto EE.
Sepulveda has more than 20 years of experience in engineering, management consulting, and investment banking.
Fabian Sepulveda has been actively involved in Finland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem as an entrepreneur, startup coach, Lean Launchpad® trainer, Business Angel, and Venture Capitalist. He has co-founded three companies: eyescubed (automotive technology), Courage Ventures Consulting (Entrepreneurial Training), and Courage Ventures Funds, a Venture Capital firm investing in Health, Education, and Environment verticals.
Fabian has a BSc in Electrical Engineering, an MSc. in Finance, and a PhD in International Business (Entrepreneurship).
Kenneth Salonius
Kenneth Salonius is a founder and CEO at Vertical.
Kenneth’s expertise is in helping corporations build their future in markets that are under disruptions, having a particular focus on customer- and user-centric development and building value through collaboration. Kenneth and his team are specialized in strategy and business development, service design and new ways of working. They have a particular focus on the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors but have a vast amount of experience in the industrial sector, energy, media, and retail markets.
Kenneth has also co-founded Upgraded (former HealthSPA), the largest health & wellness company ecosystem in Nordics. He is also an advisor to the Board of Directors at HealthTech Finland among holding several other positions of trust.
