In April 2008, UBS was the bank that had been hit hardest by the subprime crisis. Due to its high risk exposure, UBS had to write down almost US$ 40 billion. The first consequences were already drawn, such as the removal of UBS’s chairman Marcel Ospel. But was that enough for a major Malaysian pension fund which was considering to invest money in UBS? Was UBS’ corporate governance fit or was the board – as the ultimately responsible body – unaware of the risks and unable to deal with them? What was needed to improve the situation?
Entrepreneurship through acquisition: Sébastien Perroud and the IAR Group
Summary
GENEVA (SWITZERLAND), AUGUST 2021. There was a lot at stake for Sébastien. This was the culmination of his 18-month NCA supported search journey to find a company to acquire. Instead of a single target, he was now faced with the prospect of acquiring 4 separate companies at once, consolidating them into a group. One, SAS, was bigger than the others but also faced significant financial issues. Hopefully he had identified three additional companies as acquisition targets, all profitable and with low levels of debt but individually a bit too small. Should he pursue all three as a single deal or add SAS for a four-company deal? In a last-ditch effort to figure out the best deal configuration, he ran some simulations about the potential returns of the group with and without the SAS turnaround. With those projections in hand, it was time to finalize the management buy-in proposal to present to the investment committee the following week.
Reference
IMD-7-2515
Copyright
©2024
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
IAR Group
Industry
Finance and Insurance, Private Equity
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Mastercard 2023: Rewired for infinite optionality
Summary
In the 2010s, card processing – Mastercard’s flagship service – started showing signs of commodification as new, nimble players (typically, fintech startups thriving on digital) entered the payment processing space, and customer preferences evolved beyond plastic cards and traditional contact payments. To re-energize its central position and its ability to capture value, Mastercard – as the incumbent – had to make bold decisions. The case details Mastercard’s approach to conceptualizing and building a global platform ecosystem that upholds the principles and design elements of modularity (i.e. interoperability and scalability) and optionality. Today, Mastercard's services, based on application programming interfaces (APIs), integrate with a variety of platforms and offer flexibility to businesses that require customized payment solutions. All along, the company has accommodated a high level of internal disruption.
The case also explores the nature of Mastercard’s systematic collaboration with fintechs – players that often started out as competitors in specific parts of Mastercard’s value chain. It describes the company’s engagement with fintechs as fostering collaboration and co-creation and facilitating access; in other words, opening doors and sharing tools with partners. The case presents observations and quotes by CEO Michael Miebach, whose career trajectory at Mastercard – spanning Africa & Middle East experience, fintech partnerships, product management and the CEO role – sheds additional light on the philosophy and values that have driven the company’s transformation to a technology powerhouse and self-described original fintech.
Reference
IMD-7-2455
Copyright
©2024
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
Mastercard
Industry
Finance and Insurance, Financial Services
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Management myth-busters: Does culture really eat strategy for breakfast?
Summary
Culture eats strategy for breakfast is one of the most enduring truisms of management. But is it really the case? And what is culture anyway?
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Drei Ideen, um die Kostenexplosion im Gesundheitswesen wirklich zu dämpfen
Summary
The total costs of the Swiss healthcare system are rapidly approaching the CHF 100 billion mark per year. Now Switzerland is voting on November 24 on a further reform step. But that will not be enough. New ideas are needed.
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Strategy stack: An integrated approach to decision-making
Summary
The ways popular frameworks are used fall short in today’s rapidly changing environment. Here is a new way to make better-informed strategic choices.
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Bossard’s AI strategy for proven productivity (Cartoon case)
Summary
Bossard, a Swiss company founded in 1731, has successfully transitioned from a product-centric approach to one that offers services and solutions. It has achieved significant revenue growth despite economic challenges. Its brand promise, “proven p...
Reference
IMD-7-2575
Copyright
©2024
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Organization
Bossard Holding
Industry
Manufacturing, Fasteners
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
The AI paradox: Will generative AI enhance or destroy the business model of 99designs.com? (Cartoon case)
Summary
99designs.com is a global platform connecting freelance designers with potential clients. The case study examines the potential impact of generative AI on 99designs’ business model. The platform uses a crowdsourcing approach that invites designers...
Reference
IMD-7-2505
Copyright
©2024
Copyright owner
IMD Copyright
Industry
Manufacturing, Graphic Design
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Putting the ‘G’ in ESG (and the ‘A’ in alpha)
Summary
Test your knowledge on ESG governance with our fun quiz! Learn how strong governance drives environmental and social success in investing. Take it now!
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How CEO’s drive saved car giant Ford from the scrapyard
Summary
Companies desperately in need of a turnaround in fortunes should take inspiration from the 2008 rescue mission by the then-new Ford boss Alan Mulally.
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Nature's ROI: Five key enablers for building a nature-positive business strategy
Summary
As the global environmental crisis reaches unprecedented levels, businesses face mounting pressure to act. But this challenge is also a major business opportunity. The companies that move quickly to tackle biodiversity loss will not only protect o...
Copyright
©2024
Copyright owner
Mixed Copyright
Available Languages
English
Contact
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications