Hilti, a leading construction industry company providing innovative tools, fastening systems, software, and other services, and the International Institute of Management Development (IMD) are strengthening their partnership through the newly launched Hilti IMD MBA Scholars Programme. Hilti and the Hilti Family Foundation Liechtenstein have pledged €3.2M to establish the Hilti MBA Scholars Program fund, which would make up to €302,000 in scholarship funding available annually over ten years. The objective is to support 60 Hilti MBA scholars over the period by covering 50% of their tuition expenses.

Successful candidates are required to have an academic background and a passion for STEM subjects. They need to convince IMD of their ambition and ability to use their education to pursue a leadership role in STEM professions. “A competitive MBA scholars programme aims to support the brightest MBA candidates from around the world,” said Jahangir Doongaji, Hilti CEO. “The new Hilti IMD MBA Scholars Program also aims to nurture talent and encourage new voices, views, and perspectives to pursue leadership roles in STEM industries,” continued Doongaji.

The construction industry company and the business school have worked together for many decades to develop customised educational programmes and research projects. In 2000, Hilti provided funding to establish the Martin Hilti Professorship in Marketing & Change Management at IMD. Since then, the Hilti Chair, held by Professor Seán Meehan, has been closely linked to IMD’s MBA programme. MBA graduates have worked with Hilti for decades as part of their consulting assignments, and many IMD graduates have become Hilti employees.

To further strengthen the connection between Hilti and the MBA programme, the new Hilti Chair will be filled by the Dean of the MBA programme at IMD. “It will put Hilti at the heart of the MBA programme by creating a highly visible, direct, and permanent link,” said Professor Omar Toulan, current Dean of the MBA programme.