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In today’s dynamic business landscape, the ability to captivate, influence, and inspire through storytelling has become a critical skill. Designed to address the evolving needs of today’s professionals, we are pleased to present our newest Executive Education program: Transformative Storytelling with AI for Leaders & Innovators.

This two-day program is designed for professionals seeking to enhance their communication skills and leverage cutting-edge tools like generative AI to tell compelling stories in leadership, sales, entrepreneurship, and business development.

Why Storytelling Matters

Storytelling has always been a powerful tool for connection, from ancient traditions to modern boardrooms. Today, it stands as a strategic asset that drives business success. Some of the world’s most celebrated leaders are known for their ability to craft narratives that inspire action and resonate deeply with their audiences.

What Makes This Program Unique

At the heart of this program lies a unique approach that combines generative AI technologies with storytelling expertise. Led by WHU’s renowned professors, participants will benefit from their deep academic and practical insights:

Professor Dries Faems

Chair of Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Technological Transformation at WHU, Professor Faems brings extensive knowledge in harnessing technological advancements for business success.

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Professor Dr. Christoph Hienerth

Chair for Entrepreneurship and Creativity at WHU, Professor Hienerth specializes in fostering creative approaches to business challenges, ensuring participants can craft compelling, impactful stories.

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A Compact, High-Impact Learning Experience

Held at WHU Campus Düsseldorf, this two-day program, starting on May 19-20, 2025, features interactive workshops and hands-on sessions, enabling participants to:

• Master the fundamentals of business storytelling.
• Structure and deliver compelling narratives for various professional contexts.
• Understand and utilize AI-driven tools to enhance storytelling capabilities.
• Develop and leave with a polished, AI-enhanced story ready for implementation.

Through theoretical insights, practical applications, and a collaborative discussions mix, participants will gain the confidence and tools to craft stories that resonate and drive results. No extensive experience with generative AI is required, making it accessible to professionals from diverse industries and organizational backgrounds.

Are you looking to improve how you communicate, influence, and connect in a business context?

Join our two-day program:
Transformative Storytelling with AI for Leaders & Innovators, where you will learn how to craft compelling stories and enhance your communication skills using tools like ChatGPT, Co-Pilot, and other generative AI platforms. Registration is open until May 5th, 2025, so do not miss the chance to turn storytelling into your strategic advantage!

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A strong brand is often the tip of the scales when it comes to the long-term success of a company: it provides certainty and value for consumers and companies. Prof. Dr. Tim Oliver Brexendorf, Apl. Professorship of Marketing and WHU Executive Education set up a new program “Brand Management Essentials” providing professionals and executives with the skills and tools to build and sustain powerful brands. In the following interview, Professor Brexendorf shares insights on the importance of brands, how to successfully build a brand and why brand management is crucial for a company’s long-term success:

Professor Brexendorf,

… why is brand management so important for companies?

Brands influence and guide consumers’ decision-making and allow firms to occupy a distinct place in the minds of their consumers. Consider the “Red Bull” brand – they epitomize energy in everything they do. Strong brands provide added value beyond a company’s products and services and help to make a connection with consumers on a very deep and personal level. For strong brands, consumers not only buy the brands, they buy into the brands. This helps companies stand out from the competition, enabling them to achieve higher prices and higher volumes.

…what is required to successfully build a brand?

Brand marketers require arts, crafts and science to successfully create, build, and maintain a strong brand. Insights from many disciplines – not only marketing – are needed to deliver a holistic and favorable brand experience to consumers. It depends on the subtle interplay of many areas including design, linguistics, psychology and strategy, to name just a few. Although persuasive brand names and logos are important for strong brands, branding goes way beyond that.

… why is brand management so crucial for a company’s long-term success?

The power of strong brands lies in their ability to create deep consumer connections along with a high degree of desirability and goodwill. Especially in times of uncertainty, brands can give consumers a feeling of familiarity and security. Brands’ loyal consumers accompany the brand through its ups and downs, making it possible for companies to facilitate and enable continuous growth – even in the most difficult times.