List of 7 Most Popular INSEAD Alumni for Students

Established in 1957, INSEAD is an excellent Business school that brings together societies, cultures and people to develop responsible leaders. This school was established in 1957 and offers a global educational experience to students with the right skill set and knowledge. The campuses of INSEAD are located in 4 major business and innovation hubs of the world – Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America. Many elite and professional businessmen, politicians, filmmakers and CEOs have had their alma mater at INSEAD. Let’s explore the journeys of a few INSEAD notable alumni who stood out in their journey.

List of Popular INSEAD Notable Alumni

There are many popular and renowned personalities who completed their studies from INSEAD and today stand as successful professionals in their journey. Here we have mentioned a list of some of the popular INSEAD notable alumni.

• Jusuf Kalla 
• Peter Fudakowski
• Meera Sanyal 
• Elena Panaritis
• Tidjane Thiam
• Henry Engelhardt
• Andrew Large
• Bola Akindele
• Samir Arora
• Adam Goldstein
• Johann Schneider-Ammann

Jusuf Kalla 

The first among our list of INSEAD notable alumni is Jusuf Kalla, who stood out with his popularity in making history by being a two-time Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia. (2004–2009 and 2014–2019). After completing his graduation in 1967 at Hasanuddin University, Jusuf went on to complete his degree from INSEAD at the Fontainebleau Campus. Along with standing out in his political career, Jusuf also successfully raised his family business to prominence from scratch. 

Peter Fudakowski

An Oscar-winning producer, Peter Fudakowski, is one of the members of our list of INSEAD notable alumni. Peter had always been inclined to movies, but only wanted a normal job for financial stability. Born in London to Polish emigrants, Peter has had a very unusual way into the cinematic world. He took a graduate degree in economics from Cambridge University and then completed his MBA at INSEAD (France). He quit his job at a bank in Chicago and started his production studio. After many years of production, documentary making, travels and immense hard work, his company set a landmark with the crime drama movie ‘Tsotsi’. The movie won an Academy Award in the category of Best Foreign Film. Following the success of Tsotsi, Peter produced various thought-provoking movies like ‘Secret Sharer’(2014), Hysteria (2011) and many more. Peter is currently married to Henrietta Williams and has two children.

Also Read: 10 BPP University Notable Alumni: List of Influential Figures

Meera Sanyal 

Sanyal was a Former CEO of the Royal Bank of Scotland, India, and is one of the most respected members of the INSEAD notable alumni. Having a B.Com degree from Bombay, Sanyal completed her MBA from INSEAD at the  Fontainebleau campus in 1983. After resigning from her 30-year banking career, Sanyal focused on public welfare and joined an NGO where she served children selflessly. In 2011, Hilary Clinton invited her as the sole representative at the International Council for Women’s Leadership Business. Sanyal later took part in politics after the 2008 Mumbai attacks and later became a member of the AAP’s National Committee on Economic Policy. Sanyal’s tragic demise occurred on 11 January 2019 due to her cancer illness.

Elena Panaritis 

One of the known social entrepreneurs, Elena is a Greek Economist and a Member of the Greek parliament. Growing up in Athens, Elena completed her BA in Economics from the American College of Greece and completed her Master’s degree in International Economics. She then pursued another Master’s in Business Administration from INSEAD. Elena worked at the World Bank in 1991 as a regional analyst. Elena also served as a senior economic advisor and Special Envoy for Negotiating the Greek Sovereign debt and lending program of Greece. She has worked with 3 Greek Prime Ministers and the Minister of Finance. She was also a visiting lecturer at Wharton School on the subject of Housing rights. 

Tidjane Thiam 

Among the most elite INSEAD notable Alumni, Tidjane was the CEO of the Swiss bank Credit Suisse.  Tidjane was elected INSEAD Alumnus of the Year by the INSEAD Alumnus Association in 2007. Tidjane is a descendant of 2 eminent families and graduated from the field of Polytechnique. He further went on to receive a scholarship for an MBA program at INSEAD. After being appointed as the CEO and chairman of the National Bureau for Technical Studies and Development (BNETD), he was also given the position of Minister of Planning and Development in Côte d’Ivoire. 

Henry Engelhardt

Founder and CEO of one of Britain’s most reputable companies, Admiral Group, Henry Engelhardt, is next on our list of INSEAD notable alumni. Henry was born to a Jewish family with a meatpacking operation.  Initially, Henry had planned to become a journalist and had a joint degree in journalism and radio, television and film. He further went on to study business at INSEAD in Europe. He ranks 1730 in the Forbes Billionaires list of 2020. His Welsh company, Admiral Group, also runs in Spain, France, Italy, and the U.S.

Johann Schneider-Ammann 

Our next INSEAD notable alumnus is the former President of Switzerland, Johann Schneider-Ammann. Born to a veterinarian in Switzerland, Schneider-Ammann got a degree in Electrical engineering. He then went on and completed his  Master’s in Business Administration from INSEAD (France). Schneider-Ammann was the head of his family’s mechanical engineering company, Ammann Group, for the 4th gen. He further went on to be elected as a member of the Free Democratic Party. He then became the chairman of the Swiss Association of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Industries in 1999 and was elected to the National Council in the same year, re-elected for the same position in 2003 and 2007.

Also Read: Royal College of Art Notable Alumni

Other Notable Alumni of INSEAD

Many INSEAD alumni have become influential leaders across industries like business, government, and non-profit. Apart from the widely known names, here are a few more notable INSEAD alumni whose achievements continue to inspire students worldwide.

Name	Current/Notable Role	Industry	Key Achievements
António Horta-Osório	Former CEO, Lloyds Banking Group	Banking & Finance	Turned around the bank post-2008 crisis and promoted mental health in the corporate world.
Mads Nipper	CEO, Orsted (Green Energy Giant)	Renewable Energy	Known for leading Orsted’s transformation into a global leader in offshore wind energy.
Ilian Mihov	Dean, INSEAD	Education & Economics	Economist with global influence; focuses on emerging markets and sustainable growth.
Helen Pitcher OBE	Chair, Advanced Boardroom Excellence	Corporate Governance	Champion of boardroom diversity, leadership development, and ethical governance.
Flemming Besenbacher	Chairman, Carlsberg Foundation	Research & Innovation	Promotes science-driven business and sustainability initiatives worldwide.
Niels B. Christiansen	CEO, LEGO Group	Consumer Products	Led LEGO’s global digital and innovation expansion, strengthening its brand worldwide.
Peter Zemsky	Deputy Dean, INSEAD	Education	Leading thought-leader in strategy and innovation, shaping INSEAD’s academic vision.

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Hope you found this blog on INSEAD’s notable Alumni inspirational and informative. INSEAD is a great place to kickstart your business dream. Reach out to Leverage Edu to pursue your higher education is such an eminent University. Our team can assist and guide you in your journey the same.