Hans Peter Bär still recalls the moment he walked into one of his first sessions of the IMD Board Director Diploma. The room was empty. There were no chairs, no tables – just an open, empty space. It was an unconventional setup, but it set the tone for what would become a transformational journey. The exercise that followed, where participants were asked to switch roles and act as employees, made a lasting impression. “We were thrown into the deep end of how board dynamics in reality work,” Bär said. “They turned the whole dynamic upside down.”
The start of a transformational journey
This marked the beginning of a profound shift in how Bär, who serves on the boards of multiple fund management companies and alternative investment funds, viewed his role as a board director. The importance of trust and proximity – a lesson he brought back to his own organization – was only the first of the many lessons Bär would gain from his experience.
Embracing risk as opportunity
The journey also transformed his approach to risk. Before the program, he often viewed risk as something negative and to be avoided. But IMD challenged this perspective. “In my past role as a Chief Risk Officer, we always looked at the downside,” Bär admitted. “This program completely shifted my view towards the opportunity and to think about risk more in two dimensions – the downside, sure, but also the upside from an opportunity perspective.” Bär also shared how he brought this new mindset to the board table, helping to secure funding and gain buy-in from the board and key stakeholders to make substantial progress.
Redefining board leadership
The experience also deepened Bär’s understanding of what it truly means to serve on a board. “The board is not here to tell management how to perform but to provide a conducive environment, to give strategic consideration, and to execute oversight over the company and the executive management,” he asserted. This broader, more strategic understanding of governance gave him the confidence and skills to embrace significant new responsibilities.
Armed with the tools and insights from his Board Director Diploma journey, Bär secured several international board roles. What once seemed ambitious now felt attainable, and his experience had given him the clarity and competencies he needed to succeed.
As he completed his Board Director Diploma journey, Bär received the High Distinction Award from Didier Cossin, Professor and Founder of the IMD Global Board Center, recognizing his high performance in class, assignments, and board director exams.
Building lifelong connections
For Bär, one of the most valuable takeaways from the IMD Board Director Diploma was the exceptional network he built along the way, which has continued to enrich both his personal and professional life.
Among these connections, one particularly meaningful bond was formed with his IMD peer coach, Ulrik Nehammer. Their relationship has flourished well beyond the scope of the program. “The friendship I developed with my IMD peer coach has grown far beyond board and governance work. I now have a sparring partner I can contact anytime, someone I can relate to on an equal level,” Bär notes, reflecting on the enduring impact of this relationship.
Helping others to “grow and think big”
Today, Bär channels his experience from the diploma into giving back to the board community. Inspired by the personal growth he experienced, he started to actively engage and support as a mentor, senior expert, and panel member in IMD’s Mastering Board Governance and Women on Boards programs.
His goal? To help foster a community of skilled, confident, and diverse board members who drive sustainable success. “I believe that diverse and well-governed boards are essential for the long-term success of organizations, and I’m committed to supporting initiatives that promote these values,” says Bär.
One of his mentees, Claudia Marigliano, acknowledges Bär’s guidance as pivotal in her career, saying, “Hans Peter’s outstanding mentorship played a crucial role in guiding me on my professional board journey.”
Bär’s approach to mentorship is rooted in his own motto: “Grow and think big.” He often encourages his mentees, especially those pursuing their first board mandate, to dream bigger: “Why start small when you can go big and provide value and experience, and help the board and the company to grow and develop?”
