In the program TransformTECH, participants learn to harness new technologies to transform their business. IMD had the pleasure of welcoming Sylvie Arm, HR Director, as a participant in the program. After an intense week of TransformTECH, IMD caught up with Sylvie to discuss her experience. Here are extracts from the conversation below:
IMD: Why did you choose TransformTECH?
Sylvie Arm: I came to TransformTECH with two goals: on the one hand I want to be more of a strategic partner for our business and part of the decisions we have to make; secondly, I want to transform HR and harness technology to take us to the next level – HR 4.0.
What really stood out for you at TransformTECH?
I have completed several digital programs so far. The beauty of TransformTECH is that you feel part of it; you’re a stakeholder, you’re a partner when you work with the faculty members.
There is a combination of theory, experience, peer coaching, group work, labs at EPFL, which was big highlight. It’s magic. It becomes so tangible, between the theory and what you can do once you’re back at your organization. It’s amazing.
How relevant is the program to your company and your role?
The relevance is that you make sense out of these new technologies; you have a framework that you can use to really think about your strategy and about solutions you can implement. After, you’re better equipped to decide what is noise or what is more relevant.
You develop foundations that you can build upon for your own business challenges. I consider myself a more informed person going back to my company to work on my challenges.
Do you feel more confident about your grasp of artificial intelligence, robotics and Internet of Things?
In a way it’s a breathtaking adventure because these technologies are big and are everywhere right now. But at the same time, you can learn and say, “Okay, I don’t need to be overloaded by everything happening out there, but I can choose from a selection of technologies and test a few solutions.”
What do you appreciate about IMD and its digital diploma?
What I like about IMD is that you have faculty members who are very close to the economy. They are very close to real business. They are humble; they work withus – they don’t just dole out information. So I like that. The fact that you have modules that you can choose and that you can fit IMD’s programs into your busy schedule and that they are flexible is an asset.
And then you can do an exam; you can complete the diploma when the moment is best for you. You can work on your projects at your own pace. So it’s totally integrated in my life somehow. So I love it. It’s unique.
What did you think about the partnership between IMD and EPFL?
IMD’s faculty members are researchers but they are also close to the economy. EPFL go deeper on the technology side and they do research in a different way. One day EPFL provided a simple and clear introduction to artificial intelligence and I thought it was just excellent. What a combination! What a partnership! I love it! It’s just the best. It’s the best combination of skills. And we are spoiled to have EPFL close by. It’s a great opportunity.
How would you sum up TransformTECH in a nutshell?
It was breathtaking, eye-opening, and the networking was outstanding.
Find out more about TransformTECH.
