VAT GROUP

“Product Managers are the CEOs of their products.” It sounds great, but in reality, you often have no formal authority, constant ambiguity, and a need to align people who don’t report to you. That’s exactly what we unpacked last Friday (17th) at IMD Business School during the panel “Discovering Product Management.” Coming back to IMD after completing my MBA in 2023, but this time on stage, was a true full-circle moment. Together with Monta K. and Matthias Tschudi , we explored what Product Management really looks like beyond frameworks and theory, in front of 90 MBA students. One idea that strongly resonated with me: -Product Management is about navigating ambiguity and influencing without authority. -It’s about believing in your portfolio and acting as the CEO of your product, while aligning diverse stakeholders along the way. I shared reflections from my journey across industries and companies, with a particular focus on my current experience at VAT GROUP , bringing real-world challenges into the classroom. What stood out the most, however, was the quality of the discussion. The level of curiosity, the sharp questions, and the energy from the MBA cohort made the session incredibly engaging. This is what makes IMD such a unique environment. A big thank you to the IMD team for organizing such a great event, and to all the students who made this exchange so meaningful. Sabine Pivoz , Daniele Ticli, EMBA , Yann Lesage , Nahla Raccio It was a pleasure to represent VAT GROUP in this discussion and share an industry perspective. If you’re exploring Product Management, embrace the ambiguity early. That’s where the real work begins. #ProductManagement #IMD #MBA #Leadership #VATGroup #Careers