50 Heads of HR
from leading Asian and global companies
20 Heads of Executive Education
from top business school
Mission: To recognise achievements and elevate organisational, leadership and people development.
Since 2017, MERIT has been providing a unique forum for HR and L&D directors of international companies from different industries and executive education leaders. Further to our mission to empower people and organisations and elevate the state of corporate learning “The MERITS” have been designed to award impactful transformational initiatives.
Why Enter/Benefits:
• GAIN RECOGNITION in an international community of HR/L&D and higher education leaders
• GROW YOUR NETWORK connecting with executives and experts from different countries
• BENCHMARK - share your insights into best practices and learn from fellow professionals
• CELEBRATE your achievements and boost your team’s motivation
• RECEIVE FEEDBACK and valuable recommendations from the judging committee
• ENHANCE YOUR COMPANY PROFILE with free marketing and PR exposure
Who can participate:
HR, Talent, L&D, and Executive Education professionals, alone or together with partner organisations such as consultancies, and learning providers.
How to participate:
You can submit your best initiatives in the following areas:
• Organisational Development
• Leadership Development
• People Development
• Innovation in Higher Education § Learning
There will be several award categories in each area, taking into consideration:
• The organisation type and size (e.g. SME or Large);
• The geographical outreach of the initiative – local, regional, global;
* The organisers and judging panel reserve their right to assign or reassign your project to a category based on their interpretation of your project's goals and strengths.
NOVEMBER 2024 WINNERS
Category:
Leadership Development - Global
ESMT Berlin for Schaeffler Global Leadership Excellence Program
Category:
Leadership Development - Middle East
Roche Pharmaceuticals for RISE - Roche IE Inclusive Leadership Program
Category:
Leadership Development - North America
The Ivey Academy at Ivey Business School for Qualico Leadership Blueprint: Building the Future
Category:
Innovation in Higher Education & Learning
LIBF MENA and Asia & IU Group for Syntea: AI Study Assistant
Category:
People Development - Global
WongDoody by Infosys for Enter the WongDoody SkillZone
Category:
People Development - Middle East
Zain Group for Zain Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity University - IDEU
Audience Choice:
IE School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs for Refugee Camp Simulation
Special recognition:
Innovation in Assessing Leadership Capability
metaBeratung - Hogan Distributor for Redefining Leadership in the Digital Age
Developing Women Leaders
National Bank of Kuwait for NBK RISE - Global Women's Leadership Initiative
Best Digital Upskilling Initiative
Forvis Mazars Group for Global Digital Academy
Social & Environmental Impact
IE School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs for Refugee Camp Simulation
Organisational Change
INSEAD and Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA for 25 Years of Seizing Opportunities
MAY 2024 WINNERS
Category:
Innovation in Higher Education & Learning
IE University for "Eye In The Storm: Your Role In Climate Change Action"
Category: People Development
Thoughtworks for "Talent Tech as a Differentiator"
Category: Leadership Development
em lyon & Capgemini France for "Making Leaders, Wave 5"
Category: Leadership Development - Medium – Size Company
Enento Group for "We Lead Emotional Agency – Leadership Program"
Category: Organisational Development
Iveco Group for "Voice"
Audience Choice: Mars Petcare for "The I&D Rockstars"
NOVEMBER 2023 WINNERS
Category: Innovation in Higher Education
emba X for "Executive MBA ETH Zurich and University of St.Gallen"
Category: Innovation in Learning
HUH Corporate for "Conversational Learning from Employees’ Mobile"
Category: People Development
ESSEC Business School & Ministry of Tourism Saudi Arabia for "Trailblazers Training Program"
Special jury award “Impact on Society”
Bpost International for "Bpost Boost"
MAY 2023 WINNERS
Category: People Development
SoftwareOne for for “The SoftwareOne Academy”
• Initiative Poster.pdf
• Runner-up:
Insight222 for “myHRfuture PLAY at Brambles”
• Initiative Poster.pdf
Category: Organisational Development
INSEAD Executive Education for “TCS and INSEAD: Transform and Grow – “Ablaze” and “Arise”
• Initiative Poster.pdf
• Runners-up:
Randstad & London Business School for “Transformational Leadership Program (TLP) and Leading Transformation in the Digital Age (LTDA)”
• Initiative Poster.pdf
Aalto University Executive Education and Professional Development for the “Telia-Aalto EE 5G Boost Development Program
• Initiative Poster.pdf
Category: Leadership Development
Emlyon business school & CADIF for “Leading with Care and Ambition”
• Initiative Poster.pdf
• Runner-up:
AESE Business School for “LEAP – Leadership Accelerator Program for PwC Portugal”
Category: Innovation in Higher Education
Hult International Business School for “Preparing Undergrads for the World – Hult BBA Redesigned”
• Initiative Poster.pdf
• Runner-up:
Fontys University of Applied Sciences for The Career Fitness Journey
• Initiative Poster.pdf
Employee Wellbeing Champion – Special Mention:
Deutsche Telekom for “One Minute to Arrive”
• Initiative Poster.pdf
2022 WINNERS
Leadership Development: ING for Think Forward Leadership Experience (TFLE)
People Development: IE University & Amazon for Amazon Despega Online Training Program
Organisational Development: ASG & ShaeVitality for AI Epigenetic Vitality Program at ASG EMEA
Innovation in Higher Education: NOVA School of Business and Economics & StartsSe for xBA - Exponential Business Administration Program
2022 SPECIAL MENTIONS
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: The CITI Women Leadership Development Program
Executive Development Partnership: The Danfoss-INSEAD Strategic Excellence Program
Innovative Learning Strategy: Xprtise & AskAlrijne - Learning at the Moment of Need
People Development – SME: Corilus & Squid Consulting – Shape Up Our Talent Program
Culture Change: Daiichi Sankyo Europe – Better Conversations & Coaching Executive Certification Program
2021 WINNERS
Leadership Development Global: Novartis for The Unbossed Leadership Experience
Leadership Development Europe: Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. for European Top Talent Programme
Virtual Leadership Development: Thales for Digital Development Center
Leadership Development Corporate Academy: Vetropack for Vetrocademy Leadership Development Programme
People Development: LinkedIn for The Business Leadership Programme
Organisational Development – Europe: Deutsche Telekom for Digital Escape Rooms
Organisational Development – Asia: Omega Healthcare Management Services, India for Human Potential Based Restructuring
Innovation in Higher Education: INSEAD Executive Education for Catalysing Leadership in a Digital World
Criteria:
The review of your application will be based on four main criteria – the 4 “I”s:
• Ideation – needs analysis, approach, design;
• Implementation – stakeholder buy-in, engagement;
• Impact – on the organisation, its people and the outside world;
• Innovation – introduction of new ideas, methodology, or technology.
Timeline:
|
7 March |
End of application process |
|
12 – 27 March |
Evaluation of the applications |
|
1 April |
Notification of shortlisted contestants |
|
5 – 6 June |
The MERITS Summit & Awards: Presentations |
|
6 June |
Awards Ceremony |
The jury consists of MERIT Leadership Community members, executive education leaders, and experts.
Speakers Lyon , June 2025
-
Jerry Pico
Co-Lead, Global Culture
Transformation InitiativeDaiichi Sankyo
-
Christophe Vanden Eede
Global Head of Talent Management
bpost International
-
Sabine Weishaupt
Chapterlead Future Leadership Design
Deutsche Telekom
-
Sari Ek-Petroff
HR Director
ENENTO
-
Alastair Procter
SVP, Strategic HR Operations
Interpublic Group
-
Isabelle Delacave
Director Corporate Relations
Europe & Central AsiaIE University
-
Martin Barner
Head People & Organization
Global Product DevelopmentSandoz, a Novartis division
-
Vlad Bog
Managing Partner
Space For
-
Chris Pether
Founder & Managing Director
PeopleSmart
-
Richard Howell
HR Business Partner and HR Lead,
DACH RegionNilfisk
-
Elizabeth Eastwood-barzdo
Head of Learning and Development
CERN
-
Milena Ivanova
Director Talent Management
DataVolt
-
Cedric Borzee
Director, Consulting & Advisory Services
NIIT
-
Oliver Olson
Senior Lecturer of Marketing & Strategy
MSM at Maastricht University
-
Vanessa Lecorps
New York University
Adjunct Assistant Professor
of Public Service -
Ana Gloria Sanchez
HR Director Mediterranean
Louis Vuitton
-
Charlotte Boujassy
Director Talent & Leadership
Development EuropeDaiichi Sankyo Europe
GmbH
-
Jerry Pico
Co-Lead, Global Culture
Transformation InitiativeDaiichi Sankyo
-
Christophe Vanden Eede
Global Head of Talent Management
bpost International
-
Sabine Weishaupt
Chapterlead Future Leadership Design
Deutsche Telekom
-
Sari Ek-Petroff
HR Director
ENENTO
-
Alastair Procter
SVP, Strategic HR Operations
Interpublic Group
-
Isabelle Delacave
Director Corporate Relations
Europe & Central AsiaIE University
-
Martin Barner
Head People & Organization
Global Product DevelopmentSandoz, a Novartis division
-
Vlad Bog
Managing Partner
Space For
-
Chris Pether
Founder & Managing Director
PeopleSmart
-
Richard Howell
HR Business Partner and HR Lead,
DACH RegionNilfisk
-
Elizabeth Eastwood-barzdo
Head of Learning and Development
CERN
-
Milena Ivanova
Director Talent Management
DataVolt
-
Cedric Borzee
Director, Consulting & Advisory Services
NIIT
-
Oliver Olson
Senior Lecturer of Marketing & Strategy
MSM at Maastricht University
-
Vanessa Lecorps
New York University
Adjunct Assistant Professor
of Public Service -
Ana Gloria Sanchez
HR Director Mediterranean
Louis Vuitton
-
Charlotte Boujassy
Director Talent & Leadership
Development EuropeDaiichi Sankyo Europe
GmbH
Submission is free. Selected entries are expected to attend the summit and do a short presentation of their initiative in the form of a case study. All applicants will be expected to book a ticket to the conference, or to have secured the ticket of a delegate representing them in lieu, before receiving eligibility for a showcase presentation.
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