Inside the St. Gallen Experience

Our campus recently welcomed Matéo Krupp, Ambassador of the St. Gallen Symposium, for an engaging and informative session organised by the ADMAP of the B-school competitions and the International Exchange Committee. He introduced students to the purpose of the symposium and helped them understand why it is one of the most respected global platforms for dialogue between senior leaders and young thinkers.

This year’s theme focuses on what it means to live and lead in a disrupted age. Matéo explained how rapid progress in AI and automation is changing industries and public life. He spoke about shifting geopolitical relationships and how they shape global stability. He also highlighted major demographic changes that are affecting labour markets and social systems. These forces act together and reshape the world at a pace that often feels overwhelming. The symposium encourages students to approach these changes with clarity, curiosity, and a sense of responsibility.

Matéo also described how the symposium works. Students learnt about the global essay competition, the leader of the ‘Tomorrow’ programme, and the mix of plenaries and insight sessions that encourage open and honest conversations. The upcoming programme covers themes such as digital sovereignty, political polarisation, migration, energy, and innovation. This helped students see the scope of discussions that take place at St. Gallen.

The session also highlighted SPJIMR’s strong record at the symposium. Last year, eleven students from three different programmes represented the institute in Switzerland. Four of them placed in the top 25, and seven others ranked within the top 100. Their achievements reflect the effort and commitment that SPJIMR students bring to the competition each year.

We also heard directly from three participants from last year: Meet Dave (PGPM), Vaibhav Raghavan (PGDM), and Rukhsar Aariz (PGDM BM). They shared what they learnt during the process. They spoke about reading past winning essays, rewriting their ideas many times, and staying honest in their thinking. Their experiences at the symposium and their interactions with global leaders made the event feel more real and reachable.

The session helped students understand the value of the St. Gallen experience. It also encouraged them to take the legacy forward with confidence. Many students left the room with a clearer sense of purpose and a stronger interest in contributing to global conversations that shape our future.