Elevating your impact with Executive MBA faculty

At Kellogg, transformation isn’t just a promise — it’s a proven outcome. Our Executive MBA (EMBA) Program is a transformative experience designed for ambitious business leaders who are ready to elevate their impact and advance their skills. What sets Kellogg apart is not only our collaborative culture and global network, but also our world-class faculty — renowned experts who blend academic rigor with real-world relevance.

These educators challenge assumptions, spark ideas and guide students through the complexities of today’s business landscape. Through a rigorous curriculum, EMBA students gain not only strategic business acumen but also learn alongside and from the very experts helping shape the future of business. Whether they're illuminating the forces behind macroeconomic shifts, rethinking strategy, or unlocking the potential of AI, Kellogg faculty help EMBA students build the skills and mindset needed to lead at any table.

With more than 50 electives to choose from, including domestic electives like the Healthcare Deep Dive — an immersive three-weekend course focused on innovation in the healthcare industry — EMBA students can tailor their program experience to align with their career goals or explore new opportunities. 

Hear from some of our leading faculty as they share insights on how they bring industry experience and a passion for teaching into the EMBA classroom.

Faculty expert in strategy and social impact

Associate Professor of Strategy Meghan Busse teaches core and elective courses on strategy, energy and climate. Her research explores market structure, competition and environmental policy. A PhD graduate of MIT, Professor Busse brings deep academic rigor and real-world relevance to the classroom.

“One of the first — and most important — concepts that we teach in the strategy curriculum is irreplaceability. Many executives understand well that businesses have to create value. A business can’t be profitable unless it does something at a low enough cost that a large enough number of customers have a high enough willingness to pay for. But what is less familiar is that a business will only be consistently profitable if it is irreplaceable in some way. It has to be uniquely or distinctively good at something. 

“There are many ways a firm can become irreplaceable such as offering lower costs, superior quality, exceptional customer service, greater convenience, better compatibility, higher reliability or more appealing design. But a company that can only do things that everyone else can do just as well will struggle to be consistently profitable. 

“The concept of irreplaceability is often unfamiliar to business executives, but once they understand it, it transforms how they think about competitive advantage.”

Faculty expert in macroeconomics‬ and finance

Janice Eberly is the James R. and Helen D. Russell Professor of Finance at Kellogg and a former assistant secretary for Economic Policy at the U.S. Treasury. She brings deep expertise in finance and macroeconomics with research spanning firm investment, household finance and the broader economy.

“I often begin class with a discussion of recent events like the CHIPS Act or monetary policy. Sometimes these issues are immediately relevant — for example, a change in business taxes — but sometimes they initially seem remote like a meeting of the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee.  

“But, as we continue the discussion, we see that policy is responding to a burst of inflation or weakness in the economy, such as higher unemployment.  Or we also see how policy tries to address a perceived weakness, like the production of high-end chips.  These factors drive the cost of intermediate goods, labor and business margins more generally.  

“What can seem remote, like ‘macro’ policy, has very personal and ‘micro’ impact, affecting markets, choices and outcomes for individuals. The stakes become much higher and more relevant when those ‘far away’ decisions come home.  

“Entrepreneurs and businesses are very exposed to changes in interest rates, financial markets, taxes and competition. The impact can be large, along with the cost of being caught unaware and unprepared.  Our students are very engaged and ‘eyes open’ to the connection between seemingly distant decisions and personal impact.”

Faculty expert in marketing and AI

Mohanbir Sawhney, clinical professor of marketing and McCormick Foundation Chair of Technology, is a globally recognized expert in business innovation, marketing and AI applications in business. A sought-after advisor and speaker, Professor Sawhney works with leading global firms and serves on multiple boards, blending academic insight with real-world impact.

“A mindset every executive needs today is what I call the Curiosity Mindset,” Sawhney says. “This is a new concept I have developed for the age of AI. As technology delivers answers faster than ever, the value shifts to those who can ask better questions. 

“The Curiosity Mindset involves intentional inquiry, thoughtful exploration and the ability to frame problems in new ways. It helps leaders stay agile, see around corners and engage AI as a thinking partner. 

“I work with students to build this mindset through live exercises, prompting labs and thought experiments. They practice designing questions, exploring counterfactuals and challenging assumptions. 

“Over time, they learn how curiosity becomes a driver of innovation, resilience and strategic insight. In a fast-moving environment, the leaders who lead with questions are the ones who will thrive.”

Reimagine your career advancement with Kellogg and learn more about how our EMBA Program can support your personal and professional transformation.