Truly global, distinctly personal.

Next Start 26 Sep 2025
Duration 18 Months
Language English
Format Modular
Avg. working
experience
16 years
Where Milano, Roma, Toronto, Mumbai, San Francisco, Copenhagen, Shanghai, São Paulo

The Rotman-SDA Bocconi Global Executive MBA (Master in Business Administration) is a modular program that combines the expertise and perspectives of a leading European and a leading North American business school in a transformative journey hosted in international business hubs. A launching pad for future career phases and an integrated preparation for senior management roles, GEMBA provides a highly personalized focus on leadership development, and introduces participants to a global network of exceptional managers, faculty, executives and thought-leaders.

 

This unique 18-month program, spanning eight cities in four continents, will change the the way you think, network and do business in some of the world’s biggest markets and will give you a wider range of opportunities, contacts and experiences. The Rotman-SDA Bocconi GEMBA is offered in partnership with the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto in Canada.

 

Who is it for?

The Rotman-SDA Bocconi GEMBA will expand your global understanding, and personal horizons as a future leader. GEMBA is the right program for you if:

  • You want to benefit from an inclusive outlook that bridges continents as you earn two credentials from top-ranked Schools with connections worldwide.
  • You want to experience a transformative program hosted in eight key business hubs, immerse yourself in local cultures, while building knowledge and skills for an ever-changing, interconnected world.
  • You want to gain insights into sectors where our schools have special expertise, and compare perspectives in our home cities: Milano - Italy’s entrepreneurial, industrial, and financial center - and Toronto - Canada’s multicultural financial capital and innovation hub.
  • You want to develop a highly personalized focus on leadership challenges and enter a global network of exceptional managers, executives, and thought-leaders.

 

 


 

My GEMBA in 60 seconds - Alfonso Lavorgna

My GEMBA in 60 Seconds - Salome Pirtakhiya

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Why choose us?

1. Global Advantage: Europe, Americas, Asia

Milano, Roma, Toronto, Mumbai, San Francisco, Copenhagen, Shanghai, São Paulo: immerse yourself in the local cultures of eight international business centers, cross borders, bridge continents and transcend insular thinking.

2. Two credentials and two networks

A Global Executive MBA from SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. The combined strength of these brands will position you for lifelong success.

3. Insight sharing with thought leaders

Learn from globally focused faculty, who can offer guidance, act as mentors and open doors to new opportunities. And share firsthand insights into global business challenges with corporate leaders on campus and on site tours.

4. Flexible format, timing and location

Combine professional, personal and learning opportunities no matter where you are located, through the flexible executive format that blends residency modules around the world with distance learning.

5. Personalized Leadership Development Program

Grow your potential as a leader through regular personal assessments, skills workshops, coaching conversations and a leadership retreat.

Highlights

#7
WW

QS Executive MBA Rankings 2025:
Joint Programmes

2
Credentials

from top-ranked Int'l schools

8
Cities

Milano, Roma, Toronto, Mumbai, San Francisco, Copenhagen, Shanghai, São Paulo

Rotman

In partnership with
Rotman School of Management

Scholarships and Tuition Waivers

The GEMBA Class

16
Years

Average Work
Experience

40
Years

Average Age

51%

Women

35
Participants

Class Size

Inside My GEMBA SDA Bocconi programs offer a unique and personalized learning experience. Enter the world of GEMBA to discover its unique contents.

“At SDA Bocconi we take the GEMBA meaning seriously. It is a “global” executive MBA, designed to equip future leaders to manage global challenges: an indispensable prerequisite to prosper with your organization and reinforce your career development.”

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Ferdinando Pennarola
Director

"It is not easy to create truly sustainable value for a business — or for yourself. In this program, we teach you the former and help you achieve the latter, all with a truly global lens."

Jan Mahrt-Smith
Academic Director, University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management

"GEMBA is not only an exceptional program, remarkable for its depth and the international exposure it offers participants, but it also provides a truly transformative experience. It seamlessly combines valuable knowledge with meaningful relationship-building, both professionally and personally. I would describe it as a life-changing journey. Being part of this and accompanying participants along the way is a privilege and an immensely rewarding experience".

Emilia Paolino
Coordinator

What they say about us

Why did you choose to undertake the Rotman-SDA Bocconi GEMBA?
After changing my career from public accounting and consulting to the sports industry, I spent several years considering the type of program that would best suit my professional and personal interests. The opportunity to travel internationally, study in-person, and network abroad made it clear that the Rotman-SDA Bocconi GEMBA was the best choice for me.

Which personal/professional needs/motivations lie behind your choice?
It was important to select a program that would allow me to best manage the coursework and travel despite professional commitments. It was this balance that would enable me to put into practice the key learnings from courses in between modules.

How is this choice satisfying your needs?
I began realizing the value of the GEMBA early on. The takeaways from each module accelerated my professional and personal development, and better prepared me for the next chapter in my career. That immediate sense of return validated the reasons why I chose the Rotman-SDA Bocconi GEMBA and further stressed the importance of continuous education.

What is your most important takeaway in attending international modules across the world?
The international modules provided me with once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and experiences inside and outside of the classroom. They also enabled me to network and create new connections in my industry.

Describe your GEMBA experience in 3 words/adjectives.
Transformative. Relationships. Enlightening.

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Christopher (Chris) Savino - American
GEMBA 2023

Why did you choose to undertake the Rotman-SDA Bocconi GEMBA?
Continuous learning coupled with experience is the key to success. Either you stay as you are or you choose to excel. I chose the latter.

Which personal/professional needs/motivations lie behind your choice?
I had grown in my profession over the years, but hit a plateau. I needed new executive skills that would catapult my career forward.
How is this choice satisfying your needs?

In the beginning of the Program, I made it a personal goal to be elected to the board of directors and it did happen, in large part to the preparation I received from the GEMBA program.

What is your most important takeaway in attending international modules across the world?
To be successful in multiple countries around the world, you need to be open to listen to the needs of the individual in each location. You cannot force your ideas or concepts on others. You have to listen and then adapt to succeed.

Describe your GEMBA experience in 3 words/adjectives.
Transformative. Important. Inspirational.

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Julie Esca - American
GEMBA 2022

Meet GEMBA

Upcoming face-to-face meetings
26
May 2025 10:00 - 18:00 | LOCAL TIME
Orientation Meetings - London
Language ENGLISH
Learn More
28
May 2025 14:00 - 17:30 | LOCAL TIME
Orientation Meetings - Roma
Language ITALIAN
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Upcoming online sessions
26
Jun 2025 18:00 - 19:00 | CEST
Chat with the GEMBA Director
Language ENGLISH
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Personalized Orientation

The Rotman-SDA Bocconi GEMBA is a challenge to be taken on with a strong dedication. The Recruiting & Admissions team will be happy to arrange an individual informational interview at school to answer your questions and give you personalized advice. We can also do this when traveling to your part of the world, and by phone or remotely.

 

Moreover, every year the school presents the Master through a series of public events, both online and offline. This is an opportunity to speak directly with directors, faculty, alumni, and staff.

 

See all events 

Contact us for more information, to arrange a meeting, request to visit the school, or attend a class.

 

To learn more about our partner Rotman School of Management, visit the page University Of Toronto’s Rotman School Of Management

 

Next Steps

Nov 2024
Application Review Start

Go to admission

5 Jun 2025
Last Tuition Waiver & Application Deadline
26 Sep 2025
Program Start
Mar 2027
Program End

News & Social

17 July 2024
Global Excellence for the Rotman-SDA Bocconi GEMBA: 7th ww in the QS Executive MBA Rankings
Gaining one position in the general ranking, the joint Global Executive MBA excels in Employer ...
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19 June 2024
Celebrating unity and enduring bonds: SDA Bocconi’s 2024 MBA Reunion
Learn More

More about the Global Executive MBA

Program

Structure, Learning Model
Deadlines

Last Tuition Waiver & Application Deadline:
5 June 2025

Admissions