Sebastian Kortmann Takes Over WU Executive Academy, Shifts Leadership Focus to Asking Better Questions

From Amsterdam to Vienna: The New Dean's Playbook

The WU Executive Academy, the business school arm of the Vienna University of Economics and Business, began 2026 with a leadership change that underscores the growing convergence of academia and entrepreneurial thinking. Sebastian Kortmann, a 43-year-old German strategy and innovation scholar, officially took over as dean on 1 January, succeeding Barbara Stöttinger after a tenure that strengthened the school's international standing. Kortmann arrives from the University of Amsterdam, where he was an associate professor and also active as a co-founder and managing director of several start-ups in Germany and the Netherlands.

Kortmann's appointment is not simply a personnel move. It reflects a deliberate bet by the university's rector, Rupert Sausgruber, that the next phase of executive education must be led by someone who lives the entrepreneurial mindset the school teaches. "It was a unique opportunity to apply for a highly responsible and exciting role at one of Europe's best universities," Kortmann said of his new post. His resume includes top-tier institutions—St. Gallen, San Diego, ESADE—and a 2017 "Best 40 Under 40" professorship award from Poets & Quants.

The decision also arrives at a moment when the global executive education market is being reshaped by volatility. Supply-chain disruptions, geopolitical tensions, trade conflicts, and the breakneck pace of artificial intelligence are forcing companies to retool leadership skills faster than ever. Demographic shifts further tighten the war for talent. For Kortmann, the answer lies in a fundamental rethinking of what leadership even means: "Ten years ago I thought leadership was having the best answers. Today I know: leadership is asking the right questions."

Why a Strategist-Entrepreneur at the Helm Reshapes Executive Learning

Where the Academy Sees Its Next Chapter

Bringing in a dean whose identity is equally split between rigorous strategy research and hands-on start-up experience signals where the WU Executive Academy expects future demand. The school, already ranked among Europe's stronger executive education providers, wants to deepen its practical relevance without sacrificing academic credibility. Kortmann's dual profile is meant to bridge that gap: his scholarly work on business model innovation and strategic renewal provides the intellectual spine, while his track record as an entrepreneur gives credibility among the mid-career executives who populate custom and open programmes.

The institutional strategy appears twofold. First, sustain and elevate the academy's position in international rankings and accreditations—an area where Kortmann already demonstrated impact in Amsterdam. Second, inject entrepreneurship more deeply into programmes, not as a separate module but as a lens for approaching leadership, decision-making under uncertainty, and innovation in established firms. This responds directly to the challenge Sausgruber outlined: continuing the school's recent success while adding "important new impulses" in executive education.

How the Leadership Philosophy Shift Reshapes the Product

Kortmann's public emphasis on "asking the right questions" is more than a soundbite. In a sector where many schools still sell frameworks and best-practice toolkits, framing leadership as inquiry rather than certainty marks a pedagogical pivot. It chimes with the reality that executives now face problems with no off-the-shelf solution—AI adoption, supply-chain redesign, geopolitical hedging. Curricula will likely place greater weight on critical questioning, scenario thinking, and iterative problem design over static case teaching. For a business school competing with consultancies and corporate universities, this distinctiveness could be a competitive moat.

The Broader Market Context

The executive education arena is crowded and unforgiving. European institutions vie not only with each other but also with well-funded US universities and rapidly improving Asian rivals. At the same time, corporate training budgets are under scrutiny; programmes must demonstrate immediate, tangible return. Kortmann's arrival, while promising innovation, also carries execution risk: translating his entrepreneurial vision into faculty alignment, curriculum changes, and client relationships will be the true measure of success over his four-year mandate.

What the Appointment Signals for the Academy and Its Future Participants

For the Academy's leadership and advisory board:

• Ensure Kortmann's entrepreneurial initiatives receive the operational backing—budget for programme pilots, incentives for faculty-business collaboration—that aligns with his mandate, avoiding a gap between ambition and implementation.
• Leverage his ranking and accreditation expertise immediately to target measurable improvements in the Financial Times and QS executive education tables, where peer school movements can shift corporate client perceptions within a single cycle.

For executives and HR leaders considering executive development:

• Watch for the first curriculum revisions under Kortmann; programmes with a stronger inquiry-led, entrepreneurial design are likely to offer higher relevance for roles navigating digital and geopolitical uncertainty.
• Take the opportunity to evaluate how the academy's refreshed positioning aligns with your organisation's specific leadership gaps, especially in strategic agility and innovation management, where Kortmann's own research focus may translate into distinctive open-enrolment offerings.