École des Ponts Business School · Executive DBA
Thinking about a doctorate? Talk it through first.
I help senior professionals work out whether the École des Ponts Executive DBA is right for them, and whether now is the time. A conversation with me isn't an application. You decide if and when to go further, and the school decides on admission.
Official representative, based in SingaporeAn independent conversation
You decide if and when to go further.
The school decides on admission.
Book an advisory callWhere I fit
Your decision, with someone to think it through with
What I do
- Answer your questions about the programme, the four years and the cost
- Help you weigh up fit and timing against your work and life
- Tell you which scholarships and discounts are open, and when each one closes
- Introduce you to current participants and alumni
- Guide you through the application, once you decide to apply
What stays with the school
- The admissions interview with faculty
- The admission decision
- Final fees, scholarships and discounts
- The programme itself, from the first Paris week to the viva
PhD or E-DBA?
The rigour is the same. The starting point is different.
PhD
- Research that builds academic knowledge
- Usually leads to an academic or research career
Executive DBA
- Research that starts from a real problem in your work, grounded in academic theory
- Part-time over four years, alongside your job
- Three doctoral papers, a thesis and a viva
- Opens doors to board and C-suite roles, teaching, speaking and consulting
Weighing up the two for your own plans? Talk it through with me.
At a glance
A professional doctorate built around a working life
The E-DBA grants a professional doctoral degree for experienced executives who want to go beyond the MBA or another master's degree. It grounds what you see in practice in academic research.
The four years
From Paris classroom to viva voce
Residential foundation
Four one-week sessions, spread across the year, at the Paris City Centre campus near Gare de Lyon. Days usually run 9am to 7pm.
- Session 1, Oct 2027Orientation, Learning Lab I, the integrative literature review
- Session 2, Mar 2028 (tentative)Qualitative research
- Session 3, Jun 2028 (tentative)Quantitative research methods
- Session 4, Oct/Nov 2028 (tentative)Research and teaching cases, Learning Lab II, doctoral proposal workshop
Research under supervision
You work at your own pace with close academic supervision. You submit your doctoral project proposal, are matched with a supervisor, and write three doctoral papers before completing your thesis.
Defence and graduation
A final viva voce before a jury of faculty from École des Ponts Business School and École des Ponts ParisTech, and/or doctoral supervisors, followed by graduation.
Worth knowing early: all requirements, including the three papers and the viva voce, must be completed within five years of your start date.
Why people take it on
What a doctorate changes
Challenge yourself
Serious intellectual work that opens doors to speaking, teaching, expert consulting and governance roles.
Stand apart
A credential beyond the master's level of the teams you lead, often a route to board seats and C-suite roles.
Be recognised
Research, write and publish, and become known as a subject-matter expert in your field.
Fees and funding
The investment
Scholarships and discounts open and close at different points in the year. I can tell you which ones are open now and the deadline for each, so you can plan your application around them.
Women in Corporate Governance Scholarship
Every woman applying receives a 10% reduction, with no extra paperwork.
Early bird
Early bird reductions may apply depending on when you enrol. Ask me what is open for your intake.
Admissions
How applying works
The school's process can be completed in about two weeks. I can take your advisory call at the start and stay with you through the paperwork. The interview and the decision are the school's.
Advisory call
We talk through your profile, experience and what you want from a doctorate. This call can be with me.
Online application
Submitted with your documents and at least two references.
Talk to the community
Speak with at least two current participants or alumni. I can help arrange this.
Interview
A 30 to 45 minute video interview with faculty, focused on your research interests.
Decision
Usually within one to two weeks. Once accepted, you have one week to enrol.
A participant I advised
“For some years, I had been considering pursuing a PhD but felt that as an entrepreneur I could not become an academic researcher. To this end, E-DBA is an ideal fit for me. When I chose École des Ponts Business School, I had a good feeling about the program, the entire team and the professors. I could not be more right. I am very grateful to everyone who has helped bring our cohort together, making sure to blend matching personalities with a broad range of international diversity, culture and knowledge.”
Official representative, based in Singapore
Jo Anne
I have spent over a decade in executive education, including years at INSEAD in Singapore and Abu Dhabi, and as Associate Director at Aalto University Executive Education. I now run INIXIATE from Singapore.
My job is to help you make a good decision, whichever way it goes. I help with the questions and the application. The school makes the admission decision. A first call carries no obligation.