Business Development Accelerator for Executive Education Professionals | UNICON
The Accelerator Series

Business Development Accelerator

for executive education professionals

Five live sessions that equip executive education business development professionals with a disciplined, consultative approach to selling, and the skills to build client partnerships that last.

September 2026 to January 2027 | Live online
Register Now View the Sessions
Registration is now open. Complete the form below to register, then confirm your place on our payment page. Groups of three or more from the same institution receive a 15% discount on the full series.
About the Program

Built for the people who grow executive education

The Business Development Accelerator gives business development (BD) and sales professionals in executive education the skills, frameworks, and peer connections to win more clients and deepen long-term partnerships. Across five live sessions, you will build an actionable business development plan, master a consultative sales process designed for the complexity of executive education, and develop the habits that separate good BD professionals from great ones.

The Accelerator is the first in a new UNICON series designed to sharpen the core capabilities that drive executive education. Each session is co-led by a pair of experienced executive education leaders drawn from across the UNICON community, so you are learning directly from those who have done this work, and alongside peers across the globe.

Joining a UNICON session online
Why Join

What you will take away

A Plan You Can Act On

Translate institutional strategy and market insights into a focused, actionable business development plan.

A Disciplined Sales Process

Master a consultative process built for complex executive education transactions, from first contact to closing the deal.

Peers and Practitioners

Learn alongside BD professionals from member schools across the globe, guided by instructors who have done this work, with breakout room networking built into every live session.

Technology and Data

Use technology and data analytics to sharpen your business development strategy and identify new market opportunities.

What You Will Learn

Learning objectives

  • Develop a focused business development plan by translating institutional strategy and market insights into actionable steps.
  • Execute a disciplined, consultative sales process suitable for complex executive education transactions, incorporating best practices in relationship building and effective communication.
  • Navigate internal complexities and the sales cycle to advance opportunities from initial contact to closing the deal, ensuring long-term client satisfaction and engagement.
  • Use technology and data analytics to enhance business development strategies and identify new market opportunities.
Participants in discussion at a UNICON event
A UNICON webinar in progress
Technology powering online learning

The UNICON community in action

UNICON members connecting between sessions
Who Should Attend

Made for BD and sales professionals

The program is designed for business development and sales professionals within UNICON member institutions. Whether your focus is custom programs, open enrollment, or online programming, the sessions will help you deepen and broaden your expertise. Experience levels vary across each cohort, and that is by design: participants learn from the instructors and from each other.

If you currently work in another function and are exploring a move into business development, you are welcome to register. A few short questions when you sign up help us confirm the program is the right fit.

Program Instructors and Contributors

Learn from leaders across the UNICON community

Each session is co-led by a pair of executive education leaders with deep business development experience.

Shalini Bhatia

Shalini Bhatia

Program Co-Director; Director, Program and Business Development, Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Education

Melanie Weaver Barnett

Melanie Weaver Barnett

Executive Director, UNICON

Nathalie Nawrocki

Nathalie Nawrocki

Executive Director of Corporate Partnerships, INSEAD

Pravashen Pillay

Pravashen Pillay

Managing Executive, Corporate Education, GIBS Business School

Devin Bigoness

Devin Bigoness

Chief Client Officer & Executive Director, UVA Darden EELL

Meg Regan

Meg Regan

Managing Director, Company Specific Programs - APAC and Digital Transformation, MIT Sloan School of Management

Stuart Wells

Stuart Wells

Managing Director, Executive Education, Alliance Manchester Business School

Shaun Rozyn

Shaun Rozyn

Program Co-Director; Managing Director: North America, Duke Corporate Education

Anna Dunand

Anna Dunand

Chief Business Development Officer, IMD

Nicholas Hamilton-Archer

Nicholas Hamilton-Archer

Chief Executive Education Officer, Michigan Ross

Bryan Benjamin

Bryan Benjamin

Executive Director, Ivey Executive Education, Ivey Business School

Jon Kaupla

Jon Kaupla

Program Consultant; Associate Dean/Executive Director, Executive and Leadership Education, University of South Florida Muma College of Business

Program Structure

Five live sessions, September 2026 to January 2027

Each session runs for two hours, live online, and is offered at 7 am PT/10 am ET so participants across regions, including Asia-Pacific, can join at a workable hour. Select a session below to explore the content and instructors.

Session 1 • September 23, 2026

Executive Education Industry Overview & Update

  • Explore the unique characteristics of the executive education market.
  • Get an overview of current trends and challenges affecting the industry.
  • Discuss success stories and lessons learned from leading executive education programs.
Melanie Weaver BarnettMelanie Weaver BarnettExecutive Director, UNICON
Nathalie NawrockiNathalie NawrockiExecutive Director of Corporate Partnerships, INSEAD
Session 2 • October 21, 2026

Strategic Planning & Sales Process

  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of strategic planning in business development.
  • Examine market analysis and segmentation to identify target audiences.
  • Collaborate on creating a roadmap for effective sales strategies tailored to specific markets.
Pravashen PillayPravashen PillayManaging Executive, Corporate Education, GIBS Business School
Devin BigonessDevin BigonessChief Client Officer & Executive Director, UVA Darden Executive Education & Lifelong Learning
Session 3 • November 10, 2026

The Customer and Personal Key Success Factors

  • Identify and understand what drives customer satisfaction in executive education.
  • Share best practices for building and maintaining client relationships.
  • Practice effective communication and engagement techniques through role play, focusing on charisma, capability, empathy, and curiosity as key areas of success.
Meg ReganMeg ReganManaging Director, Company Specific Programs - APAC and Digital Transformation, MIT Sloan School of Management
Stuart WellsStuart WellsManaging Director, Executive Education, Alliance Manchester Business School
Session 4 • December 16, 2026

The Solutions Architect Role

  • Transition from a sales-focused role to a consultative position designing tailored educational solutions.
  • Take a deep dive into the iterative process of customizing offerings based on specific client needs.
  • Learn best practices for understanding client organizations and aligning educational solutions with their business models.
Shaun RozynShaun RozynManaging Director: North America, Duke Corporate Education
Anna DunandAnna DunandChief Business Development Officer, IMD
Session 5 • January 20, 2027

Operational Excellence in Business Development

  • Explore operational excellence in business development strategies.
  • Learn best practices for sourcing clients and driving engagement through targeted outreach.
  • Discuss technological tools and resources that can enhance business development efforts.
  • Foster a mindset of innovation to continuously improve offerings and stay competitive in the market.
Nicholas Hamilton-ArcherNicholas Hamilton-ArcherChief Executive Education Officer, Michigan Ross
Bryan BenjaminBryan BenjaminExecutive Director, Ivey Executive Education, Ivey Business School
Pricing

Three ways to take part

Individual Session
$250

Join a single session that matches your current priorities.

Individual Full Series
$1,000

All five sessions, September 2026 through January 2027.

Save 15%
Groups of 3 or More
15% off

15% off the full series when three or more colleagues from the same institution register together. Contact us and we will set up your group registration.

Email us about group registration

There is no cap on registrations per school. To qualify for the group rate, all participants must register together and provide their names at the time of registration. The discount does not apply to registrations submitted separately.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

Rather than cancelling, you are encouraged to find someone else on your team who will attend. If you do need to cancel your registration, the following apply:

  • Cancellation 45+ days prior to program start date: 100% refund
  • Cancellation 31-44 days prior to program start date: 50% refund
  • Cancellation 30 or fewer days prior to program start date: no refund

For group registrations, payments are final once the group is confirmed, and refunds are not issued if individual members of the group withdraw.

Common Questions

Everything you need to know

Five live online sessions of two hours each, running from September 2026 to January 2027. Sessions are offered at 7 am PT/10 am ET to support participation across time zones, including Asia-Pacific.
Business development and sales professionals at UNICON member institutions, across custom, open enrollment, and online programming. If you work in another function and are considering a move into business development, you are also welcome to register.
Signing up takes just a few minutes. We will ask about your years in a business development role, your BD focus across custom, open, and online programming, and one or two insights you hope to gain from the program. After you submit the form, you will be taken to our payment page with step-by-step guidance to confirm your place.
The program is limited to 80 participants, confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no cap per school, and groups of three or more from the same institution receive a 15% discount on the full series. To qualify, the group must register together and provide all participant names when they register. The discount cannot be applied to registrations submitted separately.
Yes. Individual sessions are available at $250 each, and you can register for one or more. If you decide to attend all five, the full-series rate of $1,000 represents the best value. The 15% group discount for three or more from the same institution applies to the full series only, not to individual sessions.
Recording details will be confirmed closer to the program start date. Registered participants will receive guidance ahead of Session 1.
Register

Secure your place for September 2026

Complete the form below to register. You will then be taken straight to our payment page to confirm your place. Places are limited and are confirmed in order of payment.

By submitting you agree to receive program communications from UNICON. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Questions? We are here to help.

Reach the UNICON team for anything from group pricing to program logistics.

Contact Us