What the INSEAD Leadership Programme Cohort and Network Taught a CMO

When Vitasta Kaul joined ILPSE in 2022, she had already led large teams, built and scaled businesses and completed an earlier executive programme. At this stage, she was looking beyond functional expertise. She wanted to develop the judgement, perspective and leadership presence required for a move to the C-suite.

For Vitasta Kaul, the defining value of ILPSE was the cohort: experienced leaders from diverse sectors who were willing to share their perspectives openly, learn from one another and remain connected after the programme. The relationships she built subsequently contributed to her appointment as the CMO of music-tech platform Hoopr and continue to generate opportunities in her independent consulting work.

INSEAD Executive Education

INSEAD Leadership Programme for Senior Executives – India (ILPSE)

1 year

Blended

Starts on: 14 Aug 2027

Download Brochure View Program

You had already completed an executive leadership programme before ILPSE. What made you look at another one?

My earlier programme was right for me at that point in my career. I was building functional depth and looking for the structure, frameworks and theory that could complement my on-the-job experience. It helped me create a stronger foundation for the next stage of my journey.

By 2022, my needs had changed. I had worked in product leadership, co-founded a business and spent several years on a founding team in a fast-growing consumer internet company. I was ready to move towards the C-suite. What I needed was not more functional knowledge. I needed to become more effective in the areas that matter most at senior levels: leading people, making decisions amidst uncertainty, negotiating, influencing and thinking ahead.

I was also looking for the right group of people to learn with. At that stage of my career, the quality of the cohort was as important to me as the curriculum.

What stood out to you about the ILPSE cohort?

The cohort brought together experienced leaders from very different sectors and professional backgrounds. There were people from banking, financial services and insurance; consulting; media and entertainment; renewable energy; and other industries. That diversity made every discussion richer.

Each person brought a different perspective to the same leadership or business question. You may believe you have found an effective way to approach an issue, but someone from another sector can help you see its limitations or offer an alternative that you had not considered. That is where the learning becomes much deeper.

It was not a room in which everyone agreed with one another, nor should it have been. It was a room in which people were willing to challenge ideas thoughtfully and share what had worked, or not worked, in their own organisations.

How did the seniority of the group impact the leadership programme learning environment?

The seniority of the cohort created a very open learning environment. Many participants had substantial experience and were secure in their professional journeys. There was less pressure to protect one’s position or to treat every interaction as a competition.

This openness was important to me, as it meant I could be candid about what I knew and, equally as importantly, where I needed help. I came into the programme intending to learn from people around me. It also worked the other way around, or something along those lines.

For me, a meaningful cohort is not simply a collection of impressive profiles. It is a group in which people can ask for help, offer perspectives and have honest conversations without approaching those exchanges in a transactional way.

How did you personally approach learning from your peers?

I approached the ILPSE as a humble learner. Every day, I was in a classroom with people who were equally capable, often more experienced and shaped by very different industries and organisational realities. That requires you to be receptive to feedback and willing to reconsider your own assumptions.

I learnt that leadership is not only about having an answer. It is also about knowing when to listen, when to seek input and how to make space for people with different expertise to contribute. The way I participated in the classroom gradually influenced how I showed up at work as well.

When you return to the workplace with that mindset, you listen more carefully, invite a wider range of views and become more deliberate about how you lead teams. The programme helped reinforce leadership presence that is shaped by openness and judgement, not simply by title or functional expertise.

Were there any particular ILPSE moments that brought the cohort dynamic to life?

The Phoenix Encounter simulation at INSEAD’s Europe Campus in Fontainebleau was one of the most memorable. We worked in teams to build companies from the ground up and then had to respond to new competitive developments as they emerged. It was intense, highly engaging and a strong test of strategic thinking, collaboration and decision making under pressure.

It was particularly valuable because you could see how different people approached the same challenge. Some naturally focused on the strategic direction, others on team alignment and others still on the operational or financial implications. Those differences created a much more rounded learning experience.

We recorded revision sessions and worked through concepts that we considered difficult. That initiative reflected the generosity of the group: people were willing to share knowledge and invest in one another’s learning.

Which elements of this INSEAD leadership programme complemented peer learning?

This INSEAD leadership programme offered strong academic and reflective components. Professor Anil Gaba’s sessions on decision making, Professor Pushan Dutt’s game theory sessions and Professor Guoli Chen’s sessions on Blue Ocean Strategy were particularly meaningful to me. The Global Executive Leadership Mirror 360-degree feedback and coaching process was also a major part of my experience. The coaching gave me an opportunity to reflect more deeply on how I lead and how others perceive me.

Moreover, the formal curriculum became even more relevant because of the conversations around it. A framework has greater meaning when you can examine it alongside the experience of peers who have applied similar ideas in banking, consulting, media, technology or other sectors. The cohort helped translate academic concepts into a broader understanding of real leadership situations.

How did the experience influence your leadership approach after ILPSE?

It reinforced for me that senior leadership is fundamentally different from functional execution. At senior levels, you need to think ahead, help others perform at their best, navigate ambiguity and make decisions when there is no straightforward answer.

The cohort taught me the importance of approaching those responsibilities with curiosity and humility. I became more conscious of the need to hear perspectives that differ from my own and to recognise that a strong leader does not need to be the most vocal person in the room.

The experience also gave me greater confidence. When you regularly engage with accomplished people who challenge your thinking and contribute generously to your learning, you become more comfortable operating in complex environments. That confidence translated into the way I have engaged with people and opportunities after ILPSE.

Did the relationships you built through ILPSE lead to tangible career outcomes?

Yes. Shortly after completing ILPSE, I was introduced to the founder of Hoopr, a music-tech platform, through a member of the INSEAD community. The individual knew what I had done previously and understood what I was looking to do next. That conversation led to my appointment as the CMO.

After two years in that role, I moved into independent consulting. Several projects have since come through referrals within the ILPSE and INSEAD network. The network gave me the confidence to make that transition, but its value extended beyond introductions. It also gave me access to people whose advice, experience and perspective I continue to value.

What would you say to a senior professional considering ILPSE?

I would encourage them to consider what they need at their current career stage. If they are seeking functional foundations, there are programmes that can provide that. But if they already have significant experience and want to develop the judgement, leadership maturity and broader perspective needed for senior roles, ILPSE offers a different kind of environment.

Enter the programme prepared to contribute, be candid about where you need to grow and learn from perspectives that may be very different from your own. The cohort and network can become an enduring source of insight and support – but only if you engage with them sincerely and consistently.

For Vitasta Kaul, the lasting value of INSEAD Leadership Programme for Senior Executives – India (ILPSE) lies in the people she learned alongside. The cohort challenged her assumptions, expanded her perspective and helped her develop a more open and considered leadership approach. The relationships she built also continued to create value beyond the classroom – from trusted advice and fresh perspectives to meaningful professional opportunities.

Her experience shows that when you invest fully in the cohort, the value of a leadership programme extends well beyond the year of learning. It becomes a community that continues to shape how you lead, grow and navigate the next stage of your career.