What makes working with client organizations exciting for me, be it in an advisory or developmental role, is helping them to solve wicked problems that stand in the way of realizing their full institutional potential. Client empowerment is key in this context. To quote Lao Tzu:

“A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.”

As Managing Director of XOLAS ADVISORS, I help business school clients develop and implement institutional strategies and support them in designing change and restructuring programs based on robust due diligence. I also advise clients on enhancing their risk management capabilities and aligning institutional development ambitions with external quality metrics (accreditation, rankings). 

Interested in collaborating? Then please send an email to ulrich.hommel(at)xolasadvisors.com. 

As finance academic, I regularly design and run workshops on the management of business risk, alternative financing and restructuring. 

As Director of Business School Development at EFMD Global, I was the lead in designing and launching the following exemplary programs that are still pillars of its executive education portfolio: Executive Academy (EA), Quality Assurance Academy (QAA), Online Teaching Academy (OTA), Smart Data Management (SDM), Gamification of Learning, and the Career Professionals Development Institute (CPDI).

I continue supporting select professional development activities of EFMD Global and currently serve as Director of the Quality Assurance Academy (QAA) of EFMD Global.

• Director of Business School Development, EFMD Global (2015 – 2020)

  • Executive and development lead in the creation and growth of the professional development portfolio of EFMD Global. 

• Associate Director Quality Services, EFMD Global (2007 – 2015 & 2018 – 2019)

  • Co-Lead in the establishment of the EFMD Program Accreditation System (EPAS), now called EFMD Accredited.

  • (Co)-Lead in the design and advancement of EFMD accreditation standards (incl. 'risk management', 'major institutional change & restructuring' and 'ethics, responsibility & sustainability).

  • Oversight of the EFMD Online Course Certification System (EOCCS)

  • Member (often Chair) of EQUIS and EPAS Peer Review Visits

• Director Quality Services, EFMD Global (2016 – 2018)

  • Executive role of leading the accreditation department of EFMD with special responsibilities for external relations and portfolio growth.

  • Peer Review Chair of EQUIS Special Re-Accreditation Visits

• Director of Research & Surveys, EFMD Global (2011 – 2015)

  • Establishment of EFMD Higher Education Research Conference

  • Initiation and management of research project of strategic relevance for EFMD.

• Managing Director of the EBS European Business School gGmbH (2003 – 2006)

  • Co-Lead in the financial restructuring of the gGmbH.

• Rector of the European Business School (EBS) International University (2003 – 2006)

  • Lead in the adoption of the Bologna Standards (EBS as the pioneer institution in Germany).

  • Lead in the strategic repositioning of EBS re. internationalization, research focus, and quality management.  

• Dean, European Business School (EBS) International University (2000 – 2002)

  • Lead in the transformation of the institutional degree portfolio 

• Project Management Institute (PMI) 

• Chair/Member of several Advisory Boards of Business Schools

• »Can AI Help Create Continuously Rewired and Boundary-Spanning Business Schools?«

• »Can For-Profit Business Schools Act as Providers of Responsible Management Education?«

• »What Is the Value of International Accreditation (and Do You Realize It)?«

• »Crisis Readiness: How Resilient and Antifragile Should You Be?«