Thunderbird Executive Education’s custom programs ranked among top 25 globally by the Financial Times

Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University has once again secured its place among the world’s leading providers of executive education. In the 2025 Financial Times Executive Education rankings, released June 1, Thunderbird’s custom Executive Education programs were ranked in the top 25 globally and No. 2 among U.S.-based institutions — ahead of prestigious peers such as the University of Cambridge (Judge), Rutgers University and Georgetown University.

This marks the second consecutive year that Thunderbird has been ranked among the top two in the U.S., reinforcing the school’s reputation for delivering exceptional, tailored learning experiences that help organizations thrive in today’s complex, fast-changing environment.

“The Financial Times ranking is recognition of the exceptional work of our Thunderbird faculty and Executive Education team to deliver a high-quality learning experience for our custom clients,” said Lawrence Abeln, deputy dean of Thunderbird Executive Education and clinical professor of global management. “At Thunderbird Executive Education, we design programs that offer applied learning, practical skills, and tool kits that enable participants to drive impact and performance within their organizations.”

The Financial Times ranking evaluated 95 institutions and their custom program offerings based on direct client feedback in areas such as program design, teaching methods and materials, level of internationality, overseas programs, innovativeness, value for money, growth, partner schools and faculty diversity. Thunderbird’s continued recognition in this space reflects its unwavering commitment to client partnership, global relevance, and educational innovation.

“This ranking demonstrates our impact in providing diverse organizations with world-class learning experiences that advance leadership development,” Abeln added. “To be ranked No. 2 in the U.S. for two years in a row is a tremendous achievement. It speaks volumes about the commitment and talent of our faculty and staff, and I’m deeply grateful to everyone who contributes to making Thunderbird a trusted partner in executive education.”

Thunderbird’s Executive Education programs serve leaders and teams from global corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Each custom program is co-created with clients to align with their unique objectives, organizational culture, and leadership goals.

The 2025 rankings also placed Thunderbird at No. 13 in the world for “international clients,” showcasing the high percentage of corporations and organizations with headquarters outside of the United States. This year’s ranking moves Thunderbird up several spots, from No. 16 in both 2024 and 2023, respectively.

As such, a majority of Thunderbird’s Executive Education offerings take place in global locations and regions near its clients, utilizing the school’s vast regional centers. Through its Jakarta Regional Center, Thunderbird partnered with Indonesia’s state-owned port authority, PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo), to deliver Cycle 2 of the Accelerated Leadership Development Program (ALPI) for 30 senior executives. The program, designed after a competitive tender process, blended virtual workshops, in-person sessions in Jakarta, and a global immersion in Dubai.

During the Dubai immersion, participants engaged with leading organizations—including DP World, Dubai Silicon Oasis, the World Free Zones Organization, and Dubai CommerCity—exploring smart port operations, innovation ecosystems, free zone governance, and digital trade infrastructure. The program equipped Pelindo’s senior leaders with the strategic mindset, innovation capabilities, and global outlook needed to drive transformation across Indonesia’s maritime and logistics sectors.

Since 2020, Thunderbird has delivered three custom executive education programs in Puerto Rico through an ongoing partnership with Echar Pa’lante, a multisectoral alliance originally founded by Banco Popular and now an independent nonprofit supported by the Puerto Rican government. The executive education offerings were designed to equip local ecosystem leaders—including academics, professionals, and community stakeholders—with tools to support and scale entrepreneurship. More than 500 participants have completed Thunderbird-led custom workshops focused on high-growth ventures and entrepreneurial mentoring.

In recent years, over 200 college faculty and ecosystem professionals completed Thunderbird’s Advanced Entrepreneurial Mentoring program—a five-hour course introducing new frameworks and strategies to lead accelerators, startup centers, and similar initiatives. A new cohort of the Advanced Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program launched earlier this month.

“Thunderbird has long been a hub of innovation, preparing global leaders to navigate complexity and drive progress in the areas that matter most,” said Charla Griffy-Brown, director general and dean of Thunderbird. “We are proud to consistently provide executive education to some of the world’s top companies and organizations. This ranking affirms that we are the institution these organizations can turn to — and trust — for transformational learning that makes a measurable difference.”

According to the FT rankings release, business schools must be recognized by at least one of the main accreditation agencies, the AACSB and Equis. Additionally, they need to have earned revenues of at least $1 million in 2024 from either custom or open enrolment non-degree programs in order to participate in the relevant ranking.

The ranking of customized course providers is compiled using data from the business schools and their clients in 2024. Each school must have a minimum of 10 clients who have commissioned programs from them. At least five clients per school must complete the FT survey for a course provider to be eligible for the final ranking.