Client story: Grundfos

Accelerating leaders’ growth to drive organizational transformation  

An interconnected learning approach spanning levels, roles, and contexts 

Grundfos at Hult Ashridge program in action with Lego

As a leading global pump and water solutions company, Grundfos pioneers solutions to the world’s water and climate challenges. 

Grundfos partnered with Hult Ashridge Executive Education to strengthen global leadership amid a transformative growth phase. The result was the Grundfos Talent Academy, a leadership architecture consisting of three interconnected learning streams. 

90%

of participants felt more engaged and prepared to take on future leadership roles 

#2

Grundfos’ ranking in 2025 brand analysis in Denmark by the IFO (+3 places from 2024) 

+70%

increase in retention of top talent within the leadership pipeline 12 months after participation 

The challenge

Having launched an ambitious global growth strategy and transitioned to a divisional structure, Grundfos was in a period of profound organizational transformation, highlighting a series of structural, cultural, and leadership related challenges: 

  • A 2022 organizational analysis identified global collaboration as one of six critical priorities. 

  • The transition to divisional structures risked weakening the long-standing ONE Grundfos identity. The organization articulated a clear desire to maintain cultural unity while accommodating divisional differentiation, recognizing that leadership behaviors would be pivotal to bridging these dual imperatives. 

  • Internal mobility across business units was another key priority. Talent reviews highlighted the need for cross-divisional development journeys that could intentionally connect leaders across the organization. 

  • Succession planning for key leadership roles and critical positions was fragmented, and a unified approach was needed to develop and mobilize top talent across the enterprise. 

Taken together, there was a clear need for a coherent, enterprise-wide talent development solution. The Grundfos Talent Academy was designed in response to this multifaceted challenge. 

Charmaine Rodrigues headshot branded

“We invest in our talent as they play a critical role in shaping the future we’re building, and Hult Ashridge has been a strong partner in making that real. We have seen the programs address our unique context, turning individual development into real behavioral change and impact."

Charmaine Rodrigues ∙ Global Head of Learning, Leadership and Talent Development, Grundfos

The solution

Grundfos sought a partner who would challenge assumptions and act as a trusted advisor, to accelerate global talent and leadership capabilities at that pivotal moment in their transformation journey. Hult Ashridge brought exactly this.

The program design was informed by extensive research, including dialogue with senior leaders, HR stakeholders, and high-potential talent. Through this deep diagnostic and design process, Hult Ashridge developed a nuanced understanding of Grundfos’ strategy, culture, and leadership. 

The Grundfos Talent Academy was co-created from the ground up, focusing on vertical and horizontal collaboration and mobility. The 9-12 month learning journeys build leadership capability through peer coaching, targeted development plans, and experiential learning at the historic Ashridge House, our flagship Executive Education campus. 

It integrates three tracks to create multi-level alignment:

  • SHAPE: Senior leaders who have established career trajectories 

  • SHIFT: Mid-level leaders at the crossroads of strategy and execution


  • STRIVE: Emerging leaders at the beginning of their careers 

“What struck us most about Hult Ashridge was their ability to truly listen, to capture not just what we asked for but what we needed. The proposal they brought forward felt uniquely ours: tailored to our needs, thoughtful about maximizing impact, and aligned with our ambitions.”

– Sacha Luthi ∙ Group VP People and Organizational Growth, Grundfos

Innovative design features


Several features distinguished the Grundfos Academy from conventional leadership programs, positioning it as a transformative and scalable model:

  • Shared objectives across all streams, to create a unified leadership language at all levels and connect development to organizational priorities

  • Line managers embedded new behaviors, such as structured pre- and post-module dialogues, coaching, and support for on-the job experiments

  • Continuous learning between modules, through monthly “nudge” emails curated by program faculty and aligned with learning preferences

  • Mixed-stream Action Learning, where all participants could tackle organizational issues together for cross-hierarchical impact

  • Active participation from senior leaders in modules, reinforcing that leadership growth is inseparable from enterprise-wide transformation

Our impact

A comprehensive measurement approach was taken to quantify transformation impact across three levels:

1. Leaders' growth

Each participant completed 360° feedback pre- and post-program, with input from their managers, peers, and direct reports across six core competencies: developing others, developing the self, leading change, decision-making, building trust, and influencing. The results were striking, with significant improvement across every single measure.

2. Business outcomes

Retention of program participants was compared with eligible non-participants, using Double Machine Learning, an advanced causal inference technique. Even after adjusting for confounding factors such as role, tenure, and seniority, participation in the Grundfos Academy increased the likelihood of retention by +13.2%. In this way the program strengthens organizational continuity, reduces turnover costs, and sustains business capability in a competitive talent market.

3. The ripple effect on teams

By linking leadership participation data with the 2025 global engagement survey, teams led by program graduates were measurably more engaged and experienced greater well-being and inclusion.

Measurable business impact

12

actionable business initiatives generated by mixed-stream Action Learning – three of which have been implemented at scale 

Stronger retention

+13.2%

Program participant retention rate (96.7%)  compared to peers (85.1%) after 12 months 

A global leadership language

20+

Countries now share a common leadership language between a 75-leader ecosystem 

Across the streams, noticeable leadership shifts were present:

Senior leaders in the SHAPE stream reported adopting a more intentional approach to driving change, stepping back from daily problem-solving to focus more on cross-functional collaboration.

“I drew heavily on the Leading Change frameworks from the program to guide this transformation. I implemented targeted adjustments to both the team and the business model, addressing underlying issues that had been holding us back. Over time, these changes led to a clear uptick in the order pool.”

Mid-level leaders in the SHIFT stream reported an increased application of change management skills to guide teams through transformation.

“Leveraging insights from the Inclusive Leadership modules, I introduced new practices focused on recognition, celebration, and continuous feedback, ensuring every team member felt seen and valued.”

Emerging leaders in the STRIVE stream showed a clear shift toward human-centered leadership – from task focus to coaching, active listening, and empowering others.

“When the program finished, I felt ready to change the world, change the entire organization. Then I realized it’s all about the way I lead and work differently that will change my part of the organization.”


The program continues to prepare high-potential individuals and successors to take on more complex roles. In this way, Grundfos has created a leadership development ecosystem that strengthens the social fabric and business resilience at all levels of the organization.

Grundfos at Ashrigde
Professional women smiling with blurred foreground

We help leaders and organizations to change.