​The Art of Connection: Beyond Networking

​As we move beyond the halfway mark of our INSEAD MBA journey and approach the end of P3, many of us have built extensive networks, shared countless experiences, and formed meaningful friendships. Yet amidst the intensity of classes, recruiting, travel, and social events, how often do we pause to deepen the quality of our connections?

​In a world where networking often feels transactional, the most meaningful opportunities, friendships, and collaborations emerge from genuine human connection.

​This interactive workshop, led by Professor Ioana Popescu, explores how presence, curiosity, emotional awareness, and deep listening can transform the way we relate to others. As we prepare for the next chapter of our MBA experience and beyond, authentic connection may be one of the most valuable leadership skills we can cultivate.

​Together, we will explore:

​✨ The difference between networking and genuine connection
✨ How presence and emotional awareness shape every interaction
✨ Practical techniques for deep listening and meaningful conversations
✨ The role of trust, vulnerability, and curiosity in building relationships
✨ How authentic connection enhances leadership, collaboration, and belonging

​What to Expect

​• Authenticity, embodiment and self-reflection
• Storytelling and listening conversations
• Interactive activities on presence and emotional intelligence
• Small-group discussions on connection, leadership, and community within the INSEAD experience
• Practical insights you can apply immediately in both personal and professional settings

​This session offers a rare opportunity to slow down, reflect, and connect more intentionally with the people around you.

​About Ioana Popescu:

​Ioana Popescu is a Professor of Decision Sciences and holds the Strategy& Chair at INSEAD. She has a dual PhD in Operations Research and in Applied Mathematics from MIT, and a BA (summa cum laude) in Mathematics and Computer Science from Wellesley College.

For the past 20 years, Ioana has been researching a wide range of avenues for making decisions, based on theoretical models, data, emotions and, more recently, the body. In her work, she likes challenging assumptions and connecting fields. Owing to her math background, her research started off anchored in classical quantitative models of optimization and uncertainty. She then applied these models to develop practical pricing decision-support algorithms for organisations. Ioana brought the human element into this research field by incorporating emotions and biases into analytical decision models. With a purpose to serve the economically underprivileged, she developed structural models and field experiments to improve access to energy in Africa. Finally, because this work hasn’t actually helped her make better decisions, she is currently exploring embodied approaches to decision making.

Ioana is passionate about education. She teaches a variety of courses on decision making, to MBAs, executives and PhDs. She developed new courses, including the first business course on pricing analytics, and recently an experiential course on embodied decisions.

Ioana has received numerous accolades for her research and teaching, including the Best Teacher Award for MBA core courses and the Dean’s Commendation for Teaching Excellence. Her research was featured in leading academic journals, including Management Science, Operations Research, Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, Mathematics of Operations Research, and honoured with several research excellence awards, including the M&SOM Best Paper Award, the INFORMS Decision Analysis Best Student Paper Award, the INFORMS Junior Faculty Best Paper Award and a Nicholson prize finalist. In service to the academic community, Ioana has mentored several PhD students, held Associate Editor positions at the major journals and served on the academic board of ESMT.

Originally from Romania, Ioana has lived on four continents, and was honoured as a YGL (2009) by the World Economic Forum. She is an artist at heart and finds it difficult to write academic bios.