The Global Chairmen and Presidents ProgramNEW
The Global Chairmen and Presidents Program
Overview
Making high-stakes decisions in a global business environment demands more than experience—it requires insight into how the most influential markets operate. For Asia-based companies looking to lead globally, the United States remains an indispensable launchpad. From financial systems to consumer behavior and technological innovation, the US continues to define the pace and standards of global business. Gaining a deep understanding of the institutions, markets, and mindsets across the Americas is a critical step for any leader ready to expand on the world stage.
The Global Chairmen and Presidents Program delivers the tools to lead with clarity and strength in a complex, cross-border environment. With immersive modules in the Americas and Asia, this program blends economic analysis, technology trends, and leadership frameworks to sharpen decision-making and accelerate global impact. It’s a chance to step back, learn from world-class faculty and peers, and sharpen the strategies that drive long-term success.
Custom-built for Asia’s most senior business leaders, the program equips participants with the mindset, insights, and skills needed to thrive in a world defined by disruption and opportunity. Each element of the experience is designed to address the unique challenges of operating on the global stage—from geopolitical complexity to innovation leadership, organizational design, and long-term value creation.
Along the way, participants build powerful relationships with not just world-leading faculty, but also top business leaders and an elite network of peers across industries and regions—joining a lifelong community of global visionaries and changemakers.
Key Learnings
- Understanding the Global Economy and Financial Ecosystems: Explore the key drivers of international growth—trade flows, capital markets, monetary policy, and geopolitical shifts—and how they impact long-term business opportunity. Gain a clearer understanding of how financial institutions and global markets interact, and how to access capital and manage risk across regions. Based in New York City, at the heart of the global financial system, this learning experience includes direct exposure to the people, institutions, and innovations shaping the future of finance.
- Leading Innovation Across Technology and Media: Examine what makes innovation sustainable at scale, from R&D strategy to creative culture and cross-functional collaboration. Participants learn how leading tech and media companies generate ideas, promote agility, translate disruption into value, and leverage branding and marketing to differentiate in a competitive global economy —while identifying practical ways to bring those models into their own organizations.
- Building Competitive Global Supply Chains and Markets: Learn how to design resilient supply chains that respond to shifting costs, policy shifts, and customer needs across geographies. The program explores advanced sourcing, manufacturing, and go-to-market strategies that balance global reach with local responsiveness—empowering leaders to expand effectively across borders.
- Exploring Emerging Frontiers in Energy, Climate, and Space: Gain insight into industries that are reshaping the global economy and redefining infrastructure, sustainability, and innovation. This module helps leaders evaluate where future value will be created—from the energy transition to space commercialization—and how to startups can disrupt industries.
- Harnessing Artificial Intelligence and Technological Shifts: Understand how AI and emerging technologies are transforming industries, business models, and leadership itself. From automation to data-driven decision-making, participants learn how to assess tech readiness, lead digital investment, and learn the latest trends and breakthrough innovations directly from industry leaders.
- Making Strategic Decisions in Complex Global Environments: Strengthen your ability to lead through ambiguity by integrating global trends, enterprise data, and core values into strategic decision-making. This learning theme ties the program together— participants will come out of this capstone prepared to turn their company into a true global champion.
- Building a Global Network That Lasts: Form lasting relationships with faculty, guest speakers, and peers from multiple continents. Through immersive experiences, shared challenges, and ongoing alumni connections, participants join a global community of decision-makers dedicated to shaping the future of business.
Who Should Attend
This program is designed for:
- Chairmen, presidents, founders, and senior executives with enterprise-wide responsibility for strategy, growth, and leadership
- Business leaders from public and private companies headquartered in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and across Asia
- Asian executives leading global divisions or operations within Fortune 500 or multinational corporations
- Individuals whose company revenue, market capitalization, or personal net worth exceeds 1 billion RMB
- Decision-makers seeking to expand their global footprint, strengthen cross-border strategy, and lead confidently in complex international markets
Participants in this program represent an elite, high-impact peer group committed to shaping the future of business through bold vision, global perspective, and long-term value creation.
Program Structure
Our immersive The Global Chairmen and Presidents Program features eighteen modules delivered across key global markets—12 in the Americas and 6 in Asia. Between modules, participants join exclusive Asia-based gatherings designed to deepen regional insight and strengthen a powerful peer network that spans industries and borders.
OR
The Global Chairmen and Presidents Program is thoughtfully structured to provide a rich, global learning experience. Participants will spend:
- Module 1:
- March 23 – April 3, 2026 | New York
- Asia Learning Experience: Shanghai, May 25–28, 2026
- Module 2:
- September 21 – October 2, 2026 | San Francisco and Los Angeles
- Asia Learning Experience: Tokyo, December 2026
- Module 3:
- March – April 2027 | Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro
- Asia Learning Experience: Shenzhen, June 2027
- Module 4:
- September – October 2027 | Austin and Houston
- Asia Learning Experience: Beijing, December 2027
- Module 5:
- March – April 2028 | Toronto (Montreal)
- Asia Learning Experience: Singapore, June 2028
- Module 6:
- September – October 2028 | New York
Please note: Module dates are subject to change.
Program Content
The Global Chairmen and Presidents Program unfolds across six immersive modules, strategically delivered in business hubs across the Americas and Asia. From macroeconomic foresight to innovation leadership, each module is designed to deepen global perspective, sharpen decision-making, and expand enterprise-level impact.
Asia-based learning experiences between modules reinforce regional insight and cultivate a strong peer community of senior executives, shaping the future of business.
Module 1: Global Economic Forces and Financial Systems
This foundational module explores how global power and economic structures are evolving. In New York, participants examine shifts in trade, monetary policy, inflation, and investment behavior, with a focus on how financial systems can serve both risk and innovation. Sessions explore how firms should interpret macroeconomic trends and financial data to inform high-stakes capital allocation and global growth strategy.
In Shanghai, participants will engage with thought leaders and financial executives to understand the mechanics of China’s capital markets and the influence of its financial reforms on global finance and investment flows.
Participants Will:
- Evaluate structural economic changes impacting global industries
- Interpret the evolving role of financial institutions and markets
- Assess capital availability and allocation strategies
- Anticipate the impact of international policy and market integration
Dates
March 23 – April 3, 2026, New York City.
Asia Learning Experience: Shanghai, May 25–28, 2026
Please note: Module dates are subject to change.
Module 2: Innovation Architecture in Technology and Media
Participants explore how companies can become and remain innovative over time. In San Francisco, the focus is on why Silicon Valley remains the world’s leading innovation hub, and how digital infrastructure, VC culture, and organizational design fuel ongoing reinvention. In Los Angeles, the conversation turns to media and entertainment—industries built on creativity, global content production, and consumer insight.
In Tokyo, participants will experience firsthand the world’s top video game and immersive content ecosystem, diving into how Japanese firms lead through creative iteration, user engagement, and design-driven innovation.
Participants Will:
- Analyze innovation processes within tech and media organizations
- Compare ecosystem dynamics across digital and creative industries
- Identify levers to enhance organizational agility and innovation capability
- Extract lessons from leading firms’ R&D and product strategies
Dates:
September 21 – October 2, 2026 in San Francisco and Los Angeles
Asia Learning Experience: Tokyo, December 2026
Please note: Module dates are subject to change.
Module 3: Global Supply Chains and Market Strategies
This module explores how global businesses design systems to move products efficiently, responsively, and strategically. In Mexico City, participants examine a growing manufacturing base and North America’s integrated sourcing model. In Rio de Janeiro, they analyze how supply chains interact with natural resources, infrastructure constraints, and regional market expansion.
In Shenzhen, Asia’s most advanced manufacturing and logistics hub, participants gain deep exposure to how world-leading firms manage large-scale production, cross-border fulfillment, and fast-paced product cycles.
Participants Will:
- Design resilient, cost-effective international supply chains
- Evaluate sourcing and manufacturing ecosystems by region
- Align go-to-market strategies with cultural and economic contexts
- Enhance operational agility for multi-market responsiveness
Dates
March – April 2027 in Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro
Asia Learning Experience: Shenzhen, June 2027
Please note: Module dates are subject to change.
Module 4: Strategic Implications of Energy, Climate, and Space Innovation
This module examines the next generation of infrastructure innovation—from energy transition to space exploration. In Texas, participants explore how the state leads both fossil fuel production and the rapid scale-up of solar and sustainable technologies. In Houston, the program explores the booming commercial space sector and the intersection of defense, R&D, and entrepreneurial disruption.
In Beijing, participants visit China’s R&D hubs to understand how government policy, research institutions, and corporate investment drive innovation in climate and aerospace—two areas where global leadership is rapidly shifting.
Participants Will:
- Analyze strategic options in energy diversification and sustainability
- Understand innovation in space technologies and related industries
- Evaluate policy, investment, and technological drivers of infrastructure change
- Align enterprise objectives with long-term environmental and sectoral trends
Dates
September – October 2027 in Austin and Houston
Asia Learning Experience: Beijing, December 2027
Please note: Module dates are subject to change.
Module 5: Artificial Intelligence and Technology-Driven Transformation
This module examines how AI and related technologies are reshaping business decision-making, product development, and organizational structure. In Toronto, one of North America’s AI powerhouses, participants engage with scientists and executives driving machine learning, natural language processing, and algorithmic forecasting. They also explore how academic institutions, policy environments, and corporate partnerships support the responsible development and deployment of AI technologies.
In Singapore, participants examine how the city-state serves as a high-efficiency connector between major tech ecosystems—offering insights into regulatory foresight, public-private digital infrastructure, and scaling tech across borders.
Participants Will:
- Evaluate AI applications across operational and strategic domains
- Identify emerging technologies influencing their industry landscape
- Build frameworks for digital investment and capability development
- Assess readiness for technology integration and transformation
Dates
March – April 2028 in Toronto (Montreal)
Asia Learning Experience: Singapore, June 2028
Please note: Module dates are subject to change.
Module 6: Strategy Execution in Uncertain and Complex Environments
This capstone brings together the full spectrum of global, strategic, and organizational insights developed throughout the program. Participants will step back to evaluate how their leadership must evolve in complexity—integrating signals from economics, technology, talent, and purpose. The module emphasizes long-term thinking, decision-making under uncertainty, and the discipline to act with strategic clarity and conviction.
Drawing on real-world cases and peer dialogue, this final module equips participants to define the leadership legacy they want to create—and the global strategy they’ll use to build it.
Participants Will:
- Strengthen decision-making in complex, high-stakes settings
- Integrate program learning into strategic execution plans
- Define enterprise goals that align with shifting global dynamics
- Reflect on leadership style, vision, and long-term organizational impact
Dates
September – October 2028 in New York City.
Please note: Module dates are subject to change.
Learning Methodology
Global Insight, Local Immersion, Strategic Transformation
This program integrates a multidimensional learning approach, combining academic rigor with experiential depth across regions and industries. Each module is purposefully designed to create lasting impact through six core methods:
- Faculty-Led Dialogue and Global Thought Leadership: Engage with Columbia Business School faculty and guest experts to explore global trends in finance, innovation, technology, and strategy—always connected to real-time business implications.
- Immersive, Market-Based Learning: Experience firsthand the dynamics of major economic hubs through site visits, executive roundtables, and local case studies across the Americas and Asia.
- Peer Learning and Global Dialogue: Work alongside other senior executives navigating similar challenges across industries and geographies—the result: powerful, peer-driven learning that enhances perspective and decision-making.
- Asia Learning Experiences: Between modules, participate in targeted gatherings across Asia that reinforce local insight and sharpen global context.
- Capstone Integration and Leadership Reflection: In the final module, synthesize program learnings and map a global leadership strategy grounded in long-term value creation.
This dynamic methodology ensures participants don’t just learn about global business—they live it, connect through it, and lead from it.
Program Directors
Miklos Sarvary
Carson Family Professor of Business
Co-Faculty Director, Media and Technology Program
Vice Dean for Executive Education
Teaching Faculty
Distinguished guest faculty and thought leaders bring fresh perspectives and cutting-edge insights from diverse fields, enriching your learning with globally recognized expertise. Specialized experts, selected to address key themes and challenges, offer targeted knowledge and practical experience tailored to your needs. Together, this extraordinary team empowers you to develop the skills, mindset, and strategies to lead with confidence and purpose.
Patricia Marie Angus
Adjunct Professor of Business, Finance and Managing Director, Global Family Enterprise Program, Columbia Business School
Tano Santos
Robert Heilbrunn Professor of Asset Management and Finance
Director of the Heilbrunn Center for Graham and Dodd Investing
Wendy Sage-Hayward
Guest Lecturer
Senior Consultant, The Family Business Consulting Group;Academic Director, Family Enterprise Canada
Application Process
Your application will require that you assemble some basic information about you and your professional background. Importantly, the application is an opportunity for you to introduce yourself and tell us who you are through two short questions about your professional experience and the specific objectives you aspire to achieve by participating in the program. After you submit your application, we will be reviewing candidates on a rolling basis, and you can expect to hear from us once a decision has been made. We recommend submitting your application as early as possible