With a solid track record as an entrepreneur and a longstanding association with DESEM, Saibene is a distinguished alumnus of ORT’s Graduate School of Business.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOQdyti2_wk
DESEM Junior Achievement, with more than 34 years of experience in Uruguay, has already worked with over 200,000 young people across the country. The organization, which operates in some 300 schools across the 19 departments, focuses primarily on teenagers between the ages of 15 and 20.
Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship
“The goal is to ‘build bridges and prepare young people for the future, equipping them for the world to come,’” Saibene said.
This initiative is based on three pillars: entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and preparing for the future.
The programs offered by DESEM are divided into:
- Educational experiences designed to inspire young people to “strive for more.”
- Targeted training on specific topics.
- Programs that allow young people to get involved in a business project for several weeks. This is where the iconic Youth Enterprise program comes in.
Saibene maintains a personal and professional connection with DESEM. He joined the organization in 2002, when he was a senior in high school: “We set up our own company, with an organizational chart, a logo, and a name; we made the product, went out to sell it, handled all the finances of that small youth-run business, then shut it down, distributed the profits, and carried out the entire process as if we were young teenage entrepreneurs.”
He then held various other roles within the organization, starting as a volunteer and advisor before becoming a board member.
Now, as honorary president, Saibene faces the challenge of revitalizing the foundation’s board of directors by bringing in new members while ensuring the continuity of a highly experienced team.
There is a very interesting strategic challenge: preparing for the future of education.
Juan Pablo Saibene, B.S. in Engineering, MBA
Education, he said, is being challenged by the digital transformation, particularly by generative artificial intelligence. “Even before that, I think there was already a major challenge: adapting educational models to a generation that requires a different kind of stimulation, that leads a different kind of life—with countless extracurricular activities, a very busy schedule, and children with diverse interests.”
The challenge, he concluded, is to keep these young people engaged by adapting teaching methods.
The training that defines leadership
Juan Pablo Saibene began his studies at Universidad ORT Uruguay ing in Telecommunications Engineering. A few years later, he earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Graduate School of Business at the Faculty of Administration and Social Sciences. He also completed the Board Management Program at the same school.
He currently serves as CEO of Qualabs, a video-focused software development company that he founded in 2015.
To successfully lead an organization as large and complex as DESEM, Saibene explained that it is essential to gain expertise in areas such as:
- Strategy. It is crucial to understand what the organization does well, what its mission is, and where it should focus its efforts. You must resist the temptation to pursue every external opportunity, instead prioritizing what is truly aligned with your strengths and competitive advantages.
- Leadership. The challenge lies in being a hands-on leader who is actively involved with the team on a day-to-day basis. This type of leadership is not about imposing directives, but rather about envisioning, synthesizing, and leveraging everyone’s ideas to create something together.
- Finance. In an organization with a substantial budget, it would be impossible to manage resources effectively without specific expertise.
Learn more about the graduate program
Master of Business Administration (MBA)