The Women Leaders Development Program is a pioneering initiative of the School, part of the activities of the Mauricio Levitin Executive Education Chair, which aims to promote the presence of women in senior management positions. The closing ceremony for the 2024 cohort took place on September 12 at WTC, 40th Floor.
To kick off the event, Ximena Fernández, PhD, academic coordinator of human resources programs, congratulated the participants on completing this phase, noting that“fostering the development of women leaders is a shared responsibility between individuals and organizational contexts.”
Under the theme “Leadership Conversations, ” program participants had the opportunity to interact in small groups, listen to a panel featuring guests from various fields, and attend a closing reception to build anetwork of meaningful connections with other female executives.
During the panel discussion moderated by Alan Cohn, MBA, academic coordinator of executive programs at the Graduate School of Business, the following participants shared their experiences and opinions : Mag. Sofía Harguindeguy, manager at Grant Thornton; Verónica Bustamante, BA, general manager at Scanntech; Andrea Bellolio, MA, executive director at Sembrando; and Laura Pássaro, BA, executive assistant at People Care Genexus and an alumna of the program.
Women Leaders
Grant Thornton has been contributing to the global " Women in Business" study for 20 consecutive years, in which 5,000 executives are interviewed. Sofía Harguindeguy noted that, looking at the trend since 2004, “there has been a substantial but very slow change” in the number of women in executive positions (rising from 19% to 33% in Latin America).
The key drivers of equity in the workplace are: a diversity and inclusion strategy with measurable goals, led by a senior executive within the company, and flexible work arrangements. These are the measures implemented by companies that have a higher proportion of women in leadership roles.
Sofía Harguindeguy, M.A.
For her part, Verónica Bustamante, CEO of Scanntech—a Uruguayan technology company that has just received over $40 million in private equity funding—stated that the key to achieving the desired results lies “in the team.” She recommended “taking the plunge and not being afraid”: “Fall down, get back up, learn from the experience, and start over.”
He emphasized the importance of always making decisions with a positive attitude. He even suggested “giving constructive feedback, even when it’s negative.”
Attitude is everything. Someone who is empathetic, hardworking, and committed to improving themselves to achieve results is what makes all the difference. It’s essential to surround ourselves with people who have a winning attitude.
Verónica Bustamante, B.A.
For her part, Andrea Bellolio, executive director of the Sembrando program, urged participants to always keep the concept of intrapreneurship in mind, stating that women should consider starting a business while simultaneously building their careers. “Entrepreneurship is also for professionals. To get where we are, we work longer hours, study twice as hard, and strive for continuous improvement.”
Laura Pássaro, a 2023 alumna, said she has seen a change since completing the Women Leaders Development Program. “It doesn’t happen overnight, but it empowers you and enriches you with new experiences; it takes you to the next level. The program has inspired me to take concrete action.”
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The program participants are at different stages of their careers and come from various fields, including female executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals in human resources, finance, accounting, taxation, and coaching, among others.
The event was attended by representatives from “Women in Aviation, Travel & Tourism, ” a training scholarship program for women in the aviation, travel, and tourism industries sponsored by Corporación América Airports.
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Women Leaders Development Program