The UCLA - UAI Global Executive MBA for the Americas program welcomed its inaugural class in October 2011 under the leadership of Executive Director Bob Pettit and Faculty Director Mike Hanssens. Similar to GEMBA for Asia-Pacific, the program is built around four key locations in the region: Miami, Los Angeles, Santiago, and São Paulo.

The first cohort is comprised of 19 students who represent the diverse nationalities of Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Nicaragua, Guatemala, India, South Korea and Canada, in addition to the United States. Program participants come from such notable organizations as Coca-Cola, DirecTV, LAN Airlines, Walmart, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, YUM! Restaurants, ThyssenKrupp, Northrup Grumman and ICA. The depth of experience of all participants is outstanding. For example, one has overall responsibility for building a hydroelectric dam and power plant near the third largest city in Mexico. Our partner institution Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez (UAI) was recently named the No. 1 business school in Latin America for the second year in a row by América Economía. The next program cycle will begin in April 2013.