The value of a global perspective in Cambridge executive education

Meet Luis Armendaris

Luis is CEO of the USA-based Gordon Lewis Group, a technology consulting business that specialises in supporting private companies with their expansion into the Americas and providing services to government agencies.

“As a leader, I prioritise both innovation and the well-being of my teams, a people-first philosophy that drives our success. Given the critical importance of risk assessment in our work, I enrolled in the Integrating Risk into Strategic Decision-Making programme at Cambridge Judge Business School to enhance our approach to evaluating financial, political, cultural, and organisational risks.”

The attraction of Executive Education at Cambridge Judge Business School

“I completed my Executive MBA in the USA and have taken many executive courses at American Ivy League schools, but I was particularly attracted to Cambridge, as it’s recognised worldwide as an elite research institution for business. I knew it would be a great professional opportunity to gain knowledge from top educators and industry leaders.

“Being on-site at Cambridge Judge Business School was a big attraction. As a business leader, it’s often hard to find time to think and reflect. Being away from the office is an investment of time that allowed me to focus on the material in front of me and gave space for reflection and idea generation.”

Meeting exceptional people, from the faculty and in class

“Meeting peers during the course was very important to me. Although I take online courses too, the connection with people you meet in person is significant. I’m still in contact with some peers on my programme. They were outside my network and I wouldn’t have met them otherwise. This was a value that everyone on the course appreciated, I think.

“The people who led the programme were amazing. Not only were they great academics, but they also had direct experience with the material they were teaching. One had been a high-level executive at an oil company during a major crisis. Another had strong experience of entrepreneurship. They shared anecdotes of risk frameworks in practice and how it felt to use them under pressure.

“Business people can sometimes find academics a bit theoretical, but the Cambridge Judge course leaders had a great background in world class university research, blended with credible professional experience.”

Forward-thinking knowledge applied to real business challenges

“I learned about specific frameworks and tips for understanding complexity and uncertainty, such as BRAID, which I could immediately apply back in the office. The case studies and examples that were relatable to my business were very useful. They gave me ways to recognise risk tendencies in organisations, such as balancing and reinforcing loops, understanding unintended consequences, and delays between actions and feedback

“The approach was sophisticated – it went beyond covering obvious risks like finance or physical disasters. Instead, it also addressed performance risks, like how the way incentives are set up in the organisation could pose a risk to the business achieving its goals. That’s knowledge that I’ve taken back and applied directly in my organisation.

“At the end of each module, we were set up into teams to discuss and put into practice what we had learned. It was very interesting to engage with such a broad mix of people from diverse organisations like the NHS, energy and oil companies, IT and media. It gave me an insight into the different problems they face, opened up new perspectives and allowed us all to explore different kinds of risk.”

An enriching and inspiring Cambridge experience

“Attending the programme had an unforgettable personal impact on me. The Cambridge Judge team arranged a tour of the city, guided by someone incredibly knowledgeable about its history. That was a real highlight. The historic buildings, rich traditions, and scientific heritage of Cambridge are unique and inspiring.

“One night we had a formal dinner in one of the ancient College halls, which was a truly memorable experience. Another evening, we had a drink at The Eagle, a historic Cambridge pub with connections to the Allied airmen of World War II and the place where the discovery of the structure of DNA was announced.

“I’d recommend this programme to any global executive, particularly if you’re based in the USA or Latin America. It’s an enriching experience to meet people that you wouldn’t necessarily encounter back home and engage with common business challenges from such a wealth of different standpoints. It certainly fortified my global perspective – and I really did enjoy it.”

Time to ideate and discover new solutions

“Being at Cambridge Judge Business School gave me an opportunity to think and come up with new ideas and better solutions. There are many nuggets of wisdom from the course that you can’t help but connect them to your business when you get back to it. In the end, the programme not only helped me professionally but also inspired me personally, reinforcing my commitment to growth, innovation, and people-first leadership.”