Celebrating the Peruvian MBA Community and Building Bridges Back Home

As a first-year MBA student at Yale SOM, I’ve spent the past several months immersed in a curriculum that challenges us to think globally, lead responsibly, and find purpose in our work. But sometimes, the most powerful lessons come from outside the classroom—through connection with those who share your roots and your hopes for the future. That was the experience I had at the recent MBA Peru Conference at Columbia Business School.

The event brought together over 200 Peruvian MBA students and alumni from top programs across the U.S. and Europe, along with leaders from some of Peru’s most prominent companies. I was able to attend thanks to sponsorship from SOM’s Office of Inclusion and Diversity, which recently launched a new initiative to send students to affinity-based conferences. Over a weekend, we engaged in panels and conversations focused on four central themes: finance, economic engines, entrepreneurship, and post-MBA leadership. What emerged was a powerful exchange of ideas—not just about the future of Peru, but about our role in shaping it.

One of the most impactful voices was that of Roque Benavides, a leading figure in Peru’s mining industry and broader business community. With characteristic candor, he discussed the centralism that continues to dominate our country’s development. His call to action was clear: we must drive decentralization; support entrepreneurs in ways that go beyond providing capital; and harness technology in industries where Peru already excels, such as mining, fishing, and agribusiness. This message hit close to home for me. Both of my parents were born and raised in Arequipa, a city rich in culture and talent, yet often left behind when it comes to access and resources. Roque’s words reminded me how personal these structural issues can be, and how important it is to work toward a more equitable distribution of opportunities across the country.

Another standout moment came from Carlos Zuzunaga, a recognized leader in LatAm’s consulting industry, whose talk took a more personal and reflective tone. He offered a refreshingly honest perspective on career uncertainty and risk-taking, one that many of us in business school can relate to. His straightforward advice for post-MBA life was to jump into the pool and trust that uncertainty will foster creativity and growth. His message reminded me that some of the most transformative moments in life come when we embrace the unknown and bet on ourselves.

Beyond the speeches and panels, what made the MBA Peru Conference truly meaningful was the sense of shared mission. Engaging with fellow Peruvian MBAs—many of whom I was meeting for the first time—sparked conversations about careers, community, purpose, and how we can return value to Peru after our experiences abroad. It felt like a collective commitment to shaping a more inclusive, innovative, and resilient country.

It’s also been inspiring to witness how Peru’s presence at Yale SOM is growing. In 2023, three Peruvians enrolled in the full-time MBA program. In 2024, that number jumped to five—the school’s all-time high. We’re proud of this momentum and confident that our community will continue to grow, bringing diverse voices and ideas into the Yale SOM ecosystem.

Yale SOM has taught me to approach leadership with both analysis and heart. This conference echoed that lesson: to be bold, stay grounded, and always keep our broader impact in view. I came back to New Haven energized by the ideas shared, and the sense of unity and possibility that defined the weekend.

About OID’s External Partnership and Travel Initiative:

Yale SOM and OID are committed to enhancing equity and inclusion in our student community and with our external partners. As we prepare our students to be leaders in business and society, it is important to build relationships with potential collaborators, stay informed on current trends in our industry, and showcase our expertise to a wider audience. To facilitate this, we launched the External Partnership and Travel initiative, which allows us to sponsor attendance for SOM students at domestic and international affinity-based conferences.