DIRECTOR’S DESPATCH
A NATURAL APPROACH TO LEADERSHIP Travelling to Latin America provided some intriguing insights for director of business school engagement at AMBA & BGA Debbie Kemp , including the human premium in an AI world, the use of nature as a business model and how experiential learning on the Inca Trail can develop teamwork and resilience
I am writing this from a hotel in Cusco, Peru, reflecting on a remarkable few days that began with the AMBA & BGA Latin America Conference in Lima and ended with a personal challenge: trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. At first glance, a management education conference and a four-day trek through the Andes might seem worlds apart. Yet both offered powerful lessons about the future of business: how we use technology, how we lead and collaborate and how we create meaningful impact. AMBA & BGA’s conference agenda balanced discussions about leading in the age of AI with conversations about collaboration and human connection. Our opening keynote from Microsoft Peru general manager Mario Rodriguez Rossi challenged us to embrace how AI is reshaping every industry and combine human ingenuity with machine intelligence. As AI becomes increasingly capable, Rodriguez said, schools must focus on developing students’ uniquely human qualities, such as creativity, curiosity, critical thinking, empathy, judgement and collaboration. This is where the human premium lies and students must advance from simply
using AI tools to becoming confident in working alongside AI teammates – an ability they will increasingly need in their future careers. There were more inspiring approaches to leadership development on offer from our other keynote speakers and one distinctive theme was the relationship between business, nature and sustainability. We explored the provocative idea that nature could be the next business model and how business education and research can contribute to a more sustainable future – a key principle of BGA. It’s an idea with particular relevance to Latin America, one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. Peru, for example, is home to extraordinary ecological diversity and a country where nature is not simply something to protect; it is also deeply connected to communities, livelihoods and economic development. I felt this first-hand – and got my own taste of experiential learning – when I swapped the conference room for the mountains and embarked on a four- day, 45km trek along the Inca Trail. The journey was all the more refreshing given that participants had no connection to the outside world. However, it also involved more than
71,000 steps, relentless climbs and descents, no hot showers and on day two, a serious consideration of why I hadn’t simply taken the train. What kept me going? Firstly, an incredible group of fellow travellers who encouraged each other to take one step at a time and an experienced guide who knew when to lead by setting the pace and when to walk alongside the person who needed encouragement. My stamina also got a boost from history lessons, extraordinary views, cultural exchanges and the entrepreneurial spirit of local people. And, admittedly, a healthy dose of stubbornness to reach Machu Picchu, which did not disappoint when it finally appeared through the clouds. The Inca Trail reminded me why experiential learning matters. We don’t develop leadership simply by reading about it. We develop it by navigating uncertainty, working with others, adapting and discovering what we are capable of. In my case, the experience became a lesson in leadership, teamwork and resilience, leaving me with not only with a sense of achievement, but also new friends, unforgettable memories and a deep affection for Peru.
38 Business Impact • ISSUE 5 • 2026
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