Inspiring leadership for impact: Summa Equity’s CEO Learning Journey at Harvard Business School
Summa convened its portfolio CEOs for a CEO Learning Journey at Harvard in Cambridge. The event aimed to offer insightful content, strengthen community and peer learning, and provide practical tools for effective leadership.
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At Summa, we believe that great leadership and future-proof strategies are essential for solving global challenges. That is why we invest in initiatives like this—equipping leaders with insights and tools to create meaningful change.
Read further to learn the key takeaways from the lineup of experts joining the event:
Professor Hitendra Wadhwa
Professor Hitendra Wadhwa (The Mentora Institute & Columbia Business School) led an engaging session on changemaking leadership, where CEOs practiced actionable techniques in real time.
- Storytelling is powerful—everyone has impactful stories to share.
- Leaders should strive for commitment, not compliance.
- Leadership behaviors can be trained—and AI may soon play a role!
George Serafeim
Professor George Serafeim (Harvard Business School) challenged the group to rethink opportunities and unlock new markets.
- What some see as risks, others see as opportunities.
- A strong purpose helps leaders navigate and overcome failures.
- Think “market development” rather than just product development or sales.
Professor Linda Hill
Professor Linda Hill (Harvard Business School) wrapped up the event with an insightful discussion on executing innovation at scale.
- She shared stories of transformational leadership from MasterCard, Pfizer, and others.
- Leadership behaviors that drive successful change can be cultivated.
Held at the Harvard Faculty Club, experienced coaches supported the CEOs—many of them successful operators—who will continue to guide them beyond the event. Summa Partners also joined, reinforcing our commitment to leadership, value creation, and purpose—all at the heart of Summa’s mission.
Thank you to:
- Our CEOs for their engagement
- The professors for their inspiring expertise
- The coaches for their invaluable guidance
- The Summa leadership team for making this journey possible
This event provided a meaningful peer-learning opportunity that will continue to support the development of our leaders and their impact.
Best,
Stephanie Caspar, Partner, Head of Portfolio & Via Summa &
Carine Beer, Chief People Officer to Via Summa
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