BMI Executive Institute proudly celebrated another milestone in its history: for the first time, two International Executive MBA intakes within a single year, with the spring cohort now celebrating its graduation in Vilnius.
The ceremony brought together graduates, families, friends, faculty, academic partners, alumni, and distinguished guests to recognise academic excellence, strategic thinking, entrepreneurship, and the lasting connections built throughout the Executive MBA journey.|
Jurga Bendikaitė-Ursavas, Director General of BMI Executive Institute, opened the ceremony, congratulating the graduates on their dedication, resilience, and willingness to embrace change. She highlighted the importance of curiosity, lifelong learning, and the support of families and colleagues throughout this demanding journey.
The graduating cohort brought together executives from 11 industries, with an average of 10 years of management experience. With 90% holding top and senior management positions and 30% serving on boards, the class reflected the diversity and leadership experience at the heart of BMI’s international learning community.
Celebrating Excellence and Achievement
The ceremony welcomed distinguished guests and academic partners who joined BMI to recognise the graduates’ outstanding achievements:
🔸 Rolandas Valiūnas, Co-Chair of the BMI Board, Managing Partner at Ellex Valiūnas, and alumnus of BMI’s first Executive MBA class.
🔸 Prof. Dominique Rouziès, Academic Dean of BMI Executive Institute and Professor at HEC Paris.
🔸 Assoc. Prof. Asta Kyguolienė, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management at Vytautas Magnus University.
🔸 Prof. James Thewissen, Vice-Dean of Corporate Relations at Louvain School of Management (UCLouvain), Academic Programme Director of BMI’s joint Executive MBA in Brussels.
🔸 Sigita Zulonienė, Chief Operating Officer at Lithuanian Business Angel Network (LitBAN).
Their participation reflected BMI’s strong international academic partnerships and its commitment to connecting academic excellence with real business challenges and opportunities.
This year’s award recipients were:
⭐ Best Capstone Project in Strategy Award – Bas Kooijmann, presented by Rolandas Valiūnas.
⭐ Dean’s Awards for Outstanding Academic Achievements – Monika Laukaitė and Živilė Kačerauskienė, presented by Prof. Dominique Rouziès and Assoc. Prof. Asta Kyguolienė, respectively.
⭐ Discovery Award – Jonas Valuta and Mantas Minsevičius, presented by Prof. James Thewissen. Friends since their school years, the two graduates embarked on their EMBA journey together and completed all eight elective modules, demonstrating exceptional curiosity and commitment to learning.
⭐ Best Company Creation Capstone Project Award – Eglė Kamantauskaitė, Andrej Kosiakov, and Audra Kondrotė for their project CARELINK – Ambulatory Nursing Care at Home, presented by Sigita Zulonienė.
A particularly meaningful moment was the introduction of the Faculty Award for Excellence, presented for the first time by class representatives Monika Laukaitė and Jonas Valuta to Amy Carroll. Chosen by the graduates themselves, the award recognised the lasting impact of outstanding teaching on their Executive MBA experience.
A Community That Continues Beyond Graduation
The ceremony also celebrated the connections and friendships formed throughout the programme. Class representatives Monika Laukaitė and Jonas Valuta shared reflections on their journey, highlighting the shared experiences and sense of community that made their cohort special.
Representatives of the BMI Alumni Executive Club welcomed the graduates into the wider alumni community, marking the beginning of a new chapter of professional connections, collaboration, and lifelong learning.
BMI extends its sincere gratitude to its academic partners, faculty, families, employers, and the entire BMI team for their dedication and support throughout the journey and for making this graduation celebration so memorable.
To the International Executive MBA Class of 2026 – congratulations on this remarkable achievement! May the knowledge, friendships, and perspectives gained at BMI continue to inspire stronger decisions, meaningful leadership, and lasting impact.
