For Bhaskar Parthasarathi, a chief procurement officer with over two decades of global experience, leadership has always meant navigating complexity in real-world business environments. Seeking to strengthen his executive leadership skills for complex real-world challenges, he chose this immersive executive education program to gain insights, expand networking opportunities, and prepare for broader enterprise leadership responsibility. In this Berkeley CEO Program review, Bhaskar shares his journey through the Berkeley Chief Executive Officer Program at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business.
In Conversation with Bhaskar Parthasarathi
What factors influenced your decision to enroll in the Berkeley Chief Executive Officer Program?
With lifelong learning deeply embedded in my DNA, enrolling in the Berkeley CEO Program was a conscious decision to refresh my skills and further build on my leadership capabilities. This intrinsic motivation allowed me to be fully present and deeply immersed, ensuring I derived maximum value from the experience.
How did you manage the demands of the Berkeley CEO Program alongside your responsibilities as a senior leader?
My passion for continuous learning enabled me to consciously prioritize the program despite competing priorities. By being intentional about my time and engagement, I was able to balance my responsibilities while fully committing to the learning journey.
How did interactions with Berkeley faculty and your peer cohort shape your thinking as a senior leader?
The Berkeley faculty brought exceptional value through their academic rigor, diverse thought leadership, and rich experience working with global leaders. Equally impactful was my peer cohort, which was truly global and diverse in perspectives and backgrounds. These interactions pushed me beyond my comfort zone—where real growth happens—and broadened my thinking.
Has the Berkeley CEO Program experience changed the way you now evaluate, prioritize, or drive strategic initiatives across your enterprise? If yes, how?
Yes, the Berkeley CEO Program has helped me better recognize my strengths and take a more holistic approach to transformational change—particularly in blending strategy, culture, and leadership. This systems-based perspective has strengthened my ability to drive initiatives related to organizational capability uplift and performance, and it continues to guide how I approach enterprise-wide transformation.
What would you say to a business leader who is considering the Berkeley CEO Program but is unsure whether it’s worth the investment?
This has been one of the best learning decisions I have made. The program combines the rigor of a top global business school with Berkeley’s Silicon Valley heritage, creating a powerful learning environment. I am deeply grateful for this journey of self-discovery and growth—it has added immense value to my skills and enhanced my impact as a leader.
About the Berkeley CEO Program
As Bhaskar’s Berkeley CEO program review demonstrates, the Chief Executive Officer Program, designed by the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, blends rigorous case studies, research-driven frameworks, and access to world-renowned faculty to deliver both strategic depth and practical real-world application.
Through its carefully designed curriculum, the Chief Executive Officer Program enables participants to strengthen executive leadership capabilities while gaining actionable insights they can immediately apply within their organizations. Key elements of the program include:
- Deep exploration of influence, negotiation, and high-stakes decision-making
- Strategy, innovation, AI, and governance frameworks relevant to evolving business environments
- Real-world case studies that bridge theory and practice
- Executive coaching and peer learning focused on real leadership challenges
- A three-day Global Leadership Campus Immersion that enhances networking opportunities and fosters lasting professional relationships
- Access to select Berkeley Haas alumni benefits, extending the learning experience into a powerful global network
Dive Deeper
Take a deep-dive into this topic and gain expert, working knowledge by joining us for the programs that inspired it!
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