Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Program
Invalid liquid data
Invalid liquid data
Program Overview: Berkeley Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Program
The Berkeley Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Program is designed to equip senior executives with the foresight, agility, and influence needed to navigate today's rapidly evolving business landscape. In an environment where business models are continually changing across industries and disruptions from global crises, shifting geopolitics, market volatility, and digital transformations present significant challenges, the expectations from CEOs are also evolving. This CEO Program will help you strengthen your ability to lead high performing teams, make consequential decisions, and drive strategic transformation. You will explore the forces redefining today’s business landscape—including digital transformation and AI—and learn how to evaluate and apply these innovations in ways that advance your broader organizational mission.
Through lectures by faculty experts and specialists, case studies, group and individual exercises, discussions with global leaders, and a capstone personal case project, the program bridges leadership theory with practical application to help you drive a lasting impact.
97%
55%
45%
AI Strategy for Chief Executive Officers
AI in Action
Explore real-world success stories from global leaders, illustrating how large-scale AI deployments are transforming industries, optimizing operations, and driving measurable impact.
Technical AI Leadership
Gain an in-depth understanding of foundational AI technologies — from neural networks and computer vision to natural language processing and machine learning. Learn how to apply these tools to design and implement scalable, high-performance AI solutions.
AI Strategy in Practice
Uncover proven frameworks for integrating AI into your business strategy. Learn to translate AI investments into measurable outcomes, accelerate innovation, and harness emerging technologies to create lasting competitive advantage.
Human–AI Collaboration
Lead your teams confidently through AI-driven transformation. Understand and address key ethical and operational considerations — including bias, fairness, data privacy, and trust — to foster responsible and effective human–AI partnerships.
Program Highlights
Immersive Learning
Engage with peers, faculty, and industry experts during two highly interactive in-person modules held on the UC Berkeley campus in California.
High Touch
Live online sessions, 8 days of in-person sessions with UC Berkeley faculty, executive coaching, and lectures by industry experts.
High Tech
Theater-style virtual classroom brings the world-class UC Berkeley experience to you, wherever you are.
Core Curriculum
In-depth core sessions in strategic thinking, innovation, culture, leadership, and more.
Capstone Personal Case Project
Apply your learnings to an enduring leadership challenge you are facing, and develop a personal case codifying the insights.
Real-World Application
Apply lessons learned to your business immediately.
World-Renowned Faculty
Learn from subject matter experts and global leaders.
Interactive Sessions
Take advantage of interactive learning with faculty, industry experts, and an accomplished peer group.
Peer Learning
Learn from high-achieving peers from around the globe and build your network.
Expand Your Network
Interact with peers, industry leaders, and faculty at the three-day in-person global leadership campus immersion, and graduation event.
Alumni Benefits
Earn select UC Berkeley Haas alumni benefits upon completion of the program.
What You Will Learn in the Berkeley Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Program
The Berkeley CEO Program delivers learning that prepares you to lead with clarity, influence, and strategic intent. Across three live core modules — one in-person and two live online, you will deepen your leadership capabilities, strengthen your decision-making, and expand your ability to mobilize teams and drive organizational transformation. Your learning journey includes immersive in-person experiences, interactive virtual sessions with world-class faculty, case-based discussions, and conversations with global leaders.
Transforming the Self (Leadership & Influence)
Power & Politics (Parts I & II)
Leading Effective Teams
Negotiation Simulations (e.g., Yerba Mate Case)
Decision-Making Under Pressure (Carter Racing)
The Art & Science of Persuasion (12 Angry Men)
Identifying Your Voice (Parts 1 & 2)
Leading with Focus and Cognitive Effectiveness
Your Leadership Style: What You Think It Is, What Others Think, and What It All Means
Transforming the Business (Strategy, Innovation & Growth)
Systems of Innovation: The Silicon Valley Ecosystem as a Model
Technical Platforms: A Framework for Understanding Innovation
Creating Value for Customers
The Four Playbooks of Innovation Strategy
Strategy in Global Competitive Markets
Corporate Strategy: M&A
Future-Proof: Leading and Succeeding in the Global Economy
Transforming the Organization (Leadership, Culture & Board Governance)
Managing the Board
Developing a High-Performance, Growth-Oriented Culture
Fostering Collective Intelligence to Innovate and Excel
Leadership Through Crisis
Organizational Canvas (Exercise)
Sustainability, Leadership & Ethics
Taking Action and Getting Traction
Note: Topics and sessions are subject to change.
This short course helps you gain an understanding of the basic applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in business. You will learn about current AI capabilities and potential, as well as the influence of automation, machine learning (ML), and robotics on business.
The Global Leadership Campus Immersion convenes annually at the UC Berkeley campus in the spring/summer (before the end of June), uniting you with participants from multiple program cohorts, including CEO, CTO, and CDO. This three-day event includes the campus immersion, guest speaker sessions, and valuable networking opportunities, along with other activities, culminating your program experience with a memorable and insightful
Program Schedule
Date | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Online access to Canvas and pre-program materials | June–July 2026 | Online |
Program Orientation | Prior to August 17, 2026 | Live Online |
Module 1: Leadership & Self-Mastery | 17–21 August, 2026 | Daily, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT | In Person | Five days at the Haas School of Business, on the UC Berkeley campus in California |
Module 2: Innovation & Competitive Strategy | September–October 2026 | Weekly, 8:00 to 11:15 a.m. PT | Live Online | Six Weeks |
Module 3: Organizational Culture & Leadership Execution | October–November 2026 | Weekly, 8:00 to 11:15 a.m. PT | Live Online | Six Weeks |
Module 4: Eight-Week Short Course (AI: Business Strategies and Applications) | January–March 2027 | Self-Paced |
Module 5: Global Leadership Campus Immersion | June 2027 | In Person | Three-day graduation and networking event on the UC Berkeley campus in California |
Campus Immersion at UC Berkeley
As a Berkeley CEO program participant, you will converge with other participants for the in-person module and subsequently the three-day Global Leadership Campus Immersion. During these sessions, you will engage with accomplished peers and gain insights from expert faculty and industry practitioners. The Global Leadership Campus Immersion brings together participants from multiple cohorts across various programs, facilitating your direct engagement with global thought leaders and expert faculty. It offers you networking opportunities, guest speaker sessions, and other activities for a meaningful culmination of your experience.
Capstone Personal Case Project
Across the Berkeley CEO Program experience, you will develop a Personal Case centered on a meaningful leadership challenge or opportunity in your role. Throughout the program, you will refine your thinking by applying insights from faculty sessions, peer discussions, and individualized guidance from Dr. Frank Schultz, your Personal Case Advisor.
Your Personal Case evolves across the year as you deepen your understanding of the challenge, explore alternative perspectives, and connect classroom learning to real-world decisions. During the on-campus Global Leadership Immersion, you will share a polished leadership narrative that captures your key insights, actions, and the impact of your learning journey.
Identify and articulate your leadership challenge
Analyze perspectives, pressures, and decision paths
Integrate program learnings and advisory feedback
Present your Personal Case during the Global Leadership Campus Immersion
Faculty
The Berkeley CEO Program is developed and taught by a team of UC Berkeley Haas faculty who are renowned experts and skilled educators with a focus on the sociological and psychological processes within organizations. They bring to the classroom their deep research capabilities and rich experience at some of the world’s most prominent enterprises. Through interactive lectures and real-life case studies, they will help you understand how core themes such as decision making, innovation, negotiation, diversity, and culture affect organizational performance. The world-renowned faculty will prepare you to reach and succeed in the highest-ranking role today.
Bank of America Dean and Professor of Management, Haas School of Business
Professor Jennifer A. Chatman holds a BA and PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. She co-founded and co-directs the Berkeley Center for Workplace Culture and Innov...
Continuing Lecturer | Entrepreneurship and Innovation
A faculty member of UC Berkeley’s Haas Business School and Graduate School of Information Science, he teaches Cal’s prestigious Entrepreneurship Program to MBAs, undergrads, a...
Associate Professor | Harold Furst Chair in Management Philosophy & Values
As a professor in the Management of Organizations group, Schroeder's research explores how people make social inferences about others. She is a faculty affiliate in the Social...
Who Is the Berkeley Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Program For?
The Berkeley CEO Program is designed for senior executives who are ready to accelerate their career to the highest level of leadership. It is designed for CEOs as well as for senior leaders who are identified as critical to a company's succession plan.
Participants are expected to have:
A minimum of 10 years of work experience
A demonstrated track record of leading regional/global teams and motivating by example
The agenda and ability to drive transformation in a complex, uncertain business environment
Substantial work experience, including significant time as a business leader, ideally across regions and cultures
Readiness to immerse themselves in a transformative learning experience that offers an opportunity for serious self-assessment
Fluency in written and spoken English
Hear from Our Participants
"The UC Berkeley Haas 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. The Berkeley Chief Executive Officer Program has helped me better recognize my strengths and take a more holistic approach to transformational change — particularly in blending strategy, culture, and leadership."
— Bhaskar Parthasarathy Participant of the Chief Executive Officer Program, UC Berkeley Executive Education
Certificate of Excellence
Upon completion of the Berkeley Chief Executive Officer Program, you will be awarded the Certificate of Excellence in Senior Executive Leadership from UC Berkeley Executive Education.
Note: This program results in a digital certificate of completion and is not eligible for degree credits/CEUs. After successful completion of the program, your verified digital certificate will be emailed to you in the name you used when registering for the program. All certificate images are for illustrative purposes only and may be subject to change at the discretion of Berkeley Executive Education.
Why UC Berkeley Executive Education?
UC Berkeley Executive Education delivers programs designed by forward-thinking faculty who bridge academic rigor with real-world impact and help drive innovation and thought leadership. You will gain access to the university's globally recognized expertise, including award-winning professors, cutting-edge research, and a front-row seat to innovation through its proximity to Silicon Valley.
This program offers a comprehensive learning environment by integrating both theoretical frameworks and practical application and is taught by leading faculty from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. It empowers senior executives to develop transformational leadership capabilities that drive organizational excellence and lasting impact.
FAQs
A CEO should have comprehensive leadership training that encompasses strategic thinking, organizational transformation, and team building. The Berkeley Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Program provides essential guidance in navigating volatility, driving innovation, and executing growth strategies. Through expert-led sessions, case studies, and real-world applications, executives develop the foresight and agility needed to lead in today's complex business environment. The course covers critical areas, including leadership styles, cultural development, and change management, to help senior leaders build high-impact teams and drive sustainable organizational success.
Learning to be a CEO requires the structured development of both strategic and interpersonal leadership skills. The Berkeley Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Program offers a proven pathway through an immersive learning experience that bridges theory with practical application. Participants engage with world-renowned UC Berkeley Haas faculty, accomplished peers, and industry practitioners through lectures, group exercises, and a capstone personal case project. This comprehensive approach, combined with insights from global leaders and hands-on learning methodologies, provides the transformational education needed to fulfill your potential as a senior leader and drive organizational excellence.
The Berkeley Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Program is a multimodular immersive learning journey that aims to provide participants with the tools and frameworks to lead innovation and drive transformation. You will learn about different leadership styles and craft one of your own to emerge as a dynamic visionary leader.
The CEO Program is designed for CEOs as well as executives who will take on a C-suite leadership position in the next phase of their career. Your duties and responsibilities include leading regional or global teams and you are ready to accelerate your career to the highest level of leadership.
The program has a total of three core modules and a short course. It includes five days of in-person immersion with faculty and practitioners on the Berkeley campus in California and concludes with a three-day networking event where you get to meet peers from multiple cohorts on campus.
UC Berkeley Center for Executive Education, dba Berkeley Executive Education, is a California nonprofit organization formed for the purpose of operating executive education programs in support of UC Berkeley and the Haas School of Business.
Upon completing the program, you will receive a Certificate of Excellence in Senior Executive Leadership and earn select Berkeley Haas alumni benefits.
Applications to the CEO Program are to be made online. Application fees vary by rounds. Applying earlier helps your chances of being accepted into the program.
Emeritus collects all program payments, provides learner enrollment and program support, and manages learning platform services.
For the program refund and deferral policy, please click the link here.
Program fees for Emeritus programs with UC Berkeley Executive Education may not be paid for with (a) funds from the GI Bill, the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Act of 2008, or similar types of military education funding benefits or (b) Title IV financial aid funds.
Connect with a Program Advisor for a 1:1 Session
Email: berkeley_ceo@emeritus.org
Phone: +1 567 485 3613 (U.S.) / +44 1313 812082 (U.K.) / +971 80 0035703815 (U.A.E.) / +52 55682 69035 (LATAM)