The AMBA & BGA Excellence Awards 2026 were held on January 23, 2026 at the exceptional Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington, London. The Awards brought together leading lights from the global business education community to celebrate excellence and commend achievement among business schools, MBA students and graduates, suppliers and employers.
The ceremony was attended by more than 200 business school leaders, as well as category finalists, judges and members of the media.
The AMBA MBA Director of the Year Award is central to upholding AMBA’s commitment to maintaining the MBA degree as the premier global business qualification. It celebrates Programme Directors who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and management of their MBA programmes, enabling their institutions to deliver truly transformative experiences that create meaningful opportunities for all participants.
Dr. Ferreira, an Associate Professor and Programme Director of the Modular MBA at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB), has helped to transform the school’s MBA programme into an innovative and globally recognised programme that leads in its combination of innovative structure, cutting-edge programming, commitment to impact and sustainability and successful reinvestment in the quality and diversity of its students. She has demonstrated a combination of leadership and managerial capacity (including as the direct line manager for the administrative staff supporting the MBA), strategic and marketing acumen, skill with stakeholders, deft management of both University and government bureaucracy and regulations - and, most fundamentally, an absolute commitment to the transformative experience of the MBA.
Remarking on the award, Dr Ferreira said: “I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition from AMBA and BGA. This award reflects the collective commitment of the UCT GSB MBA community to reimagining a uniquely African MBA with global relevance. I truly believe in the transformational power of the MBA journey and its ability to develop responsible leaders who understand the large-scale changes needed to secure a better future for all. We will continue to push the boundaries of what a contemporary MBA should be and position Africa as a source of insight for global management practice.”
Dr Catherine Duggan, the Director (Dean) of the UCT GSB, said: “I am so proud of Dr Ferreira and delighted that the extraordinary work she and the MBA team have done has received this exceptional recognition from AMBA & BGA. At the UCT GSB, our motto is ‘We shape the leaders who shape the future.’ Through its focus on leadership, impact, technology and sustainability, our MBA programme reflects our conviction that innovative learning approaches, cutting-edge research and opportunities for application are the best way for students to gain the insights that will allow them to navigate increasingly complex and uncertain contexts and shape the future they are confident is possible.”
Andrew Main Wilson, Chief Executive of the Association of MBAs and Business Graduates Association (AMBA & BGA) said: “On behalf of the AMBA & BGA team, I am thrilled to congratulate Dr Caitlin Ferreira, this year’s outstanding winner of the MBA Director of the Year Award 2026. This award recognises programme leaders who exemplify excellence in driving forward innovative, impactful and truly transformative MBA experiences. Caitlin’s achievements – from revitalising and reshaping her MBA programme to championing sustainability, diversity and student success – set an exceptional benchmark for business school leadership worldwide. It was inspiring to celebrate her remarkable contributions at our Gala Dinner, where we honoured the very best in global business education.”
“I would also like to thank our sponsors – Ready Education, GMAC and Cesim Business Simulations – whose ongoing support enables us to honour and elevate exceptional talent.”
Awards selection process
The finalists were shortlisted by AMBA & BGA’s senior management team. A panel of judges then reviewed the shortlisted entries, selecting a winner and a highly commended entry for each award. Our judging panel is made up of AMBA board members, business experts, deans and management leaders.
All of our judges were selected based on their experience and qualifications.
The winners and highly commended entries can be seen here.
This article first appeared on Association of MBAs.
