Cañizares Alumni Award

The award recognizes outstanding alumni from Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management with international careers in emerging markets. The goal of the award is to engage alumni with the center, to benefit its mission, and raise awareness of the long history of the Johnson School’s contribution to global businesses.

Mission

Raises awareness that Cornell University and the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management both have a long history of global business contributions.
Engages alumni with the center to benefit its mission and students.
Recognizes outstanding Cornell Johnson alumni who have dedicated their careers to international and emerging markets.

Nomination criteria

Nominees are considered for the award based on the following criteria:

Professional & business career accomplishments

Business performance

Consistently exceed performance goals while building balance across national and global perspectives.
Discerning strategy: Understand where and how to build financially sustainable and resilient businesses in the context of volatile markets and/or economic crises.
Adapt quickly to the fluctuating economics of business.
Understand markets to make optimal strategic choices.
Able to innovate.

Career track record

Growth progression.
Geographical breadth (# and variety of emerging and developed markets).
Comfort with uncertainty and volatility and a demonstrated ability to make decisions with incomplete information.
Manage cultural sensitivity.
Courage.

Purposeful leadership & management style

Understand the unique characteristics of emerging markets: inequality, demographics, level of schooling, drive for entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, improving biodiversity, adaptation/mitigation of climate change risks, etc.
Build a culture based on trust.
In alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and adopt environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards.
Agent of Change: approach business innovation with a “multi-stakeholders’ mindset”. (View opportunities for the firm/ organization to generate upward career/economic mobility.)
Balance conflicting goals of “high growth/high returns” with societal demands on equity, inclusion and sustainability.
Reject corruption from business or governments partners.

Contributions to social & human development

Employees and their families

Sharpen training on critical skills by focusing employees on requirements that include high flexibility and resilience.
Enable career growth, stimulate mobility and foster optimism in times of systemic instability.
Promote curiosity by driving open-mindedness and continuous learning.

Integrity and equity

Multicultural “core soft skills” of knowledge, understanding and cultural empathy.
Constructive ethical practices.
Visible.
Exemplary ethical/principled leadership.

Industry, community and region

Focus business behavior around the potential for long-term friendship/partnerships, instead of being entirely driven by short-term results.
Prioritize a strong network of human connection, approach them with humility and curiosity to drive open-mindedness and learning in countries and industries to cooperate on common social goals.
Development agent: approach business as a way to contribute to sustainable upward human/economic mobility for the people in emerging markets.

How to nominate

Have an alumni (you?) you want to nominate? Please submit their name and information to us.

Nomination form

Awardees

2025 Cañizares award for distinguished alumni

We are proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Cañizares Annual Award for Distinguished Alumni in International Business and Emerging Markets, marking the first year with two honorees:

Esohe Denise Odaro, MBA ’09, Head of Sustainable Finance and Transition, HSBC
Wendell Huang, MBA ’86, CFO, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Taiwan

These outstanding alumni have demonstrated exceptional leadership and impact in emerging markets.
More details about their achievements will be added to the website soon.

2024 Cañizares award for distinguished alumni

Eduardo Padilla Silva, MBA ’81, has been awarded the 2024 Cañizares Annual Award for Distinguished Alumni in International Business and Emerging Markets. The award received the record of nominations this year.

Eduardo joined FEMSA in 1997 as Director of Strategic Planning and Control, and in January 2000 he became CEO of FEMSA Strategic Businesses (Packaging, Logistics and Retailing). At the same time he also assumed CEO of FEMSA’s Retail Operation. During his tenure, FEMSA’s flagship proximity store chain, OXXO, grew to become the largest small-format chain in the Americas, while achieving industry leading profitability levels. In January 2016 he was appointed Chief Corporate Officer of FEMSA, and since January 2018 he served as FEMSA’s CEO until December 2021. Prior to joining FEMSA, Eduardo spent 19 years at another major Mexico-based corporation, ALFA, where he rose to be CEO of its Carpets and Rugs operation, Terza. He holds a BS in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering from ITESM (Tec de Monterrey), and an MBA from Cornell University. Currently Eduardo is a consultant and serves as Chairman of the Board at Signature Aviation, and also serves on the Board of Directors of other several corporations and institutions such as Sigma Alimentos, Grupo Lamosa, Proeza, Tiendas Coppel and Universidad Tecmilenio.

2023 Cañizares award for distinguished alumni

Heather Henyon, MBA ’03 was awarded the 2023 Cañizares Annual Award for Distinguished Alumni in International Business and Emerging Markets.

A Cornell MBA graduate and a seasoned expert in finance, technology, and strategy, has dedicated her career to a noble and impactful cause: empowering women entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. From receiving the prestigious 2023 Cañizares Award to founding Mindshift Capital, Henyon’s story is one of determination, vision, and unwavering commitment to social change. Join us as we celebrate her achievements and explore how her efforts are reshaping the world of business and investment. Read more about Heather.

2022 Cañizares award for distinguished alumni

Paul Kavuma, MBA ’93, Founder & CEO at Catalyst Principal Partners, was awarded the inaugural Cañizares Annual Award for Distinguished Alumni in International Business and Emerging Markets.

Paul has over 25 years of management consulting, entrepreneurial, investment banking, private equity and social impact experience, with a depth and diversity of international and Africa-focused operational, strategic, governance, impact, mentorship and leadership credentials. Read more about Paul and the award here.