Meet the Cambridge MBA class of 2026

The cohort of the Cambridge MBA Class of 2026 comprises seven individuals with diverse professional backgrounds, including entrepreneurs, military officers, AI specialists, sustainability leaders, and creative industry professionals. The group includes Adiba Arif from Bangladesh, who has experience in talent and organizational effectiveness; Cathy Wu from Australia and New Zealand, who has worked in AI strategy and product consulting; Isabel Buzbee from the US Navy, transitioning into finance; Enrique Bendana from Paraguay, co-founder of a fintech company; Federico Grumo from Italy, with a background in performing arts and project management; Mandy Chan from Canada, with experience at international organizations; and Solveig Herzum from Italy, with a background in filmmaking and media.
The individuals share varied aspirations for their time at Cambridge, ranging from gaining global leadership skills to exploring specific domains like AI governance, financial markets, entrepreneurship, and creative strategy. Some members are focused on applying their past experiences to new areas, such as Isabel Buzbee transitioning to development finance or Enrique Bendana seeking frameworks for scaling impact. The group is characterized by a blend of practical, cross-sector experience and a shared interest in experiential learning, connecting diverse disciplines under the umbrella of business education.

* Adiba Arif is from Bangladesh and has experience in talent, organizational effectiveness, and inclusion.
* Cathy Wu is from Australia and New Zealand, specializing in AI strategy and product consulting, including launching mobile digital banking experiences in Malaysia.
* Isabel Buzbee is from the USA and Spain, a US Navy officer transitioning to finance.
* Enrique Bendana is from Paraguay and co-founder/CEO of fintech company Vaquita.
* Federico Grumo is from Italy, with a background in performing arts and international project management.
* Mandy Chan is from Canada, with experience at the United Nations Human Rights Office and the World Economic Forum.
* Solveig Herzum is from Italy, with a background in filmmaking and media production.
* The cohort consists of seven members.
* Adiba Arif’s proudest achievement involved leading an organizational transformation in a Fortune 500 South Asia company using data.
* Cathy Wu's experience involved building digital payments across more than five countries.
* Isabel Buzbee achieved the Surface Warfare Supply Corps Officer qualification in the US Navy.
* Enrique Bendana’s fintech company served over 150,000 Paraguayans.

The composition of this cohort demonstrates a deliberate convergence of high-level, cross-sectoral expertise. The individuals bring experiences spanning large-scale organizational transformation, cutting-edge technology (AI), complex financial systems, entrepreneurship in emerging markets, and creative industries. This intentional diversity suggests an assumption that future complex problems require synthesized perspectives from these disparate fields. The stated goals—to leave Cambridge equipped to tackle "complex problems alongside people with different perspectives"—align with the structure of the experience itself, suggesting the value lies not just in accumulating knowledge but in forging the cognitive space necessary for interdisciplinary synthesis.
A key pattern emerging is the movement toward applying external frameworks to internal realities: Adiba applied data to organizational change; Cathy applied technology to financial services; Isabel seeks to apply military discipline to finance; and Enrique seeks new frameworks for entrepreneurship. This reflects a dynamic where specialized expertise is sought not merely for career progression but as raw material for novel solutions. The emphasis on personal narrative—the desire to "unlock doors" or "carry the Cambridge legacy"—suggests that cognitive sovereignty in this context is framed as the ability to reframe one's unique trajectory into a globally relevant contribution.
The tension lies between the highly specific, achievement-oriented achievements (e.g., military qualifications, specific product launches) and the overarching philosophical aims (e.g., global leadership, sustainable practice). The implication is that resilience in this environment requires holding the specificity of one's unique journey while actively engaging with the broader systemic challenges. What is not explicitly detailed is the mechanism by which these diverse inputs will interact to create truly novel structures; the success hinges on how effectively the group mediates between operational expertise and abstract vision.
Bridge Questions: How do the specific experiential anchors (e.g., military service, fintech founding) influence the application of abstract leadership theories within the classroom? What mechanisms can be established to ensure that deep sectoral knowledge does not lead to siloed thinking, but actively fosters true cross-pollination between fields like AI governance and creative strategy? If this cohort's ultimate goal is shaping regulation or sustainable organizations, what critical perspectives are currently underrepresented in the stated professional profiles?