BMI Executive Institute (BMI EI) has been shaping leaders for more than two decades — but its boldest move came in 2020, when it expanded beyond Baltics and established a new base in Brussels. At the heart of the European Union, this step marked more than a geographic shift. It was a commitment to strengthening leadership across borders.
Shortly after opening its doors in Belgium, BMI EI discovered Benelux Baltics in Business (BBinB) — and a natural partnership began to form. “We immediately felt a shared vision in BBinB’s mission to connect and empower Baltic professionals in the Benelux,” says Jurga Bendikaitė-Ursavas, Director of BMI Executive Institute. “That alignment made it easy to step in as an official Knowledge partner and contribute what we do best: world-class executive education.”
Founded in 1999, BMI EI has trained over 1,000 executives through its internationally accredited Executive MBA program and nearly 10,000 more through short-form executive training. Its network spans more than 30 countries and includes top-tier business schools such as HEC Paris and UCLouvain. But entering the Benelux market came with new challenges. “We had to rebuild trust and credibility from the ground up,” Jurga recalls. “It was a mature, highly international business environment — and our reputation from the Baltics didn’t automatically transfer.”
That’s where BBinB played a vital role. Through warm connections, annual events, and access to a like-minded professional community, BMI EI found a way to both contribute and learn. “BBinB gave us a front-row seat to the needs and aspirations of the region,” Jurga explains. “It wasn’t just networking — it was listening, learning, and co-creating value with the local business community.”
As a Knowledge partner, BMI EI continue playing an active role in BBinB’s events — by bringing academic insights into conversations around innovation, leadership, and cross-border collaboration. In turn, those engagements lead to stronger brand awareness, deeper local relationships, and sharper insight into how best to serve the region’s internationally minded professionals.
“Our collaboration with BBinB has been both natural and mutually enriching,” Jurga says. “It’s more than a platform — it’s a community that opens real doors.”
The long-term partnership has helped BMI EI refine its approach in the Benelux region, adapt its programmes, and continue supporting leadership that spans industries, cultures, and borders. And for other organizations considering a step into this highly dynamic market, BMI’s message is clear: “If you want to build meaningful relationships and understand the region from the inside out, BBinB is the right place to start.”
At its core, the story of BMI EI and BBinB is a shared commitment to growth — not just institutional, but personal and collective. Together, they’re building the future of leadership from Vilnius to Brussels — one connection at a time.
