Can a CEO Transform a Centuries-Old Organization into an Agent of Local Development within Colombia?

The transformation of Colombia’s Sociedad de Mejoras de Pereira, after more than three decades in decline, would not have been possible without the leadership of Felipe López. Mr. López had only led Sociedad de Mejoras de Pereira for four years but his experience as a successful CEO of various companies turned out to be nothing short of life-changing for the organization. This teaching case is designed to allow students to analyze the factors that made Mr. López an effective leader, beginning with his training, his ability to form high-performance work teams, his manner of building relationships with followers, and his ability to earn the respect, commitment, and support of company stakeholders.