Armen Ovanessoff
Principal Director, Accenture
Goriz is a signature AGBU leadership development program based in Europe that identifies driven professionals of Armenian descent and helps them optimize their leadership and communications skills among their international peers.
Modeled after the best practices of world-class leadership training methods, Goriz offers each annual cohort masterclasses with world-renowned speakers, in addition to workshops, peer-to-peer exchanges, and networking opportunities. After these intensive trainings, alumni are encouraged to apply their learning to projects in the Republic of Armenia.
As global Armenians, Goriz alumni have the opportunity to apply their real-world experience to initiatives designed to boost the socio-economic development of the Republic of Armenia. In other instances, they can serve as ambassadors to raise awareness in their own countries of urgent issues and causes taking place in the homeland.
One example is YERIA (Youth of Europe for the Recognition of Artsakh), a new initiative established during the 2020 Artsakh War. A delegation of Goriz alumni, along with journalists and public figures, traveled to Armenia and Artsakh to observe humanitarian and political realities on the ground and report their observations and findings to their local governments and media.
If you want to join this weekend of celebration, reconnect with your peers, and accelerate your personal and professional growth, join the next session!
Each cohort meets for a mandatory 2-day gathering in a given year in a different location in Europe and Armenia.
Sessions include an array of activities:
Through Goriz, participants gain meaning in their leadership style, uncover inherent strengths and develop strategies to actively using them toward a common cause.
The GORIZ network of alumni hail from diverse professional backgrounds and to date, include people from Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, The Netherlands, Italy, Romania, Russia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Goriz participants gain insights from diverse thought leaders representing an array of professional backgrounds, but with one common goal: to drive the prosperity of the Armenian nation.
Principal Director, Accenture
Chairman of the Board of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Former Director at McKinsey Belgium
CEO and Founder, Orion Worldwide Innovations
Adjunct Lecturer of Management and Governor of the Central Bank of Armenia
Managing Partner, BSC Business Support Center
Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company
Senior Director, Harvard Business School
Social Entrepreneur and Founder of the Aurora Prize
Head Human Resources at VivaCell-MTS, Former Adjunct Lecturer at the American University of Armenia
Director General, Civil Aviation Committee for the Republic of Armenia
Partner and Director, CGI Group Inc
Former Executive, Shell
English-speaking adults of Armenian descent worldwide, ages 25 to 35 years old.
Must possess an undergraduate degree and a minimum of three years of professional experience (all fields will be considered).
AGBU Goriz applications for our 2025 session will be open soon!
Participation Fee: 149,5 Euro.
Covers program administration.
Participants are responsible for covering the cost for accommodation and travel. AGBU will determine a reasonable place of accommodation, but attendees must arrange their own travel to the session location.
AGBU provides lunch and dinners during the entire stay.