Unveiling the Chief Disruption Officer (CDO) Journey: The Impact of Strategic Design

The MS in Strategic Design for Global Leadership (SDGL) is not just a graduate degree program; it’s a transformative experience that shapes individuals into potential Chief Disruption Officers. Melissa Rancourt, the Academic Director, views the program’s roughly hundred participants as a cohort of disruptors, emphasizing the link between strategic design and navigating uncertainty in business.

Crafting Innovators



Under Rancourt’s guidance, the 36-credit program is a haven for executives, entrepreneurs, and intrapreneurs seeking to revolutionize their industries. It offers a unique blend of on-campus intensives in Paris, New York, and Asia, coupled with online coursework. What sets this degree apart? The program can be completed in just 18 months, requiring a mere 18 days away from the office.

Alumni Speak: Real Insights from Real Success Stories

But don’t just take our word for it; let’s catch up with SDGL alumni who’ve experienced the program’s impact firsthand.

Jorge Diego Etienne, Class of ’23 – Designing a Multi-Faceted Career


Jorge Etienne, deeply entrenched in the design industry, shares his multifaceted journey. Steering the national design program at Tec de Monterrey, a prominent private university in Mexico, he leads the university’s development across eight campuses. According to Etienne, “My role extends to fostering design innovation in Mexico through various initiatives including the media company Designaholic and Cuadrante, a festival that celebrates art, architecture, and design.”

For Etienne, who already had decade-long experience in design consultancy, SDGL was not a career change but a significant evolution, aligning perfectly with his aspirations. The program expanded his projects via strategic design and influenced his teams with a new leadership style.

Natasha Narang Kochhar, Class of ’23 – Bridging Design, Business, and Tech



Natasha Narang Kochhar, an entrepreneur in architecture and interior design for two decades, embarked on the SDGL journey with no prior experience in strategic design. She had started her own architecture firm in 2004, before becoming a design principal and partner at LTDF (Let’s Think Design First!)” Architecture + ID. Her career evolution, as she describes it, has been more about staying updated with the new world. SDGL broadened her perspective, enabling her to communicate across creative, business, and tech realms. Now, she speaks a more diverse language, aiming to solve industry problems “with deep empathy rooted in the SDGL program.”

Narang Kochhar’s initiative in creating a product for design 3.0 in India, based on generative A.I., and her work abroad reflect her futuristic approach. Futurecasting for tomorrow’s problems, empathizing with future needs, and using the wisdom of today are all powered by her SDGL experience.

Noah Yeh, Class of ’22 – Navigating the Digital Public Goods Sector



Noah Yeh, the founder of da0 dedicated to creating digital public goods for Taiwanese society, had diverse experiences in startups and large tech companies before joining SDGL. His journey evolved from traditional tech to a purpose-driven focus on digital public goods. The challenges faced by this sector are met head-on, from decentralized identity to funding public goods and reimagining organizational structures.

Yeh’s book, born during the SDGL project, explores the theme of happiness and personal joy, focusing on the well-being of fellow entrepreneurs. His role in leading blockchain, crypto, and NFT initiatives in Taiwan involves innovating the national ID system with new technologies, showcasing the program’s impact on diverse career paths and humanitarian technology leadership.

According to Yeh, “The SDGL program revolutionized my personal philosophy; I emerged with a desire to be a humanitarian in technology. It instilled in me a leadership style that values diversity, creativity, and psychological safety.”

Embracing a Global Perspective



The global perspective gained through SDGL is instrumental, reflecting the core principles of design thinking. As evident, the initiatives of all the program alumni are rooted in diversity and collaboration, aligning perfectly with the program’s ethos. The SDGL program doesn’t just equip individuals for leadership in disruption; it propels them to envision and create the future.

Ready to join the ranks of SDGL alumni? Explore the MS in Strategic Design for Global Leadership at Parsons Executive Education, and discover where it can take you on your journey to becoming a Chief Disruption Officer.

Submit your application before the January 6, 2024 priority deadline!