The Universidad Privada Boliviana (UPB) experienced a high-impact day with a new edition of UPB Talks, featuring José María Linares, Executive Vice President of Banco Santander and member of the UPB Board of Directors, in a direct, honest, and inspiring dialogue with the university community.

In conversation with the Rector, Linares offered an uncompromising look at what it takes to build a top-level career. “To be excellent, you have to dedicate soul, life, and heart to what you do,” he said, making it clear that excellence is not an occasional result, but a decision sustained over time. Along those lines, he was categorical: “You can't have it all at once. Life demands priorities”.

Rather than idealizing success, he emphasized the value of risk and discomfort as drivers of growth: “At the key moments of my career, I took monumental risks. Stepping out of the comfort zone is what truly transforms you”.

On leadership, he drew a decisive distinction: “If your team doesn't trust you, you're not a leader, you're a boss”. He also added that organizations that thrive are those that build cultures of “radical transparency”, where mistakes are acknowledged in time and turned into learning.

In an environment marked by uncertainty, Linares was clear about decision-making: “You never have all the information. If you wait to have it, you're already too late”. In that context, he highlighted the role of artificial intelligence as a tool that “gives you extraordinary powers”, but stressed that human judgment remains irreplaceable.

The event culminated with the active participation of students from the three campuses and the recognition of Nicky Salinas and Aldo Cabezas Oropeza, selected for the Santander Group internship program, consolidating an experience that reaffirms UPB's purpose: to train leaders capable of competing — and standing out — in the world.