On the long bus rides between school and his home in rural Canada, Matthew Gibb liked to read – a pastime that would help shape his desire to see more of the world and nurture his love of learning. 

Gibb would turn his passion for education and travel into a career that ultimately led him to EMBA Programs and later to international relations for higher education. Along the way, he found EMBAC, where he would volunteer his time and talents to support EMBAC and EMBA Programs worldwide. 

In October, he received the 2022 Bud Fackler Service Award from EMBAC acknowledging his work to advance the EMBA industry and EMBAC as the voice of the industry while representing two French business schools, first HEC Paris and now ESSEC Business School. 

The Bud Fackler Service Award recognizes contributions to EMBAC and to EMBA Programs worldwide, including efforts to help other programs, to share best practices, and to raise the quality of EMBA Programs. The council named the award after Bud Fackler, the late director of the EMBA Program at the University of Chicago and one of the council’s founders. 

“Receiving the Bud Fackler Award is such an unexpected honor,” says Gibb. “To be recognized by the global EMBA community means so much to me both professionally and personally. Global education is very important to me, and to be recognized alongside previous year’s recipients for contributions to global business education is humbling. I can only hope that this award inspires the next generation of higher-ed professionals to become involved in EMBAC.” 

Currently Director of International Relations at ESSEC Business School, Gibb was elected to the EMBAC Board of Trustees in 2017, representing the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region. He continues to serve on the Membership Committee and was EMBAC treasurer in 2021. He also served on the conference planning committees for the 2016 EMBAC Conference in New Orleans and 2018 EMBAC Conference in Madrid, as well as organizing a regional meeting in 2013. Ten years later, ESSEC will host the European Regional Meeting in 2023. 

“Matthew has been instrumental in EMBAC’s efforts to promote the professional development of its members and to understand the industry,” says Michael Desiderio, EMBAC executive director. “He was a board member when the pandemic hit and helped EMBAC identify and respond to member needs during a time of incredible change. He showed great commitment to his colleagues and to innovations that help programs enhance the leadership capabilities of their students.”

Gibb received his bachelor’s degree in political science from McGill University in Canada, before completing postgraduate studies including a Ph.D. in geography from Rhodes University in South Africa. He began his career in higher education when he accepted a position at HEC Paris in 2010, and in 2013, he assumed responsibility for the school’s EMBA Programs in France, Qatar, and China. 

Gibb attended his first EMBAC Conference in Houston Texas in 2013, and he immediately wanted to become involved. 

“I really fell in love with this professional association,” he says. “I remember doing the EMBA Toolkit with some great people, and they were all willing to share.” 

With a belief in the value of the EMBA experience, Gibb pursued and completed his own EMBA while working full time before moving into a new role overseeing executive education partnership programs and offshoring academic programs through the school's international offices. 

“In their mid-30s or 40s, EMBA students make that decision to return to school and invest in self-improvement. They have gained much international experience, and an EMBA is the time for them to reflect on this experience and share it with like-minded individuals. Those qualities link so well with my passion for learning and sharing.” 

In 2022, he joined ESSEC Business School where he leads international partnership strategy across academic programs for another of France’s leading business schools. “Now I can use the professional networks and international friendships developed after many years of being involved in EMBAC to create valuable global experiences for students of all ages at ESSEC – not just for EMBA participants.” 

Creating opportunities where students can expand their global awareness, and where they are able to satisfy their cross-cultural curiosity is important to Gibb, and through EMBAC he fully appreciates being able to create the connections to make them possible. 

International community-building and best practices sharing remain motivations for Gibb’s continued involvement in EMBAC. “You want to remain part of an organization like EMBAC, where you can easily build relationships that help you professionally and friendships that mean much to you personally.”