Ryan FowlerImperial College Business School has unveiled a new executive education programme aimed at developing the next generation of business leaders capable of navigating the challenges of AI, digital transformation and climate change.
Titled Responsible Leadership in a Complex World, the five-day programme combines in-person teaching with tailored online pre- and post-programme analysis. It is designed to strengthen practical, intellectual and emotional leadership skills by drawing on Imperial’s research expertise in science, technology, engineering, medicine and business.
Developed by Imperial’s Centre for Responsible Leadership, the programme encourages participants to build lasting peer networks, complete psychometric assessments, and engage with additional learning resources to enhance self-awareness, ethical decision-making and long-term strategic thinking.
Kate Coombs, managing director for the Centre and programme director, said: “Leaders, and in particular mid-level leaders are being increasingly challenged by dilemmas and decisions that are driven by a new and complex range of stimuli. To be successful they need not only solid leadership capabilities, but also the understanding of the drivers of this new complexity and how they are converging. As a STEMB university, no other institution can offer the research based yet practical insight required to build a learning experience that will enable participants to outperform their peers.”
She added: “At the heart of the Centre’s mission is the belief that responsible leadership goes beyond superficial compliance and trend-driven theories—it demands deep, organic transformation grounded in diverse cultural and organisational perspectives. By leveraging the Centre’s intellect, alongside Imperial’s well-established strengths in technology, innovation, and science, Responsible Leadership in a Complex World offers an invaluable synthesis of cutting-edge, thoughtful insight and practical application.”
Learning will be delivered by Imperial faculty and leading practitioners across AI, sustainability and emotional intelligence. The programme includes pre-work assessments and personalised development plans, with a strong emphasis on understanding how leadership behaviour contributes to solving global challenges.
