WHY RESPONSIBLE AI IS NOW A LEADERSHIP IMPERATIVE

Exclusive interview with Helen Kerkentzes, Associate Dean, Executive Education and Managing Director of the LBS Riyadh Executive Education Office

How is executive education evolving to help leaders navigate rapid technological change, especially in the Middle East?

We are constantly updating the content and types of programmes London Business School (LBS) offers, to reflect rapid technological and broader, changes.

We help leaders navigate rapid change through our world-class faculty and their cutting-edge research which is shaping business and the wider world. LBS’ Data & AI Initiative – the destination of excellence for transformative insights on how data science and AI reshape firms, markets and society – equips business leaders, policymakers, regulators and educators with the knowledge and frameworks to adopt and integrate AI responsibly, strategically and sustainably. We translate this research into programmes such as our AI Master Class and Next Generation Digital Strategy, as well as embedding it into our custom programmes.

From your experience leading AI-focused programs, what core skills should today’s executives prioritize to stay competitive?

Through LBS’ AI-focused sessions and our faculty experts, we teach a grounded understanding of AI, the ability to redesign how organisations work, and a renewed emphasis on the human qualities technology cannot replace.

Leaders need a clear understanding of the technology and the ability to see beyond the buzzwords. It is then that they realise that real value doesn’t come from the technology alone, but from rethinking how work gets done, redesigning processes and workflows, in some cases, quite radically.

The more AI advances, the more our faculty also emphasise the importance of judgement, emotional intelligence, empathy, and ethics. These are the areas where machines still struggle and where leaders truly differentiate themselves.

Are there specific challenges unique to the Middle East that slow the adoption of modern leadership practices?

The pace and acceleration of change today challenges leaders the world over. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is embracing this with remarkable appetite.

The Kingdom has three distinct advantages when it comes to driving transformation. First, two thirds of the population in Saudi Arabia are younger than 30 years old. While these young leaders need to be equipped with the right skills, this is an enormous opportunity.

Second, the significant number of women now entering the workforce represent a unique and significant human capital potential for the Kingdom’s transformation and contribution to the economy.

Finally, the size and scale of the Kingdom’s bold and future-ready vision is itself a strength – the appetite to move at pace, meet challenges and invest for the future.

What role should universities and executive education providers play in addressing gaps in critical thinking, digital literacy, and strategic leadership?

At LBS our aim is to be a trusted partner to our clients and their people across the public and private sectors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, developing leadership capability, strengthening talent pipelines, and supporting long-term institutional goals. 

We work closely with employers and government institutions to deeply understand their context and goals. We co-create tailored solutions that draw on LBS’s global expertise, customized to fit their unique contexts and challenges, whether through open enrolment programmes, customized learning journeys, degrees, or online courses. We also capture the transformation in the Kingdom in case studies that we use to teach our global community of leaders.

How is LBS’s Riyadh office contributing to talent development and supporting the region’s shift toward a knowledge-based economy?

Situated in the heart of Riyadh’s historic Diriyah city, the office reinforces LBS’s long-standing partnership of more than a decade with the Kingdom and the country’s growing focus on human capital development.

It allows us to support the people realising the Kingdom’s transformation and next phase of sustainable and knowledge-driven growth, on the ground, where we can be closer and more connected to our clients. Our aspiration is that together we can deliver long-term sustainable success, rooted in the Kingdom’s context and remarkable ambitions.