OWP 2022: Leading For the Future

→ Impact Story

A BETTER INDIVIDUAL AND A BETTER LEADER

Africa’s Absa Group has partnered with IMD since 2018. The enthusiasm from the participants of the Absa LEAP young talent program at OWP Singapore was clear, and the lessons they learned were broad.

In 2018, after it had completed its separation from its majority shareholder Barclays Plc, the pan-African financial services provider Absa Group partnered with IMD to develop an integrated learning offering organized into a series of learning journeys that targeted the bank’s young talent, middle managers, and senior executives.

The learning journeys, which offers a mix of custom modules focusing on Absa specific business challenges, include open programs where participants learn with other participants from around the world. The program also includes coaching, pre- and post-workshop learning, and an “enterprise project,” an intrapreneurial customer-focused project in several countries. The aim of the program is to accelerate the development of a thriving entrepreneurial culture at Absa and to serve society.

At this year’s Orchestrating Winning Performance (OWP) program in Singapore, Jean-François Manzoni, IMD’s President and Nestlé Chaired Professor, told the Absa participants that “the world needs ambitious, confident, and innovative young leaders.” “Do not let the sometimes skeptical reactions of older generations slow you down. You need to be pushing for change because my generation has not necessarily done an amazing job leaving your world as amazing as we should have,” Manzoni said.

The Absa future leader program (LEAP) comprises 46 people, and 17 attended OWP in Singapore. Previously some of the future leader program members attended OWP in Lausanne, and others took part in the online program. “These LEAP talents are not only good for Absa business but also contribute to the good of society,” said Hischam El-Agamy, IMD Director of the Learning Journey. “The participants had a fantastic experience and benefitted from their exposure to various cultures and business sectors.”

192

193