The Centre for India & Global Business at Judge Business School hosted Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India, on 9 June 2009. Dr Kalam spoke eloquently about the need for both corporations and nations to cultivate creative leadership.

The world economy is undergoing dramatic and fundamental changes. The centre of geopolitical and economic gravity is irreversibly shifting from West to East, the pace of technological change is accelerating, even as the world grapples with growing scarcity of resources. To thrive in this turbulent world, corporations as well as nations need 'creative leaders', a new breed of visionary and empathetic leaders who act less as commanders and more as coaches, less as managers and more as facilitators. In his engaging talk, Dr Kalam overviewed the dramatic socio-economic and technological shifts occurring worldwide, and outlined the key attributes of creative leadership that are critical for driving innovation and growth in the global knowledge economy. He discussed the importance of education in cultivating creative leaders in vast numbers in both developed and developed nations, and addressed the catalytic role of the youth in providing creative leadership in emerging economies like India.