Executive Certificate in Leadership and People Management Series
Strategic Leadership in Disruptive Times
Programme
Executive Certificate in Leadership and People Management Series
Strategic Leadership in Disruptive Times
Programme Length
4 days
plus 3 one-on-one executive coaching sessions delivered over the three months following the programme
Programme Fee
HK$50,800
Discounts may apply. Please refer to Fee and Funding for more details.
Medium of Instruction
English
Delivery Approach
In-person classes and online coaching sessions
Programme Overview
In today’s volatile, uncertain, and complex business environment, senior leaders must go beyond operational excellence. This 4-day immersive programme equips experienced leaders to navigate ambiguity, drive strategic change, and influence across systems, networks, and organisational boundaries.
The learning experience is further reinforced through three executive coaching sessions delivered over three months after the programme, enabling participants to apply insights directly to real leadership challenges and culminating in a Leadership Change Plan.
Through a combination of in-person learning, executive coaching, and structured post-programme work, participants develop the capabilities to make high-stakes decisions and lead with impact in disruptive environments.
The programme also provides valuable opportunities for peer learning and networking through classroom discussions and informal interactions over lunch, bringing together executives navigating similar leadership challenges across industries.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This programme is designed for senior leaders with 10+ years of experience, including:
- Functional heads and business unit leaders
- Regional and divisional leaders
- Directors and senior managers responsible for leading managers
- C-level executives seeking to sharpen strategic influence
Participants are typically leaders operating in cross-functional, global, or complex environments where strategic thinking, systems perspective and adaptive leadership are critical to success.
What Makes This Programme Different
- Strategic, not operational: Focuses on leadership that shapes direction and influence, rather than day-to-day operations.
- Real-world relevance: Modules and exercises reflect high-stakes decisions under uncertainty, ethical dilemmas, and organisational complexities faced by senior leaders today.
- Systems perspective: Learn to see and act across organisational systems and networks, identifying leverage points for lasting impact.
- Action-oriented coaching: Personalised executive coaching ensures insights translate into practical change.
- Sustained impact: A post-programme Leadership Change Plan helps embed learning into daily leadership practice.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this programme, participants will be able to:
- Articulate and apply their personal leadership philosophy with presence and confidence
- Influence across boundaries and inspire stakeholders beyond formal authority
- Apply systems thinking to diagnose complex organisational challenges
- Make better strategic decisions under uncertainty and ethical tension
- Lead and sustain organisational change in volatile and complex environments
- Build adaptive capabilities to innovate under constraints and mobilise teams effectively
Participants will also benefit from learning alongside peers, gaining perspectives from executives across industries and organisations.
SCHEDULE AND VENUE
In-person Classes
Dates
| Module 1 | Leading with Presence and Strategic Influence | 21 October 2026 | 09:30-17:00 |
| Module 2 | Decision Making Under Uncertainty | 22 October 2026 | 09:30-17:00 |
| Module 3 | Leading Complex Organisations and Systems | 23 October 2026 | 09:30-17:00 |
| Module 4 | Leading Organisational Change | 24 October 2026 | 09:30-17:00 |
Venue
HKU Business School
The University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Participants will receive detailed venue information before the start of the programme.
Executive Coaching
Participants will receive 3 one-on-one coaching sessions, each session one hour, scheduled approximately once a month post-programme from October to December 2026. Detailed information about your coach and session scheduling will be provided at the start of the programme.
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
Learning Components
Component | Description |
In-person sessions | 4 days |
Executive coaching | 3 one-on-one coaching sessions |
Post-work | 1 Leadership Change Plan |
Key Learnings
Module 1:
Leading with Presence and Strategic Influence
- Personal leadership philosophy
- Executive presence
- Influence beyond authority
- Visioning for impact
- Strategic communication and storytelling
Module 2:
Decision Making under Uncertainty
- Cognitive biases
- Strategic trade-offs
- Scenario thinking and risk framing
- Aligning structure and strategy to improve decision making
- Navigating ethical tensions
Module 3:
Leading Complex Organisations & Systems
- Systems thinking
- System intervention strategies
Module 4:
Leading Organisational Change
- Leading transformation in volatile environments
- Adaptive leadership
- Innovation under constraint
- Informal power dynamics and political intelligence
- Sustaining change
Completion of the Programme
- Participants must attend at least 75% of the in-person sessions, complete all three coaching sessions, and submit the Leadership Change Plan to qualify for programme completion.
- Participants will be awarded an e-certificate upon successful completion of all four modules.
- All modules are non-credit bearing.
FACULTY & PRACTITIONER PROFILES
Professor Roy Liang TAN
Programme Director for the Customised Programme of Executive Education
HKU Business School
Professor Roy Liang Tan is Professor of Practice in Management and Strategy at HKU Business School and Programme Director for the Customised Programme of Executive Education. He brings over two decades of global corporate leadership experience, including serving as Global Chief Executive of Alibaba University and Chief of Staff for GE’s Corporate University in Greater China, where he led large-scale leadership development, strategic initiatives, and organisational transformation. Drawing on this extensive experience, Prof. Tan teaches and advises on leadership transformation, organisational strategy, and cross-cultural management across MBA, EMBA, and executive education programmes.
View full faculty profile here.
Professor David S. LEE
Associate Professor of Teaching
BBA (Law) & LLB Programme Director
HKU Business School
Professor David S. Lee is an award-winning faculty member at HKU Business School, holding a J.D. from UCLA School of Law, graduate degrees from Harvard University and the London School of Economics, and postgraduate training at Cambridge University. He combines extensive academic expertise with practical experience in investment management (beginning at Goldman Sachs), law, consulting, and entrepreneurial ventures. Professor Lee teaches across undergraduate, MBA, EMBA, and executive education programmes in ethics, fintech, leadership, and corporate governance. He is co-author of Asia’s first business ethics textbook and co-instructor of a pioneering MOOC on FinTech ethics, with his work regularly featured in global media and academic outlets.
View full faculty profile here.
Professor Helen Hailin ZHAO
Associate Professor in Management and Strategy
MGM Deputy Programme Director
HKU Business School
Professor Helen Hailin Zhao is Associate Professor of Management and Strategy at HKU Business School. Her work focuses on systems thinking, organisational networks, and leadership transitions, drawing on research and case-based insights from real organisational contexts. She works with leaders to diagnose complex organisational dynamics and design effective interventions that strengthen collaboration, performance, and organisational resilience.
View full faculty profile here.
Ms Ekaterina ALEKSANDROVA
Ekaterina Aleksandrova spent over 20 years at McKinsey & Company, holding senior leadership roles across Asia-Pacific and globally, including Director of Global Learning and Director of People Operations for APAC. She now brings her deep organisational expertise and coaching experience to guide leaders through transitions, strengthen resilience and communication, and drive sustained performance.
Past Student Experiences
FEES AND FUNDING
Standard Programme Fee
HK$50,800
The fee includes programme materials, refreshments during breaks, and lunches throughout the on-site programme.
Discounts*
| Type | Discount | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| Early Bird | 10% | Registration submitted by 30 June 2026. |
| Group | 15% | Minimum of three participants from the same organisation registering for the programme. |
| HKU Alumni and Staff | 20% | Please indicate your alumni status in your registration, and we will advise and confirm on your eligibility. |
*Only one type of discount can be applied per enrolment. The discount cannot be used in conjunction with other promotions, discounts or offers. In the event of a dispute, provision of the discount(s) is subject to the sole discretion and final decision of HKU Business School.
DEFERMENT POLICY
- Participants may defer their participation in the programme for a maximum of one year only.
- If a participant wishes to defer, they must provide an official statement in English detailing the situation and reason for deferral. This will be reviewed by our faculty office, which will determine whether the deferral request is approved.
- Administrative fees may apply to deferment applications.
CONTACT
Ms Rachelle CHENG
Phone: +852 3910 2197
Email: rachel0c@hku.hk
