As a new member of PSM advisory board, what excites you most about contributing to the school’s mission and vision?
Thank you. What excites me most about contributing to PSM is the extraordinary potential that lies at the intersection of its mission and the current technological inflection point we’re experiencing globally. PSM has a brilliant foundation, and I’m keen to help architect the next chapter. It’s not merely about keeping pace; it’s about defining what the future of business education looks like. I’m particularly energised by the opportunity to help shape a generation of leaders who are not just users of technology, but its conscientious and strategic masters.
How do you see your experience in AI and global business shaping the future direction of PSM programs?
My experience, both in the boardroom as a CIO/CTO and in academia, has been defined by one central theme: bridging the chasm between technological possibility and tangible business value. I see my role as helping to embed this principle into the very DNA of PSM’s programmes. This means moving beyond theoretical AI courses and fostering a curriculum where AI and data analytics are the fundamental grammar of business decision-making, from marketing and finance to supply chain management. My global perspective will be crucial in ensuring our students think about scale, cross-cultural implementation, and the geopolitical nuances of technology from day one.
What initiatives do you envision implementing to strengthen the connection between PSM students and real-world AI and business applications?
To truly strengthen the connection between students and the real world, we must create a porous membrane between the classroom and the industry. I envision several key initiatives:
- Applied AI Clinics: Imagine a consulting-style programme where teams of students, guided by faculty and industry mentors, tackle real-world AI implementation challenges for startups, NGOs, or even established corporations. This provides invaluable, hands-on experience in everything from data wrangling to model deployment and stakeholder management.
- “Venture-in-Residence” Programme: We should bring seasoned entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and product leaders onto campus not just for one-off lectures, but for embedded residencies. They could hold office hours, mentor student-led projects, and provide direct, unfiltered feedback, creating a dynamic ecosystem of innovation.
- “Live” Global Case Studies: Instead of relying solely on historical case studies, let’s partner with top firms to bring in live, unresolved strategic problems. Students would work on these challenges in parallel with the company, presenting their solutions to the very executives grappling with the issue. This makes learning immediate, relevant, and impactful.
How can PSM students best prepare for leadership roles in industries increasingly shaped by AI and digital transformation?
To prepare for leadership in the AI-driven era, students must cultivate a duality of skills. Technical literacy is non-negotiable, but it’s only half the equation.
Firstly, they need to develop technological fluency, which is distinct from being a data scientist. A leader doesn’t need to code a neural network, but they must understand its architecture, its limitations, its inherent biases, and the ethical guardrails required. They must be able to ask discerning questions of their technical teams.
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, they must double down on uniquely human skills. AI can analyse a balance sheet, but it cannot inspire a team, negotiate a complex partnership, or make a courageous ethical judgment. Therefore, the most critical skills will be:
- Adaptive Leadership: The ability to lead with clarity and resilience through ambiguity, and emerging tech, e.g. AI being part of a team and no longer a tool.
- Critical Reasoning: The capacity to deconstruct problems and evaluate AI-generated recommendations rather than blindly accepting them.
- Creative Synthesis: The vision to connect disparate ideas and technologies to create novel value.
My advice to students is simple: be relentlessly curious. Build something. Manage a project from start to finish. Seek out mentors who challenge your assumptions. Your CV should reflect not just what you’ve learned, but what you have built and led.
What emerging trends in AI and technology do you believe PSM students should be most aware of to stay ahead in the global business environment?
Beyond the headlines about Generative AI, there are several deeply significant trends PSM students must grasp to stay ahead.
- The Shift to Smaller, Domain-Specific AI: While large language models are impressive, the future of business value lies in smaller, highly-specialised, and efficient models trained on proprietary data. Understanding how to build and deploy these is a key competitive advantage.
- Explainable AI (XAI) and Trust: As AI becomes embedded in critical functions like credit scoring and medical diagnostics, the “black box” problem is no longer acceptable. Leaders must understand the principles of XAI to ensure transparency, fairness, and regulatory compliance.
- AI Governance & Regulation: The global regulatory landscape (e.g., the EU AI Act) is rapidly taking shape. Future leaders must be fluent in the principles of data privacy, algorithmic accountability, and ethical AI deployment to navigate this complex terrain. It’s a matter of corporate and social responsibility.
- Quantum Computing: While still nascent, students should have a foundational understanding of quantum’s potential to revolutionise everything from pharmaceutical research to financial modelling. Being “quantum-aware” will be a significant differentiator within the next decade.
How can PSM differentiate itself as a leader in integrating AI, innovation, and real-world business practice in its programs?
PSM can differentiate itself by becoming the pre-eminent institution for developing what I call the “Tri-Sector Leader.” This is a leader who is simultaneously fluent in three critical domains: Business Acumen, Technological Strategy, and Ethical Governance.
To achieve this, PSM should:
- Integrate, Don’t Isolate: Weave AI and data science into the core of every business course. A finance lecture should be about AI-driven portfolio management; a marketing class should focus on programmatic advertising and generative content creation. AI shouldn’t be a separate elective; it should be the enabling toolkit for modern business.
- Champion an “Ethical Innovation” Hub: Establish a dedicated centre that partners with industry and policymakers to research and promote the responsible deployment of AI. This would not only attract top-tier students and faculty but also position PSM as a vital thought leader in one of the most pressing conversations of our time.
- Build a Practitioner-Led Faculty: Aggressively recruit current and former C-suite executives, founders, and technologists as professors of practice. Their real-world, up-to-the-minute expertise is an invaluable complement to traditional academic rigour, ensuring the curriculum remains perpetually relevant.
By relentlessly focusing on this integrated, ethical, and practitioner-driven model, PSM will not just be another business school with an AI programme; it will be the essential training ground for the next generation of leaders who will shape our world.