Hyderabad, September 19, 2026: The world is witnessing rapid economic volatility, geo-political tensions, technological changes and major disruptions. The standard playbooks across sectors are becoming obsolete. The leaders are constantly facing the challenge of making high-stake, transformative choices without full visibility. The senior industry leaders came together at the Industry Leadership Summit 2026, hosted by Ashoka School of Business (ASB) in Hyderabad, to discuss how organisations can make better decisions, prepare their workforce and lead organizations effectively.
Held under the theme “Leadership in the Time of Uncertainty,” the summit brought together business and human resource leaders, technology professionals, corporate decision-makers and academicians from reputed organisations for discussions on strategic decision-making, AI led transformation, workforce preparedness and the future of leadership.
Dr. J.A. Chowdary, Founder & Chairman, International Startup Foundation and Former Special Chief Secretary and IT Advisor, Government of Andhra Pradesh, said” The honeymoon period of getting a degree, waiting for campus recruitment and building a career by simply executing instructions is over. AI is disrupting that model and forcing us to rethink both education and employment. The future belongs to young people who can identify problems, build solutions and create jobs rather than merely look for jobs. Universities must therefore move beyond degrees and credits to nurture competence, entrepreneurship, mentorship and real-world problem-solving. In the age of AI, what matters is not where you studied, but what you can create, solve and deliver.
Thanking the industry leaders for sharing their insights, Arjun Kumar Nomula, Secretary, Ashoka School of Business, said, “At Ashoka School of Business, our vision goes beyond helping students earn a degree. We aim to shape them into future leaders, entrepreneurs and job creators. Through experiential learning, industry exposure and meaningful engagement with corporate leaders, we want our students to understand real-world challenges, develop a leadership mindset and gain the confidence to build enterprises of their own. Platforms such as the Industry Leadership Summit play an important role in bridging the gap between the classroom and the corporate world.”
“The Leadership Conclave provided a meaningful platform for industry and academia to come together and explore the evolving realities of leadership in an uncertain and rapidly changing world. The insights shared by distinguished industry leaders offered our students valuable perspectives on decision-making, adaptability and leading people through change. Such interactions help bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world leadership, enabling us to nurture future leaders who are confident, curious, adaptable and prepared to navigate complexity,” said Dr. Arijit Santikary, Director, Ashoka School of Business.
