Abstract The evolving landscape of the global economy is being reshaped by rapid technological advancements, shifting workforce demographics, increasing emphasis on sustainability, and evolving employee expectations. These forces have elevated leadership development from a traditional, succession-focused function to a critical business imperative. Today, organizations must build leadership capabilities that not only address current challenges but also anticipate future disruptions. Leadership development is no longer confined to grooming top-tier executives—it now involves cultivating diverse, agile, and forward-looking talent pipelines that can drive innovation, foster inclusive growth, and sustain high-performance cultures. In the Indian context, this need is particularly pronounced in sectors like energy infrastructure, where the stakes are exceptionally high. With capital-intensive projects, multi-decade timelines, stringent regulatory frameworks, and the necessity for specialized talent, companies operating in this domain require a robust leadership pipeline to ensure business continuity, stakeholder trust, and operational excellence. Strategic leadership is indispensable not just for long-term competitiveness but also for managing external volatility, internal transformation, and talent transitions.
Shirin Varghese (Mon,) studied this question.