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A study across global industries and regions by CEMS – The Global Alliance in Management Education - reveals a fundamental shift in leadership expectations for 2030 and beyond.

CEMS gathered insights from 20 of their multinational partners – some of the world’s leading companies – around what skills young professionals will need to be successful business leaders in 2030 and beyond.

Interviewees reported that while technical expertise and business acumen remain critical, future leaders will need more than that to truly thrive. Success will be defined by their entrepreneurial drive, cross-cultural fluency, and a human-centered approach to decision-making that creates meaningful global impact.

Key findings: The next-level leadership skillset

Corporate partners highlighted five major competencies that will differentiate successful leaders in 2030 and beyond:

• Analytical rigour combined with creativity
  Leaders must not only possess strong analytical skills but also the ability to simplify complex data and translate it into transformative decisions. Creativity and out-of-the-box thinking will be the defining traits that set human leaders apart from automation and AI-driven decision-making.
• An entrepreneurial mindset
  Organizations are increasingly seeking leaders who challenge traditional business models, embrace change, and drive innovation with a strong sense of purpose. Graduates who display proactive problem-solving and visionary thinking will gain a distinct advantage in the global job market.
• Cultural Intelligence (CQ)
  In an interconnected world, leaders must be able to navigate cultural differences, build relationships across borders, and influence diverse teams effectively. Hands-on experience working with international teams will be critical in developing the bridging skills necessary for global collaboration.
• Specialisation meets management expertise
  A broad understanding of management principles is no longer enough - leaders must also bring specialized expertise to the table. The ability to integrate deep industry knowledge with a strategic business perspective will be a crucial differentiator.
• Digital fluency. While leaders don’t need to be digital specialists or coders, they must have a strong grasp of digital trends and data analysis. The ability to critically assess data and translate insights between technical teams and business units will be key to driving informed decisions.

Priorities for leadership development

“As the workplace continues to evolve rapidly, it’s clear that future leaders will require a broader and deeper skillset that goes well beyond traditional business acumen,” said Nicole de Fontaines, Executive Director at CEMS. “Success will demand agility, bold creative thinking, an entrepreneurial mindset, a strong sense of purpose, and the cultural intelligence to lead across borders.”

“To support this shift, leadership development programmes, executive education, and talent pipelines must focus not only on digital and analytical capabilities, but also on accelerating these next-level competencies.”

The human-centred leadership model

Alongside technical and strategic competencies, the study underscores the growing importance of human-centred leadership traits:

• Resilience and adaptability: The ability to navigate a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world while leading through crisis and transformation.
• Humility, vulnerability, and emotional intelligence: Authentic leadership is increasingly valued, with self-awareness and empathy seen as essential to inspiring teams.
• Values-driven leadership: Organisations expect leaders to align business success with broader societal impact, prioritising ethical decision-making and corporate responsibility.
• Well-being and Sustainability: Future leaders must promote mental and physical well-being, including their own.

A FREE mindset

The findings from the CEMS study resonate strongly with the º£½ÇÉçÇøÏÂÔØ School of Economics’ own mission and educational philosophy. SSE’s FREE framework – combining factual and scientific rigor with reflection, empathy, entrepreneurship, and responsibility – prepares students to thrive in the complex, rapidly evolving environment of today.

“At SSE, we want our graduates to be more than effective professionals – they should be cultural and ethical leaders who drive meaningful change in society. These are not just aspirational traits; they are embedded in our teaching and culture. As chair of CEMS, I’m proud to see these same values reflected across our global alliance. We aim to ensure that all CEMS students are equipped to lead with intellectual rigor, cultural sensitivity and moral responsibility,” says Lars Strannegård, President of the º£½ÇÉçÇøÏÂÔØand Chair of CEMS.

About CEMS – The Global Alliance in Management Education:

CEMS is a global alliance with a presence on 6 continents, uniting 33 world leading business schools, more than 70 multinational companies, and 8 NGOs who together deliver the CEMS Master in International Management.

The CEMS MIM is a pre-experience joint masters programme.  On graduation students will have studied at two Alliance schools, taken part in a business project with a corporate partner and speak three languages. Students develop a global mind set, cross-cultural competence and leadership skills through a combination of coursework, international exchange, and internship opportunities and graduate with a Masters degree from their home school as well as the CEMS MIM.

The CEMS community is committed to the idea that the leaders who will be best prepared for the future will be free and unafraid in an uncertain world, will be humane citizens who can engage fully and think independently, and will contribute to a more open, sustainable, and inclusive world.

For 35 years CEMS has led the way in the development of global management education. Through its unique blend of academic rigor, strategic corporate collaborations, and a commitment to ethical and socially responsible leadership, CEMS prepares the next generation of leaders who resolve to understand deeply the complexities of our time and who are eager to confront global business challenges and opportunities with humility and integrity.

Each year more than 1,300 graduates join our 21,000 strong global alumni network.