How B-schools are making executive MBAs flexible, personalised and technology-driven

When General Electric launched its legendary Crotonville Leadership Centre in 1956, it became a global symbol of corporate learning. For decades, it shaped some of the world’s most influential CEOs. But in 2024, when GE split and the centre closed, it marked not just the end of an era but the beginning of a new one with leadership learning moving beyond classrooms and case studies into a world defined by AI, geopolitical flux, and generational diversity.

The new business landscape demands more than credentials; it calls for adaptability, empathy, and digital fluency.

As B-schools design immersive, shorter programmes and corporations reimagine in-house academies, the real question is: who can nurture the most agile, future-ready leaders capable of leading through change, not just managing it?

India faces a unique dual challenge serving first-generation entrepreneurs building global enterprises from scratch, alongside third-generation family business leaders navigating succession.

Leadership Paradox

Many Indian entrepreneurs have scaled up through instinct and relationship networks. Now, they seek frameworks to institutionalise decision-making and governance to ensure continuity beyond the founders charisma.

“Executive education in India must bridge intuition with structure—helping leaders formalise what has so far been instinctive,” says Pallavi Jha, Chairperson and Managing Director, Walchand PeopleFirst Ltd and Dale Carnegie Training India.

That shift is visible in how business schools are evolving. “Over the next five years, programmes for working professionals must move beyond knowledge and skills to become catalysts for applied strategic action,” says Sunill Sood, Executive Director—Executive Education & Digital Learning, Indian School of Business (ISB).

He adds that tomorrow’s differentiators won’t only be technical expertise but strategic thinking, harnessing technology, prioritising ESG, and leading with empathy.

Vanita Bhoola, Assistant Dean–EMBA & Executive Education, SP Jain School of Global Management, notes: “The pace of technological disruption requires programmes to be flexible, personalised and technology-driven. The emphasis is on immersive learning experiences.”

Knowledge to Action Across institutions, executive education is being redesigned for a real-world impact.

“At ISB, our executive programmes now follow modular, blended formats combining immersive residencies, applied projects, and peer learning enabling leaders to translate insights into action without leaving their roles,” explains Sood.

This shift is mirrored in organisations with internal leadership universities. “At Mahindra Leadership University (MLU), we are focused on building digitally savvy, future-ready leaders who understand AI and its impact on the future of work and decision-making,” says an M&M spokesperson.

MLU uses an AI-enabled platform that curates personalised learning journeys linked to Mahindra’s business priorities. Partnerships with global institutions such as Oxford, Carnegie Mellon, and IIMs bring academic rigour, while insights from Mahindra leaders ensure contextual relevance and measurable business outcomes.

As more firms establish in-house academies, Professor Mukta Kulkarni, Dean of Academic Programmes, IIM Bangalore, believes B-schools remain indispensable. “Top-tier institutions bring what in-house systems often cannot—multidimensional thinking, access to globally respected faculty, and diverse peer networks,” she says. “What differentiates us,” she adds, “is our dual role as knowledge creators and ecosystem convenors.”

For Jha, flexibility and immersion define this new architecture: “Senior leaders value learning formats that are immersive yet flexible, experiences that respect their time and intellect and allow application in real business contexts.”

Learning, Coaching, Connection

The reinvention of executive education isn’t just structural, it’s human. Coaching has emerged as one of its most transformative elements.

“Internal coaching leverages organisational knowledge and culture. However, they may lack objectivity and face confidentiality challenges,” says Bhoola. “External coaches challenge assumptions, create safe spaces, and help uncover hidden potential. While they take longer to understand organisational context, their independence often leads to more candid feedback and deeper transformation.”

She adds that many organisations now adopt a hybrid approach.

Jha agrees that one-on-one executive coaching has become a powerful engagement tool, often running parallel to structured programmes.

In India, learning also extends beyond the individual. “Many executives see learning as a family journey. Programmes that include partners meaningfully, not as social add-ons but as part of the developmental process, deliver richer, more sustainable outcomes,” she notes.

Double-Edged Sword

Technology has shifted from delivery tool to design principle.

The first wave of AI in executive education focused on administrative functions. The second is transformational, using data to create hyper-personalised learning pathways based on each executive’s role, aspirations, and learning style.

“AI is making executive education deeply personal, shifting it from one-size-fits-all to journeys that adapt to how each leader learns and evolves,” says Jha.

Kulkarni adds that IIM Bangalore is reimagining executive education to be immersive and adaptive. “Executives engage in live cases, simulation exercises, and design thinking workshops that address AI-driven and geopolitical disruptions.”

Yet, as Jha cautions, “Technology can enhance, not replace the human element of leadership learning. Executives still value the lived experience of mentors and peers far more than interactions with devices.”

Beyond Boundaries

As leaders progress, their learning must evolve from internal understanding to external benchmarking.

“The debate between company-specific leadership development and cross-industry exposure presents a false dichotomy,” says Jha. “The most effective journeys blend both, each deployed strategically at different stages of growth.”

Early-career leaders benefit from company-specific learning to understand culture and processes before seeking external perspectives.

The M&M spokesperson agrees: “We cultivate diversity of thought by bringing together leaders across group companies. This cross-pollination of perspectives, supported by peer coaching and action learning, produces leaders who are both strategic and enterprise-minded.”

The Lived Classroom

For Sundeep Talwar, CEO, Impact Guru Foundation, a non-profit organisation, executive education has never been about credentials, it’s about perspective. “After years of leading through complex challenges, I felt the need to reorient myself not just as a CXO, but as a lifelong learner committed to building more empathetic leaders,” he says.

Having attended programmes at Ashoka University and Harvard, Talwar calls them “a crucible of lived experience,” where every case study reflected real-world dilemmas. “Humility and empathy are not soft skills, they’re strategic assets,” he adds.

For Sonal Arora, Country Manager, Gi Group Holding a staffing solutions company, learning has been an ongoing journey. “My first business school experience was a bridge between academics and the corporate world, but my approach to leadership was truly shaped through experience,” she says. Returning for an executive MBA decades later reaffirmed her belief.

She reiterates that in today’s dynamic business environment, continuous skilling and upskilling are crucial to stay relevant.

“Corporate programmes are focused and immediately applicable, while external executive courses offer a broader, exploratory experience. Together, they provide a balanced leadership approach grounded in context and open to growth,” she says.

Leaders who keep learning are the one who keep leading.