Inclusive Growth and Responsible Leadership Forum

Panellist with students and staff

UTAR Institute of Management and Leadership Development (IMLD) and Global Shapers Community KL Hub jointly organised the Inclusive Growth and Responsible Leadership Forum on 3 June 2016 at Sungai Long Campus’ Multi-purpose Hall. It was moderated by UTAR’s Prof Cheng Ming Yu, who is the Director of IMLD and of the Division of Community and International Networking. She is also a member of the Young Global Leader 2011 & is a Founding Curator of the Global Shapers Kuala Lumpur Hub.

The forum featured speakers from the Young Global Leaders (YGL) by the World Economic Forum. YGL is a diverse community of leaders that commit a portion of their time to jointly shape a better future and improve the state of world.  They were University of Cumbria Professor of Sustainability Leadership and Founder of the Institute for Leadership and Sustainability Prof Jem Bendell, Founder and President of Social Innovation Park (SIP) Singapore and Member of Parliament of Singapore Penny Low, and CEO and Founder of The Now Group Jeffrey Lim Tau Hoong, who also happens to be a Malaysian investor, entrepreneur, lecturer, councillor, and philanthropist.

The forum featured discussions between the panellists on their different views about inclusive growth, responsible leadership, and their impact towards society as a whole. The topics ranged from equal job opportunities to health services, and even to universal access to education. Through the sharing of opinions and feedback between the experts and the participants, the forum provided an opportunity to gain insight on world issues and how inclusive growth and responsible leadership play their roles in ensuring the economy remain healthy.

The panellists further shared their working experiences and how the Global Shapers Community helps to alleviate economic problems and other related issues such as education and health, while supporting young leaders to drive community projects and to contribute to every class of society.

Prof Bendell said, “Inclusive growth requires growing the economy while considering its impact and ensuring everyone has an equal share of the benefits while making sure that the benefits prioritises quality over quantity, as our current measure for growth relies on numbers alone which is not comprehensive enough. I believe in people who believe there is a need for change. Some of the big impacts begin right now, not later. A leader should be able to think critically, freely, and independently in order to gain insights and new perspectives about people and their culture, while learning to love and having the courage to accept uncomfortable realities as they move towards a goal.”

“The Global Shapers Community was formed with the idea of ‘Global Network, Local Impact’. There is a need to gather to the same platform people who are not only thinkers but also doers in order to move the global agenda to shape a brighter future. A leader must have clarity of thought and a vision for society to be able to mobilise resources. In order to excel, first you must change yourself, and then your community. Inclusive growth occurs as each and every person cultivates themselves with skills and knowledge and contributes back to society to build a better world,” said Low.

Lim said, “Inclusive growth has to include everyone so that inequality is diminished, while looking at every aspect that needs consideration such as people, poverty eradication, and environment. There is a need to foresee the accessibility to opportunities in the areas of education, job placement, and health. Above all, we have to brace ourselves for the Fourth Industrial Revolution where cyber system application exceeds our human thoughts as we are responsible for guiding its development and determining our technologically-driven future in decision making. Leadership has to start from one self’s heart, before attempting to govern the country and to bring peace to all.”

Lim, Low, Prof Jem, and Prof Cheng introducing themselves to the crowd

Jeffrey Lim

Prof Jem Bendell

Penny Low