Skip to main content

Dr Narendra Laljani

Executive Fellow

Programme Director: Executive Management Programme |
The Henley Strategy Programme
Co-Programme Director: Henley Strategic Innovation Programme

Narendra Profile Photo

Specialisms

  • Strategic thinking, 
  • Innovation and executionn, 
  • Building market-focused organisations, 
  • Strategy education, 
  • Leader development

Narendra Laljani is a management educator, consultant, CEO coach, and board member. At Henley Business School, he directs the Executive Management Programme and The Henley Strategy Programme, and co-directs the Henley Strategic Innovation Programme. His expertise spans strategy, leadership, innovation, and organisational change.

With more than 30 years’ experience facilitating executive teams and developing leaders, Narendra brings both academic insight and real-world perspective, following a 15-year international corporate career. He has worked extensively with senior executives and boards across a wide range of global organisations.

Narendra previously served as Dean of Graduate Studies at Ashridge Business School. He earned his doctorate from Cranfield University in 2008, with research focused on the dimensions, development, and deployment of strategic leadership capability.

He is the author of Making Strategic Leaders (Palgrave Macmillan, 2009) and co-author of The Future of Management Development: A Manifesto (in Management Development That Works, Libri 2015). Most recently, he contributed Outside-In: Overcoming Toxic Assumptions with Market Insight to The Corporate Explorer Fieldbook (Wiley, 2023). He also contributes to podcasts including How to Get Your Boss’s Job and Keep It and The Leader as Coach.

Beyond his academic and consulting work, Narendra serves as Chair of the Acorn Early Years Foundation and as a trustee of Goods for Good, a humanitarian aid agency.

SIP: Module 6 - Building Your Innovation Plan

This session will offer a synthesis of our innovation process, you will think through and capture findings and insights from the previous sessions that are relevant to your organisation. You...

SIP: Module 5 - Overcoming the Silent Killers

Strategic innovations marches to the beat of a different drum than core business operations, uncertainty is high. Managers cannot rely on the usual performance data to track progress. You will...

SIP: Module 4 - Developing a Venture Concept

A lack of resources for startups forces them to test their ideas with minimum expenditure until they have enough evidence to convince an investor to back them. Corporates can apply...

SIP: Module 3 - Deciding where to play

Companies often start the innovation journey by generating new ideas. The problem is that these ideas are defined inside-out, based on assumptions and beliefs the company has about market opportunities...

SIP: Module 2 - Applying Three Disciplines of Innovation

Corporates that succeed at strategic innovation set an explicit growth vision or ambition and then apply three distinct innovation disciplines to pursue that goal including: - Ideation to identify valuable...

SIP: Module 1 - Thinking Strategically

Strategy is often conflated with planning, and a key element of this process is usually analysis. This session will set the scene and offer an alternative model which suggests that...

The Henley Strategy Programme: Post-Programme Activities

After the programme, you can remain part of the Henley Business School community by: Joining our alumni networkAccessing resources from the virtual learning portal for up to 12 months...

The Henley Strategy Programme: Module 2 (0.5 day online)

Focus on your action commitments, progress, and addressing barriers to your successful implementation of the programme’s key learning....

The Henley Strategy Programme: Module 1 (3 days residential)

...

The Henley Strategy Programme: Pre-Programme

Participants prepare a 5-minute presentation outlining their current strategic challenge. Reflection on current market insights, SWOT analysis, customer focus, and actions to enhance organisational customer-centricity. Read relevant articles for discussion....

EMP: Post-Programme Activities

To enable you to effectively implement your learning, support from the Programme Director and Henley continue after your course is completed. This includes: Embedding your personal action plan with support...

EMP: Back In Organisation (8-10 weeks)

Between modules you will the opportunity to consolidate and apply the skills and techniques you have learned. You will also have a 1:1 executive coaching session and additional reading during...

EMP: Pre-Programme (3-4 weeks)

Three to four weeks before your course starts, you will:Collect 360-degree feedback on your strengths and areas for improvementIdentify a learning partner within your organisation to support you during the...

EMP: Module 2 (5 days residential)

Module 2 is delivered on site at Greenlands and focuses on leading organisations effectively. Topics include:...

EMP: Module 1 (5 days residential)

Module 1 is delivered on site at Greenlands. These immersive, practical sessions focus on leading self, leading others, and leading the change process. Topics include:...

Making Strategic Leaders, Palgrave Macmillan, 2009

The Future of Management Development: A Manifesto in Management Development that Works, Libri Publishing, 2015

Doctor of Business Administration, Cranfield University, England, 2008

Master of Management Studies, University of Bombay, India, 1980

2015-: Managing Director, Milan Consulting Group Limited

2010-2015: Dean of Graduate Studies, Ashridge Business School

2004-2010: Director of Executive Education, Ashridge Business School

1995-2004: Client/Programme Director, Ashridge Business School

1980-1995: Various general management positions with ICI PLC in India and Europe