Qatar Leadership Centre to convene third Innovation Forum in October

Doha, Qatar — The Qatar Leadership Centre will convene the third edition of its Leadership Innovation Forum on 28 October, with a focus on how strategic planning can enable institutions to sustain their performance through leadership transitions.

Patronage and Participants

Under the patronage of Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani, chairperson of the centre’s board, the forum will gather leaders, experts and specialists from a range of sectors. The event aims to explore ways for organisations to establish long-term strategies, cultivate future leaders and build systems that ensure continuity when leadership changes occur.

Speaking at a press conference, Ali Ahmed Al Kuwari, the centre’s director of public relations, said the forum would serve as a platform for dialogue and the exchange of expertise on leadership challenges and the demands facing institutions in the coming years. Effective leadership, he said, was not limited to achievements during an individual’s tenure but also involved building organisations capable of maintaining progress and delivering results after a leader’s departure.

Institutional Sustainability

Al Kuwari added that institutional sustainability depended on a clear strategic direction rather than simply accelerating the implementation of initiatives. He emphasised the importance of long-term planning, talent development, knowledge application and preparing the next generation of leaders. The forum also aims to promote the concept of leadership legacy, focusing on the systems, capabilities and organisational practices that leaders leave behind to enable their successors to continue developing their institutions.

Al Kuwari said the centre wanted the forum’s outcomes to extend beyond theoretical discussions and produce practical ideas for workplaces, particularly in strategic priority-setting, talent development, governance and leadership succession.

Building on Previous Editions

The third edition builds on discussions from the two previous forums. The 2024 edition focused on leadership innovation, while the 2025 forum examined decision-making. This year’s event will address the institutional legacy leaders leave behind and how organisations can continue to achieve their objectives beyond individual tenures.

Professor Steven Wright, director of the Leadership Knowledgebase Department, said the forum would examine what enables institutions to remain successful after their founders and leaders leave. He noted that Qatar’s experience in building national institutions offered examples that could inform discussions on sustainability, governance and organisational culture.

The programme will include workshops on strategic leadership for graduates of the Qatar Leadership Centre, alongside discussions on the characteristics of exceptional leadership and the practices that enable institutions to maintain their objectives through leadership transitions. The forum brings together centre graduates and professionals from government, public and private sector organisations to exchange experiences and explore approaches to strengthening institutional effectiveness and resilience.