Building senior leadership capability with an Asia Region IFI
This rapidly growing Asia Region IFI recognised the need to invest in the development of its senior leadership in alignment with its evolving strategic direction. With a diverse leadership team of Directors, Vice Presidents, and Executive Committee members, they sought to create a unified leadership culture and enhance leadership effectiveness across the institution.
After a rigorous selection process, Sheppard Moscow was appointed as the long-term partner for a multi-level senior leadership development programme of work. The first programme launched in late 2024, serving Directors through 2025, with an ExCom programme to follow, enabling this Asia Region IFI to achieve the impact they want in part through their leadership development journey.
Focus
Our initial programme for Directors was designed with the intention to:
Action
Before designing the programme, we conducted a comprehensive review of this IFI’s existing leadership framework, aligning competencies with strategic goals, values and culture. After creating this revised leadership competency framework, we benchmarked it against eight global MDBs and institutions including WBG, IMF, KPMG, and Barclays.
The programme was then grounded in and informed by this framework, ensuring relevance and rigour in leadership expectations. It featured:
- An in-flow programme focused on self-awareness, authentic leadership and resilience.
- Team workshops to foster collaboration and shared accountability.
- Coaching and feedback mechanisms to support individual growth.
The framework was embedded in all leadership development initiatives ensuring consistency and strategic alignment. In the design process, we maintained sight of the strategic needs of the institution and will continue to evolve the design with the organisation’s needs and the needs of its leaders.
Impact
- Senior team effectiveness: Director participants (second level of leadership in the bank) report that the programme enabled them to form for the first time as a cohesive, powerful and potent team of senior leaders in the execution of the bank’s strategy.
- Strategic alignment: the programme supports a consistent leadership culture across this Asia Region IFI’s diverse management team, directly aligned with their strategy.
- Capability development: leaders are developing greater self-awareness, authentic leadership, and the agility to lead through change, enhancing their effectiveness in dynamic environments.
- Institutional integration: the revised competency framework ensures leadership expectations are rigorous, relevant, and globally benchmarked.
- Leadership impact: participants are better equipped to lead high-performing teams, manage performance effectively, and collaborate across institutional boundaries – strengthening leadership capacity as it scales.
Find out more about the impactful work we do with IFIs, including further insights and case studies.
