The Opportunity
As the global energy transition accelerates, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) faced a defining question: how to prepare leaders for a low-carbon future in a hydrocarbon-dependent economy.
In Kuwait, where hydrocarbons contribute more than 90% of GDP, the stakes are particularly high. KPC identified a cohort of newly appointed senior managers as internal change agents. Each had more than two decades of technical expertise. What they needed was not additional capability, but a broader perspective.
The goal was to help these leaders rethink the organization’s future through a sustainability lens and build the confidence to lead change inside a complex, high-stakes industry.
The Journey
KPC partnered with Emerging World and Kenneth Mikkelsen to design a customised leadership journey spanning three global modules in London, Mumbai and Copenhagen.
The programme combined real-world exposure with structured leadership reflection. Participants explored sustainability challenges in unfamiliar contexts and engaged with organizations leading social and environmental change. A two-day immersion with social impact organizations in London challenged assumptions about leadership, responsibility and long-term value creation, helping leaders consider how these insights could inform KPC’s strategic future.
Across the three-city journey, participants developed a clearer narrative for change and strengthened their ability to influence peers and stakeholders across the business.
The Transformation
Participants reported significant changes in how they approached leadership and organizational change.
A bespoke pre- and post-programme assessment tracked progress across 20 leadership dimensions.
82% reported positive impact on business results and improvements on 18 out of 20 leadership dimensions.
Leaders left better equipped to shape strategy and support one another with stronger relationships and a trusted network capable of driving change across the organization.
