Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 11: In a world of sharper geopolitical faultlines, faster technology cycles and heightened scrutiny, strategy has become a continuous discipline. Organisations increasingly need senior leaders who can read signals early, make hard trade-offs with analytical rigour and translate ambition into execution across functions and geographies. Against this backdrop, the Indian Institute of Management Lucknow (IIM Lucknow), in association with TimesPro, has begun accepting applications for the 10th batch of its Chief Strategy Officers Programme, designed for experienced professionals shaping enterprise direction and driving multi-region transformation. Spanning 10 months, the programme develops end-to-end capability, from diagnosing external disruption to translating strategy into measurable execution. Participants learn to build advantage in fast-changing environments, integrate digital and AI into decision-making, embed ESG into long-range planning and manage risk through sharper capital allocation and scenario thinking. Designed for aspiring CSOs, COOs and CEOs, as well as senior managers and vice-presidents leading large change agendas, the programme builds the confidence to influence boards, guide business units and mobilise stakeholders around coherent strategic priorities.

As organisations navigate uncertainty and disruption, they need leaders who can ground strategy in evidence while acting with speed and clarity. PwC’s Global CEO Survey 2026, based on responses from CEOs across 95 countries and territories, shows that the foremost concern for many leaders is whether their organisations are transforming quickly enough to keep pace with technological change, including AI—42% cite this as their top concern. Gartner’s 2024 CEO and Senior Business Executive Survey echoes’ this urgency: 62% of CEOs rank growth as their highest business priority, while 34% identify AI as the leading theme for the next wave of business transformation after digital.

Aimed at professionals with 10+ years of full-time work experience, the programme is anchored in three interconnected modules: Sensing Opportunity, Crafting Competitive Advantage and Execution & Realising Competitive Advantage. The curriculum covers strategic decision-making, emerging disruptions, corporate and business strategy, international strategy, mergers and acquisitions, corporate entrepreneurship, strategic communication, change and transformation and design thinking, enabling participants to move from insight to action with rigour.

Commenting on the 10th batch, Sabayachi Sinha, Professor, IIM Lucknow said, “Strategy now demands both range and discipline; leaders must read uncertainty early, choose where to compete, and execute with clarity across functions and geographies. This programme develops that capability through structured frameworks, contemporary cases and peer learning that mirror boardroom complexity. Participants leave with sharper strategic intuition, stronger analytical tools and the ability to translate ambition into resilient, measurable growth.” Sridhar Nagarajachar, Business Head – Executive Education, TimesPro, said, “Senior leaders rarely need more information, they need better synthesis, decision discipline and execution velocity. Our collaboration with IIM Lucknow brings that together through live, faculty-led learning, applied assignments and a capstone that turns frameworks into outcomes. The programme fits demanding calendars while building credible strategic capability that leaders can deploy immediately across transformation, growth and stakeholder alignment.” Over the years, the Chief Strategy Officers Programme has drawn professionals from BFSI, manufacturing, FMCG, IT, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, and other sectors. Cohorts typically include C-suite leaders, vice presidents, directors and senior managers responsible for enterprise priorities and transformation roadmaps.

IIM Lucknow faculty deliver the learning through TimesPro’s Direct-to-Device platform, combining live sessions with case discussions, simulations, quizzes and graded assignments. A three-day on-campus immersion at IIM Lucknow enables deeper reflection and peer exchange. Participants also complete a capstone project, applying digital transformation, AI and innovation toolkits to a real strategic challenge. On successful completion, learners receive an IIM Lucknow certificate and alumni credentials.

About IIM Lucknow: The Indian Institute of Management Lucknow (IIM Lucknow), ranked 7th in NIRF 2024, stands among India’s premier business schools with global recognition through AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA accreditations. With a 200-acre main campus in Lucknow and a strategic presence in Noida, the institute delivers world-class management education, high-impact executive programmes, and industry-driven research, shaping leaders for the future of business.

About TimesPro: TimesPro, established in 2013, is a leading Higher EdTech platform dedicated to empowering the career growth of aspiring learners by equipping them with skills to rise in a competitive world. TimesPro’s H.EdTech programmes are created to meet the rapidly changing industry requirements and have been blended with technology to make them accessible & affordable.

TimesPro offers a variety of created and curated learning programmes across a range of categories, industries, and age groups. They include employment-oriented early career programmes across BFSI, e-Commerce, and technology sectors; executive education for working professionals in collaboration with premier educational institutions like IIMs and IITs; and organisational learning and development interventions at the corporate level.

TimesPro also collaborates with India’s leading organisations across varied sectors to provide upskilling and reskilling solutions to boost employability and create a robust workforce. TimesPro is a Higher EdTech initiative by The Times Group.

(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PNN and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR