About Us

The Global Institute For Tomorrow (GIFT) is an independent pan-Asian think and do tank based in Hong Kong. We work at the forefront of leadership development that seeks to make sense of the complexities of globalisation to better understand the role business can play in society today. As organisations today wrestle with the unprecedented scope and speed of change in the world, the process of developing effective leaders is becoming a critical need. Just as historical success models for organisations are proving inadequate to meet today's competitive landscape, so conventional approaches to leadership development fall short in preparing leaders. At GIFT we believe that executive education needs to move beyond textbooks and theories and engage in experiential learning that complements what is taught in the classroom.

"The point of the experience-based course (Global Young Leaders Programme) is to teach managers global awareness and the impact business can have on society - something not easily gained from inside a classroom." -- Wall Street Journal

Founded in 2004 by Chandran Nair, GIFT has grown from a small not-for-profit research organisation to a company that provides world-class, field-based executive learning programmes. In 2006 GIFT's flagship programme, The Global Young Leaders Programme was launched as a commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative. To date GIFT has conducted 23 of these programmes in six countries across Asia and has attracted broad acclaim from blue chip companies, global media and civil society partners as an effective way to link business with society.

GIFT's mission is to:

Tackle the critical leadership needs of current and future decision-makers through unique action learning programmes that offer practical and commercially viable solutions to meet development requirements.
Link business, public policy and civil society issues in creative ways to address the inherent contradictions of globalisation-related challenges in Asia.
Channel management expertise and capital to implement projects designed to deliver tangible socio-economic and environmental benefits and create prosperous communities.