Academic City pushes purpose-driven business leadership

Academic City University recently hosted its first Xperience ACity Industry Breakfast, emphasizing the importance of purpose-driven business strategies. Held at its Haatso, Accra campus on November 6, 2026, the event aimed to explore how businesses could achieve profitability while creating lasting value for various stakeholders.

The conference, themed "The Purpose Premium: A Leadership Conversation on Growth, Profitability and Impact," convened industry leaders and executives to discuss integrating purpose into leadership and organizational strategies.

Dr Prem Shamdasani, an Associate Professor of Marketing at the National University of Singapore's Business School and Academic City University's Governing Council Chair, delivered the keynote address. He urged business leaders to treat purpose as more than superficial corporate rhetoric; instead, it should serve as a guiding principle for decision-making, organizational culture, and stakeholder engagement.

Shamdasani argued that businesses with a clear understanding of their purpose and the value they create are better positioned to foster stronger relationships with customers, employees, and communities. As Academic Director of the NUS Executive MBA Programme and Co-Director of the Stanford-NUS International Management Programme, his international viewpoint enriched the discussion on purpose and business performance.

The panel discussion, featuring Bernard Gyebi (UBA Ghana), Nii Amankra Tetteh (Letshego Ghana), and Sandrine Henton (EG Capital), delved into the practical challenges of balancing profit with purpose, especially in a climate of heightened stakeholder expectations. The conversation centered on corporate leaders' responsibilities to maintain competitiveness while contributing meaningfully to their communities and economies.

This interactive session facilitated the exchange of insights on leadership, business growth, and the role of purpose in fostering sustainable enterprises.