Dato’ Hamidah Naziadin

SUMMIT – DAY1 – 22 July 2026

FireSide Chat : Coaching the Unimaginable: Building Human Capacity in Ambiguity & Change

In an era of “unimaginable” disruption, leadership is shifting from providing fixed answers to asking better questions. This fireside chat explores how coaching reframes leadership capacity in moments of radical uncertainty, moving from linear problem-solving to adaptive resilience through conscious leadership and systems thinking.

The discussion highlights empathy as a strategic capability for navigating organisational change and complexity, alongside the importance of the ICF of Ethics as an essential anchor for decision-making under pressure.

Attendees will gain insight into how a coaching mindset strengthens collective capacity, shifting from individual authority to systemic awareness, and enabling organisations to become more adaptive and resilient in the face of uncertainty.

Dr Hari Narayanan has amassed over 40 years of rich experience spanning industry and academia. He spent more than two decades at Motorola Solutions, rising from a technical staff member to leading the R&D organisation and serving as Managing Director for Penang operations. Dr Hari transitioned to academia in 2019, joining APU as Senior Director of Organisational Development before assuming the role of Vice Chancellor in 2020 and later President in 2022. In the recent years he also tool on several leadership roles, including Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC), focusing on talent development and positioning PSDC as a premier centre for TVET graduates.

Dr Hari holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from UMIST, UK and various professional accolades, including being a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of IMechE and IET. Dr Hari has received numerous awards for his management, leadership, and contributions to the industry, including the Public Bank-MIM Senior Manager of the Year, Best CEO by MOHE for his contributions in the CEO Faculty program and an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering from UMP. He continues to contribute to various national initiatives related to talent development and E&E local ecosystem growth.

He is the CEO for tertiary at the HELP Education Group, overseeing HELP University and HELP Academy.
He was the founding CEO for HELP Education Services, which established two international schools in Malaysia,

to pre-summit
to ICS 2026