PROVIDENCE, RI [Brown University] — As part of our mission to deliver forward-thinking leadership education, the School of Professional Studies (SPS) is proud to welcome Professor of the Practice in Leadership, Baba Prasad.
Known for his work on agile leadership and organizational agility, Prasad is an author and expert in the fields of strategic management, innovation and leadership. He has a rich academic and professional background, and brings decades of experience in management and technology to his position.
Associate Dean of Executive Education, Sandra Smith, shared her excitement for Prasad to join the team, stating, “Baba’s extensive academic and consulting background and innovative thinking align perfectly with Brown’s commitment to integrating the humanities into leadership training. Together with our impressive leadership education team, he will help cultivate humane, agile leaders who can adapt effectively to change.”
Developing the blueprint for agile leadership
Before joining the Brown community, Prasad taught at several prestigious business schools in the United States and India, and has been a consultant for various global organizations. He has a background in robotics, artificial intelligence and management, with degrees from the Indian Institute of Science, the University of Hyderabad, Kansas State University and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Prasad began his career in electrical engineering and AI in India before transitioning to cloud computing at JP Morgan, where he explored emerging technologies that could become strategic in business. His academic journey included teaching at Purdue University and the University of Minnesota, where he developed the "Five Agilities Framework," which inspired his book Nimble and led to a successful consulting business.
His notable book, Nimble: Make Yourself and Your Company Resilient in the Age of Constant Change (Penguin Random House, 2018), has received endorsements from CEOs and renowned business thinkers. In Nimble, he presents a framework for executives and organizations to thrive amidst constant change by integrating insights from human intelligence and strategic leadership. An accomplished writer, Prasad was also a columnist for Mint, the Indian business newspaper and Founding Fuel, the entrepreneurship hub. He also recently completed his first literary fiction novel.
Carving a new path for leadership education
As he steps into his new role at SPS, Prasad says he is excited about developing workshops focused on leadership training and integrating his humanities interests with his management background, particularly in discussions around technology strategy.
When asked what qualities Prasad believes are essential for effective leadership, he stated,