About the Session
Suresh Narayanan will be discussing his recent book Courage Under Fire: Leadership Lessons from the Arab Spring, Maggi Crisis, Covid & More.
Courage Under Fire is a practical leadership logbook drawn from four decades of Suresh Narayanan’s own experiences of managing battles in the corporate trenches. Rather than offering abstract leadership theory, the book uses real episodes―across multiple countries―to show how leaders can navigate volatility with judgement, values and coordinated action. It argues that leadership is fundamentally human: built on trust, values, behaviour, credibility and outcomes.
Mr Narayanan uses stories from the Maggi noodles crisis, the Arab Spring in Egypt, the 2008 financial shock in Singapore and COVID-era decisions to drive home some fundamentals in management―staying grounded, asking the right questions, communicating clearly and putting people first.
About the Speaker
Suresh Narayanan is the Former Chairman and Managing Director of Nestlé India and has held additional responsibilities for Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Maldives during his tenure. He also served as the Chairman of the CII National Committee on Food Processing Industries. He was a member of the Board of Governors of the Advertising Standards Council of India. He has held leadership positions in several international markets, including Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore, Egypt (North Africa Region), and the Philippines. He is also Member, Governing Council at Krea University.
