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Regional Talent to Develop a Model Village Enterprise in India on GIFT’s 8th Global Young Leaders Programme (YLP)
HONG KONG, Monday 5th Jan, 2009 – At the top of the year 2009, an international group of young executives and business students will begin a two week immersion learning experience as part of the 8th Global Young Leaders Programme (YLP) run by the Global Institute For Tomorrow (GIFT).

The programme taking place from January 5-16, 2009, begins with an MBA-style classroom module in Hong Kong examining topics including globalisation, civil society, the role of government & policy, business ethics, diversity and corporate social responsibility, with a focus on business in Asia.

While the world continues to watch with bemusement the global financial meltdown, GIFT facilitators and guest speakers will focus on the challenges of being effective in a rapidly changing business environment and what it takes to stay ahead of the curve in uncertain times.

For participants, the YLP challenges conventional business practices and pushes participants to think creatively about the changing business and economic landscape. Following a week of thought-provoking discussion and debate they will then apply their learnings in an on-site experience in India, where an outcome-driven process lends urgency and focus to their learning.

The group of 19 talented professionals, non-profit workers and mature students hailing from countries as diverse as China, India, Hong Kong, the United States and Japan will spend six days working on-site with GIFT’s partner in New Delhi, Drishtee Development And Communication Ltd (Drishtee).

The participants’ goal will be on developing a business plan to pilot and replicate the Model Village Enterprise across India, providing basic infrastructure services to rural villages while producing solid returns to investors. This will require them to understand Drishtee’s overall management and governance structure, evaluate financials, logistics, and regulatory issues and explore how this commercial approach to sustainable development can be effectively replicated to create the desired scale economies.

The YLP will culminate with participants presenting their finalized business plan to a group of potential investors at a conference in New Delhi on January 15, 2009 in order to attract immediate interest in the investment opportunity and build a network of investors who are interested in social venture projects in India.

Discussing the project in the context of the uncertain economic climate, GIFT founder and chief executive Chandran Nair says, “Clearly these are difficult times and the programme was a tough sell. Part of what we aim to do with the YLP is to challenge the conventional wisdom on how to navigate in an environment like we all find ourselves in now. Our view is that successful enterprises, rather than clamping down out of fear, will take the opportunity to invest in their best people, reinforce their commitment to talent and look toward finding opportunities in the new landscape which is emerging – and this is supported by the Model Village Enterprise project.”

The India Model Village Enterprise YLP is part of a commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative which was made by GIFT in 2005. The YLP has been designed to initiate a fundamental shift in the understanding of business, its influence and impacts, by engaging participants in a life-changing field project. Previous YLP projects have been based in other parts of China, India, Laos and Cambodia dealing with issues such as; setting up rural supply chains, eco-tourism programmes and use of renewable energy.

About GIFT: www.globalinstitutefortomorrow.com/
GIFT is a social venture think tank that connects businesses, policy makers and civil society so they may find common ground from which to meet the challenges of globalisation. Further information about GIFT and details about the YLP can be found at the above website.

CONTACT:
Chandran Nair,
Founder and Chief Executive
Ph: (852) 3571 8103
Cell: (852) 9171 3981

Thomas Tang,
Executive Director
Ph: (852) 3571 8104
Cell: (852) 9160 7595