Cyberjaya, Malaysia – 22 February 2013 – Founder and President of Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Paduka Dr. Lim Kok Wing received the Global Leadership in Transformational Innovation award today at his University’s campus in Cyberjaya.
The award was conferred by the American Leadership Development Association (ALDA), an international leadership development network based in the United States.
Executive Director of ALDA, Arthur Carmazzi said the award was given to people who make a difference worldwide. He said:
“This award is not just about being an innovative leader, it’s about making a difference in the world, and this organisation has made a great difference in people across the world.”
Tan Sri Lim, who was named Father of Innovation in Creative Education by Malaysia’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation in 2009, is known as the country’s foremost advocate of creativity and innovation.
He has contributed to the country’s nation-building, innovation and youth campaigns for over 30 years.
This includes work on the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games, ‘Rakan Muda’, the ‘Tak-Nak’ anti-smoking campaign, the ‘Malaysia: Innovation Nation’ national convention, ‘Malaysia Inovatif 2010’, and most recently, the government’s Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).
He has also done international philanthropy and humanitarian work, including helping Nelson Mandela in the 1994 South African democratic elections, and supported the rebuilding of war torn Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Tan Sri Lim recently released the 4th edition of his critically-acclaimed book on innovation, ‘The Future is Coming – Transform Now’, that was officially launched in Putrajaya last month by Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah.
‘The Future is Coming – Transform Now’ is a compilation of Tan Sri Lim’s speeches, feature articles and blogs on creativity and innovation.
During his acceptance speech, Tan Sri Lim spoke of how much the award means to him as “it comes from a country where innovation has driven its global success and its enterprises lead in many ways, changing, leading and inspiring the world with stunning new ideas.”
Tan Sri Lim also thanked the event’s two keynote speakers, Keenan and Carmazzi, calling them “two of the most impressive motivational speakers and transformational thinkers I have come across.”
He added: “Mr. Arthur Carmazzi and Dr. John Keenan are respected and recognised around the world for their brilliance as thought leaders and creative thinkers.”
The award presentation took place in ALDA’s ‘Lecture Series on Innovational Leadership’ event featuring ALDA Executive Director, Arthur Carmazzi, who is also a best-selling author and ranked one of the Top 10 most influential leadership gurus in the world. When conferring the award, Carmazzi said Tan Sri Lim was an extraordinary leader who creates environments that benefit a lot of people.
“As executive director of ALDA, we have met a lot of great leaders, people who have made a great impact around the world, but once in a while, there are some exceptionally great leaders who don’t just inspire others, but create organisations, create systems, platforms for people to add value to themselves, to people that in some cases have no hope, they don’t see a future, and someone comes along and gives them new vision, makes them feel valued,” he said.
The event was organized by The Leaders International, a high-profile and bi-monthly business publication. Shahul Hameed Shaik Daewood, Group CEO of The Leader’s International said when ALDA contacted him about a creative and innovative leader in Malaysia; he immediately told them he ‘knew of only one such man, Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing’.
The event opened with a talk on ‘Emerging Trends in Leadership and Management Education and Development’ by the Founder, President and Professor of Leadership Studies at the Institute for Leadership and Global Education (ILGE), Dr. John Keenan.
This was followed by Carmazzi’s keynote talk on ‘Innovational Leadership’.
The event also saw a collaboration sealed between ALDA, The Leaders International and Limkokwing University in building innovational leadership in the next generation through activities, seminars, talks and workshops to be held throughout the world.
