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LSE AI LEADERSHIP ACCELERATOR

Become a credible AI leader

Evaluate where AI creates value, govern it responsibly, lead the strategy – and prove it with board-ready outputs and an LSE credential. No technical background required.

6 months, online

5-10 hours per week

Project-based learning

Get more info

Complete the form below to receive more information about the Accelerator curriculum, programme fees, how you’ll learn, and more. You will be redirected to the programme brochure on submission.

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“Before, I evaluated AI as an interested executive. The programme equipped me to lead it as an accountable one.”

– Olena Bilan, Operations & Transformation Executive | ex-CFO & COO

Developed with the companies that build AI

The curriculum was co-designed with technology leaders, AI experts and transformation specialists so you learn what actually works in industry.

Deloitte office of Generative AI

Board-ready outputs

Leave with four AI deliverables built for your business, so you finish ready to lead, with the strategic work already in hand.

Learn with leaders

Study alongside a senior, cross-industry cohort directors, managers and domain experts, tackling AI challenges from different vantage points.

Backed by LSE

Signal your expertise with a certificate from LSE – recognised immediately, and a mark of distinction among the many short courses out there.

Learner outcomes by the numbers*

31%

is the average salary increase reported since completing a Career Accelerator.

88%

of learners achieve their desired career goal within 6 months of completing their Career Accelerator.

88%

believe the skills they’ve gained during the Career Accelerator will future-proof their career.

*Based on results from The FourthRev Completers’ Survey

Lead AI with proof you can put in front of a board

You won't just learn to lead AI, you'll build the evidence that you can. Across the programme you produce four board-ready deliverables, from an investment-grade business case to an executive AI playbook: real strategic work you can take straight into your organisation.

I read something that morning that I immediately brought to a meeting that afternoon. What’s been the most practical application right away has been the change management piece...It’s been immediately relevant to projects I'm working on.”

Michael Hosler

Director, Performance Enablement at FIS

01

Board advisory memo

Where AI creates value, the risks and a clear implementation view for the board.

02

Investment-grade business case

A costed, evidence-based case for AI investment that stands up to scrutiny.

03

AI change management strategy

A plan to move AI from pilot to adoption, bringing teams and stakeholders with you.

04

Executive AI playbook

A practical playbook for leading AI in your team, with human oversight built in.

You won't do it alone

A full support system surrounds your learning: weekly live sessions with tutors for the academic core, industry facilitators and sector small-groups for real-world application, a Student Success Manager to keep you on track, and 1:1 leadership coaching across 12 months.

As a result of the programme and especially my recent coaching session, I’ve developed a “Leadership Cognitive Architecture” prototype that I wouldn’t have thought possible a few months ago. If deployed properly, it’s a potential game changer for how I operate day-to-day and could be genuinely transformational for the business.”

Paul Soares

Director and Head of Operations, Westminster Asset Management

A team behind you

Built on four layers

Tutors & live classes

Academic core

01

Industry facilitators

Sector small-groups and 1-2-1s

02

Student Success Manager

Keeps you on track

03

1:1 Leadership coach

Across 12 months

04

Judgment that outlasts the tools

Where many AI courses offer fixed answers, this Accelerator builds the judgment to ask the right questions – evaluating where AI creates value, governing it responsibly and challenging what it produces, as the technology keeps changing.

The Accelerator made me really work on things. They engaged us every week, every lesson, every session. And the way it was facilitated – they were not giving poor answers. They were challenging our own judgments."

Olena Bilan

Operations & Transformation Executive | ex-CFO & COO

What you’ll learn

CERTIFIED & RECOGNISED BY

CPD Certified

CPD-certified by the UK CPD Certification Service · Counts toward 240 hours

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

  • 01

    Course 1: Applying AI in Organisations

    • Understand where and how AI can drive value in your organisation.
    • Learn how to evaluate AI opportunities and assess implementation risks.
    • Lead ethically responsible adoption across business functions.

    Practical Project: Develop a strategic AI pitch that aligns with organisational goals, ensures responsible implementation and delivers measurable value.

  • 02

    Course 2: From Vision to Value

    • Go beyond the business case.
    • Scope, cost, and lead strategic AI investments from pilot to rollout.
    • Build stakeholder alignment and deliver measurable business outcomes.

    Practical Project: Develop and present a comprehensive AI business case.

  • 03

    Course 3: AI & Change Leadership

    • Master the leadership, communication, and change management skills needed to guide teams through AI transformation.
    • Overcome resistance and align cross-functional stakeholders.

    Practical Project: Develop a comprehensive change management strategy for an AI deployment project.

  • 04

    Course 4: AI for Executive & Team Performance

    • Use AI tools to improve your productivity, decision-making, and leadership impact.
    • Learn how to integrate AI into team workflows while managing ethical trade-offs and risk.

    Capstone Activity: Design a custom AI-powered leadership and productivity playbook.

Please note: Course content is subject to ongoing development and updates.

Join the waiting list to find out more

Who you’ll learn from

This Accelerator brings together academic and industry perspectives to design, build and deliver a curriculum that represents the best of both worlds.

Course Convenors

Dr. Jonathan Cardoso-Silva

Assistant Professor (Education), LSE Data Science Institute

Brings extensive expertise in machine learning, natural language processing, and AI education, with industry experience as a lead data scientist

Professor Connson Locke

Professor (Education) of Management and Deputy Head of Department (Teaching and Learning), LSE Department of Management

Brings over 30 years of international experience in leadership development and organisational behaviour, guiding learners to lead with confidence and evidence-based insight.

Dr Anuschka Schmitt

Assistant Professor of Information Systems, LSE Department of Management

Brings expertise in AI-augmented work and decision-making, exploring how humans and intelligent systems collaborate to enhance performance and learning in business contexts.

Professor Prithwiraj Choudhury

Professor of Organisational Behaviour, LSE Department of Management

Leading global thought leader on the Future of Work. His research is focused on how technology is changing where we work and how we work.

Dr Tomislav Karačić

Assistant Professor of Information Systems, LSE Department of Management

Brings deep expertise in the social and organisational dimensions of artificial intelligence, examining how AI is developed, interpreted and governed across diverse real-world contexts.

Contributors include

Capgemini Nordics, Deloitte's Office of Generative AI, Databricks, and others.

Robert Hardman

Former Chief AI & Data Officer, Inchcape Digital

Susan Steele

Chair and Board Director

Diwakar Patwal

VP of Data and AI, Thredd

Dael Williamson

EMEA CTO, Databricks

Tom Head

Co-Founder, G3N3R8

Rachel Wagner-Kaiser, Ph.D.

Director, Data Scientist, Advisory, KPMG US

Albert John

Management Consultant, AI Nordic Portfolio, Capgemini Invent

Charlie Symonds

CEO, Alirity

Jesus Checa

Strategy and Innovation Director, Bacardi

Nadine Soyez

AI Expert & Advisor

Patrick Gilroy

Head of AI and Education, TÜV Association

Alper Serçe

Deputy General Manager Operations (NG, HEPP, WPP, SPP) & New Technologies, Enerjisa Üretim

Chris Eastham

Partner, Fieldfisher

Melissa Bramwell

GenAI Lead for HR Transformation, Deloitte

Davinder Kang

GenAI Workforce Transformation Director, Deloitte

Chloe Chia

Human-Centred AI Design Strategist, Deloitte

George Johnston

GenAI Market Activation Partner, Deloitte

Inna Bondarenko

GenAI Transformation Lead, Deloitte

← Scroll to see all contributors →

Contributor involvement varies by cohort (guest videos, curriculum input, or masterclasses). No company endorsement of the programme is implied.

THE CAREER ACCELERATOR DIFFERENCE

Why choose an Accelerator

This isn't a short course, and it isn't a degree. It's a Career Accelerator: six months built around one goal – getting you to where you want to be in your career, faster.

You develop as a holistic professional across four dimensions: the technical to do the job, the business to understand why, the human to work brilliantly with others, and the personal to keep growing.

  • Learn from LSE and industry

    Teaching that combines LSE's academic depth with the insight of practitioners working in AI now. You get the rigour to think critically about AI and the real-world perspective to know how it's actually led.

  • 12 months of leadership coaching

    Your Leadership Coach starts by defining what success looks like for you, then builds a personalised plan to get you there. Not generic advice: a coached, individual route to the leader you want to become

  • Sharpen your thinking with peers

    Work through real AI challenges in small, sector-based groups and live peer sessions – the debate, problem-solving and stakeholder conversations you’ll face in the role. You leave sharper at the thinking that AI leadership demands.

These leaders face similar challenges to you

Across industries, senior executives are grappling with the same AI leadership challenges

"How do I quantify AI ROI for the board?"

— CFO, Technology Sector

"Building C-suite confidence in AI decisions without computer science degrees"

— Head of Marketing, Insurance

"Moving beyond pilots to systematic AI implementation"

— SVP Engineering, SaaS Platform

"Positioning myself as an AI thought leader in my organisation"

— Strategy Manager, Consulting

"Overcoming organisational resistance to AI adoption"

— Operations Director, Logistics

"Building AI governance frameworks that actually work"

— Technology Consultant, Multiple Sectors

If these challenges sound familiar, you belong in this cohort

Who is this programme for?

This programme is tailored for professionals who are:

Managers & senior leaders: Integrate AI into business decisions and lead organisational change, without needing a technical background.
Consultants & transformation specialists: Move into the AI field with strategic depth and expertise to guide organisations through AI transformation.
Directors and domain experts: Gain the frameworks and language to formalise the work you're already doing and lead AI at a senior level.

Download the brochure

Complete the form below to receive more information about the Accelerator curriculum, programme fees, how you’ll learn, and more. You will be redirected to the programme brochure on submission.

Step 1 of 2

Please ensure all fields are completed before clicking continue.