London Global Convention 2025: IAS Sanjeev Jaiswal Shaping the Future of Responsible Leadership and Governance at UK

London is hosting one of the most influential gatherings in corporate governance this week. From November 4 to 7, 2025, the Institute of Directors (India) is conducting the London Global Convention on Corporate Governance and Sustainability, bringing together more than 400 global leaders, 75 speakers, and participants from over 20 countries.

This year’s theme, “Boards in an Unpredictable World: Navigating Geopolitical Shifts, Climate Crises and Technological Disruptions,” feels especially relevant as businesses, governments, and institutions worldwide face the combined pressures of political change, climate urgency, and digital transformation.

Among the many delegates shaping these conversations is IAS Sanjeev Jaiswal, Vice President and CEO of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), who represents India’s growing commitment to transparent, sustainable, and citizen-focused governance on the world stage.

A Convergence of Global Minds

The convention, celebrating 53 years of IOD’s leadership, is spread across London’s most iconic venues, including the Hotel Montcalm Mayfair, the House of Lords, and the Regent Street Cinema at the University of Westminster.
The event began with an inaugural address by H.E. Vikram Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom, followed by Baroness Sandip Verma, Global Chair of IOD India Advisory Council and Chair of UN Women UK. Both speakers highlighted how governance today must combine business performance with social responsibility, reflecting a global need for ethics-driven leadership.

Notable speakers at this year’s convention include Tulip Siddiq MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Government of the United Kingdom, M. Nagaraju IAS, Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, India, The Rt. Hon. Sir Alok Sharma KCMG MP, President of COP26, The Rt. Hon. Lord Goldsmith KC, Member of the House of Lords and former Attorney General for England and Wales, and Eugene Mayne, Founder and Group CEO of Tristar Group, UAE.

Other prominent figures from business and academia, including Donald Brydon CBE (London Stock Exchange Group), Mohit Burman (Dabur India Ltd.), Shriti Vadera (Prudential Plc), Dr. Sushma Paul Berlia (Apeejay Stya Group), and Lord Karan Bilimoria CBE (Cobra Beer and University of Birmingham), are contributing perspectives that bridge policy, profit, and purpose.

The Changing Face of the Boardroom

Across more than a dozen sessions, the convention is exploring how boards can remain resilient and relevant amid global turbulence.

Key sessions focus on:

•    Redefining Board Priorities for Resilience and Agility, urging directors to move beyond compliance and prioritize innovation, sustainability, and stakeholder trust.
•    Corporate Governance in a Multipolar World, which examines how boards can manage cross-border risks, regulatory shifts, and rising investor expectations.
•    The Board’s Role in Climate Risk and ESG, emphasizing that environmental and social governance is now central to fiduciary duty, not a peripheral concern.
•    AI and Cyber Governance, highlighting how boards must adapt to AI regulation, data privacy, and cyber resilience through frameworks like NIST and ISO/IEC 27001.
•    Building Future-Ready Boards, discussing diversity, ethical leadership, and preparing the next generation of directors through inclusion and succession planning.

Each conversation reflects a shift in mindset: good governance is no longer reactive, it is proactive, value-driven, and deeply human.

A Day at the House of Lords

On November 6, attention turns to the House of Lords, where delegates participate in the Global Business Meet. This high-level luncheon focuses on Ease of Doing Business, bringing together ministers, investors, and executives for one-to-one business dialogues and short keynote sessions. The discussions aim to strengthen India-UK cooperation in trade, technology, and sustainable enterprise, while exploring global market opportunities and challenges.
 

Celebrating Excellence: The Golden Peacock Awards

The glittering Golden Peacock Awards Nite, held on November 4, continues to be one of the convention’s most awaited evenings. Established in 1991, the awards recognize organizations and leaders who set global standards in Corporate Governance, Sustainability, ESG, and Risk Management.

The jury, chaired by Hon’ble Justice Uday U. Lalit, former Chief Justice of India, ensures the awards uphold credibility and merit. Past winners include Roshni Nadar Malhotra (HCL Technologies), Sanjiv Goenka (RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group), and Sunil Kant Munjal (Hero Enterprise). The recognition has become a global benchmark for integrity and innovation in leadership.

Learning Through Real Stories
 

The convention also features case studies on Risk Management, Corporate Governance, and Sustainability, presented by top performing organizations across industries. These sessions combine technical expertise with real examples of how resilient boards steer their companies through crises.

Academic leaders like Sir Andrew Likierman (London Business School), Helen Brand OBE (ACCA UK), and Prof. Andrew Kakabadse (Cranfield University) add scholarly insight, ensuring discussions stay grounded in evidence and experience.

Networking events, coffee sessions, and informal meet-ups further enrich the experience, allowing participants to forge new partnerships that extend beyond the conference hall.

Bridging Global Dialogue with Local Action

For India, the London Global Convention 2025 represents more than international recognition. It reflects a deepening integration of global best practices into national governance. The presence of leaders like IAS Sanjeev Jaiswal symbolizes how public sector institutions are embracing accountability, sustainability, and digital transformation—values once reserved for private boardrooms but now vital for inclusive public growth.

His engagement stands as a reminder that effective governance is not confined to corporations alone, but is equally essential to building fair, transparent, and people-first public institutions.

Conclusion: Governance for the Future

As the London Global Convention 2025 continues, one truth is evident: the world’s most successful organizations are led by boards that learn, adapt, and lead with conscience. Governance today is about foresight, responsibility, and the courage to make ethical choices even when the path ahead is uncertain.

By bringing together government officials, business visionaries, and thought leaders under one roof, the Institute of Directors has turned London into a hub of transformative dialogue this week. The conversations taking place here are shaping not just boardrooms, but the blueprint for a more responsible world.

Because in an unpredictable era, the real measure of leadership is not control, but clarity, compassion, and courage.