Dr. Praveen Gupta, Dean of Manipal Business School at Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) Dubai, has shared his perspectives on the changing future of finance leadership in a thought-leadership article published by Economy Middle East.
Titled “Building the next generation of finance leaders for the AI economy,” the article examines how the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence is reshaping the finance profession and the role universities must play in preparing graduates for this changing environment.
As AI increasingly takes on analytical and technical tasks, Dr. Praveen highlights that the qualities differentiating future finance professionals will extend far beyond technical expertise. Human capabilities such as judgment, trust, ethics, adaptability and critical thinking will become increasingly important as professionals work alongside intelligent technologies and make decisions in more complex business environments.
The article also reflects on how business and finance education must evolve in response. Rather than approaching AI as an additional or standalone component of the curriculum, Dr. Praveen advocates for an interdisciplinary approach that brings together technology, finance, data literacy and human decision-making.
He further highlights the importance of experiential learning and industry collaboration, enabling students to understand how technology is being applied in real business environments while developing the ability to analyse challenges, make informed decisions and navigate ethical considerations.
Another key focus of the article is the changing relationship between universities and professionals. With technologies, regulations and required skill sets continuing to evolve, learning can no longer be viewed as something that concludes at graduation. Universities have an important role to play in supporting continuous professional development through executive education, industry engagement and lifelong learning opportunities.