Connecting Lithuanian Business Leaders with South African Organisations

A continuing partnership between Lithuania’s ISM University of Management and Economics and South African organisations is creating opportunities for senior executives to apply their current studies to real business challenges, exchange international perspectives and contribute to organisational development.

Led by Dr Audronė Nakrošienė, Associate Professor and Director of ISM’s Executive MBA programme, the initiative brings Executive MBA participants to South Africa for consulting engagements with local host organisations.

The programme bridges academic learning and practical business experience. Working with participating organisations, the executives evaluate business challenges, conduct market analysis and draw on their current studies and professional expertise to develop insights and recommendations relevant to each organisation’s needs.

The engagements also provide a valuable learning opportunity for the visiting executives. By working directly with South African organisations, they gain a deeper understanding of the local business environment, explore different approaches to business and management, and learn through international collaboration.

Marc Lubner, Group Chief Executive Officer of Afrika Tikkun, plays a central role in making the programme possible in South Africa. Working with the local coordinating team, he helps connect ISM with prospective host organisations, facilitate introductions and establish the relationships needed to turn the programme’s objectives into practical consulting engagements.

This includes helping to identify suitable projects, define the scope of each engagement, facilitate executive-level discussions and coordinate the meetings and logistical arrangements required for the visiting teams to work effectively with their South African counterparts.

Organisations referenced in programme coordination include The Houghton Hotel, Netcare, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital and Smile Foundation.

By bringing the right people and organisations together, the programme creates a platform for knowledge exchange in which South African organisations can benefit from fresh perspectives and strategic analysis, while the visiting executives gain first-hand experience of the opportunities and challenges facing businesses and institutions in the country.

Planning for the October 2026 programme envisaged 30 executives working with five South African host organisations. Preparations included identifying and recruiting prospective hosts, confirming participation and coordinating meetings between the organisations and ISM’s consulting teams.

The partnership demonstrates how executive education can extend beyond the classroom. Through practical assignments, market analysis and international collaboration, participants have the opportunity to apply what they are learning while contributing considered insights to the organisations they engage with.

By connecting Lithuanian business leaders with South African organisations, ISM’s Executive MBA consulting programme supports a two-way exchange of knowledge and experience, building professional relationships while linking academic learning with practical organisational needs.