In a partnership now spanning four cohorts and two years, Human Equation brings its Design Thinking Leadership Training to Malaysia’s banking sector — this time pairing rapid innovation with a rigorous test of ethical leadership.
Human Equation has completed its fourth consecutive cohort of Design Thinking Leadership Training in Malaysia for CIMB’s Emerging Leaders, delivered in collaboration with Asia School of Business. Led virtually by Human Equation founder and principal consultant Sheila Singam, the engagement brought together two immersive half-day sessions followed by a one-week Empathy Sprint — and concluded with a high-stakes Hurdle Day on Emotional Integrity that challenged participants to examine not just how they lead, but why.
Two Sessions, One Week in the Field
The programme opened with two productive and immersive virtual half-day sessions designed to introduce participants to the core tools of design thinking — not as theory to be memorised, but as a practical discipline to be applied immediately.
What followed was the most demanding component of Phase 1: a one-week Empathy Sprint. Participants stepped away from their desks and conducted real user interviews — direct conversations with the people whose needs and frustrations their eventual solutions would need to address. The goal was to set aside internal assumptions and return with evidence: raw, unfiltered insight into what users actually experience.
Day 2: From Insight to Action
Returning from the field, the cohort moved into synthesis. Participants mapped what they had heard, identified underlying user needs, and reframed the challenges they had uncovered into clear Opportunity Statements — specific, actionable starting points for the ideation that followed.
From there, the cohort ideated boldly, designed tangible prototypes, and presented their solutions at a Capstone showcase judged by their own peers. The process — from real-world interview to working prototype — gave participants direct experience of the full design thinking cycle, not just its individual components.
The Emotional Integrity Hurdle Day
Design thinking training in Malaysia — or anywhere — tends to focus on the external: how to understand users, frame problems, and generate solutions. What Human Equation adds that most programmes do not is an equally rigorous examination of the internal.
After completing the innovation sprint, participants returned for a Hurdle Day on Emotional Integrity. The session explored moral courage, personal values, and organisational purpose — and what it genuinely means to live these out as a leader, not just declare them on a values statement.
The conversations were insightful. The ideas were courageous. And for many participants, this was the session that landed deepest.
“Very interesting. The programme offers not only theoretical concepts but also practical applications, enabling participants to gain an in-depth understanding.”
— Ayu Sekaringtyas, CIMB Emerging Leaders
A Fourth Cohort, A Continuing Partnership
This April 2026 engagement marks the fourth cohort Human Equation has delivered for CIMB’s Emerging Leaders programme since 2025. Repeat engagements of this nature are uncommon in corporate training. They happen when the outcomes justify coming back.
Human Equation’s design thinking training in Malaysia is available to organisations across sectors. The programme can be delivered virtually, in-house, or as part of a multi-track leadership curriculum. It is HRD Corp claimable for Malaysia-based organisations.
For programme details and enquiries, visit our Leadership & Management Programme page or complete the inquiry form on this page, and our consultants will map out a customised training strategy for your organisation.
In addition to our leadership track, discover how our operational teams built cross-functional alignment during our CIMB Corporate Innovation Design Thinking Training.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this Design Thinking Leadership programme for?
This specific track was designed for CIMB’s Emerging Leaders, but our Design Thinking and leadership training in Malaysia is adaptable for any organisation looking to foster innovation, empathy-driven problem-solving, and emotional integrity.
Can this Design Thinking Leadership programme be delivered virtually?
Yes. As seen with our recent collaboration for CIMB, we deliver immersive, multi-day virtual sessions that include remote “Empathy Sprints” and digital Capstone showcases without losing the impact of in-person training.
Is the Design Thinking Leadership course combined with other leadership modules?
At Human Equation, we believe innovation requires “The Human Instrument.” We often pair Design Thinking with Emotional Integrity and Adaptive Leadership to ensure solutions are not only creative but also purpose-driven.
How does Human Equation integrate Design Thinking Leadership into financial institutions?
Human Equation tailors its Design Thinking modules for high-scale environments like CIMB Group by combining rapid innovation tools with live field data collection. We unique link tactical problem-solving frameworks with deep Emotional Integrity modules, ensuring that corporate solutions are both highly innovative and ethically sustainable.
What is CIMB’s Emerging Leadership Programme?
CIMB’s Emerging Leadership Programmes are strategically engineered to forge a future-ready, values-driven leadership bench across the Group’s cross-functional tiers. Spanning a rigorous 12 to 18 months, these targeted developmental tracks seamlessly integrate advanced behavioural leadership development with technical upskilling, industry immersion modules, global study tours, and peer-to-peer group coaching frameworks.
