CEO FORUM 2025: The Future-Ready CEO – Talent Challenges in the AI Era20 August 2025 | The Athenee Hotel, Bangkok

At the CEO Forum 2025, hosted by the Thailand Management Association (TMA), Richard Fleming, Partner & Head of APAC AI at Bain & Company, delivered a thought-provoking session on “Leading with AI.” His central message was clear: artificial intelligence is no longer just a technology initiative—it has become a leadership and strategic imperative.

AI as a Leadership and Strategy Issue

Fleming emphasized that successful AI adoption requires active involvement from the C-suite. Leaders must set the vision, establish governance frameworks, and align AI with broader corporate objectives. Companies that approach AI as a holistic business transformation—rather than a tool for incremental efficiency—are best positioned to capture outsized value.

He stressed that embedding AI into the DNA of the enterprise depends on top-down leadership. CEOs and executives must champion AI not as an experiment but as a core driver of competitiveness and long-term growth.

The Urgency to Act

The pace of AI evolution is accelerating. Costs of adoption are falling, customer usage is expanding, and early adopters are already gaining significant competitive advantages. Fleming warned that companies waiting on the sidelines risk being left behind irreversibly.

Yet speed alone is not enough. He argued that the true potential of AI lies in reimagining workflows end-to-end, not just automating individual tasks. This means shifting employees into roles where they collaborate with AI agents, supervising, guiding, and amplifying productivity in ways that were previously unimaginable.

Operating Models and Data Strategy

To unlock AI’s full potential, Fleming highlighted the need for the right operating model and data strategy. Rather than amassing massive, unfocused data lakes, organizations should start with high-value use cases and work backward to identify the necessary data.

He recommended a “lab and crowd” model—giving all employees access to safe, enterprise-approved AI tools while specialized teams embed AI deeply into critical business processes. This dual-track approach fosters innovation while minimizing the risks associated with shadow AI.

Customer Engagement in the Age of AI Agents

Fleming also pointed to a major shift in customer engagement: AI agents are increasingly mediating search, comparison, and purchasing decisions. For companies, this means product data must be structured, discoverable, and optimized for AI-driven interactions—a parallel to the early days of search engine optimization (SEO).

For global organizations, robust governance frameworks are equally essential. Leaders must strike a balance between ensuring global consistency and complying with local regulations, while upholding ethical and responsible use of AI.

A C-Suite Transformation Agenda

Fleming concluded with a powerful call to action: AI is a C-suite transformation agenda. Organizations that move with urgency, focus on high-value applications, empower their workforce, redesign core processes, and implement robust governance frameworks will be the ones to unlock disproportionate value.

In his words, the future-ready CEO is not just a steward of AI adoption, but a visionary who integrates AI into the very fabric of business strategy.