Phnom Penh, 8 December 2025 — The Cambodian Librarians Association (CLA) successfully hosted the Leadership for Innovation & Impact Forum 2025: Leading Beyond Boundaries at the Institute for Banking Studies, with the active support of CamEd Business School and the official sponsorship of TACTLINK PTE. LTD., U Book Educations Cambodia, Human Resources University (HRU), and the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC).
The forum welcomed over 100 participants from the banking, education, technology, human resources, library, and student sectors, showing that leadership can transcend boundaries and create meaningful social impact when people unite around a shared vision.
Leadership for Innovation and Purpose
Participants began the day by exploring how leadership extends beyond formal authority to shape organizational culture, inspire teams, and drive purposeful innovation. Under the guidance of Dr. Riccardo Corrado, Associate Professor at CamEd Business School, Vice-Chairman of ItaCham – Italian Business Chamber Cambodia, and Member of the Board of Directors at EuroCham Cambodia, the session used interactive learning to examine the distinction between leadership and management. Participants reflected on visionary and values-based leadership and identified their own leadership styles, including transformational, servant, and situational approaches, and how these styles influence workplace culture.
The morning also featured a guided group discussion, where participants answered a practical question: “How can I lead innovation where I am?” Each group shared a concise Leadership Spark Idea, designed to inspire peers and encourage immediate action inside their organizations.
Emotional Intelligence and Credibility in Leadership
In the afternoon, led by Dr. Maria Issabelita, Lecturer and Member of the Board of Governors at CamEd Business School, the forum shifted to the inner foundations of leadership, focusing on emotional intelligence and credibility. Participants explored how emotional intelligence builds trust, improves communication, supports resilience, and enhances service quality. They also examined how credibility sustains leadership influence through integrity, competence, composure, and positive relationships, while highlighting the human factor people value most: leaders who genuinely care.
The Innovation Lab: Leading New Projects (From Idea to Impact)
A key highlight of the day was the Innovation Lab, where participants collaborated across disciplines to design practical, high-impact projects that respond to real workplace or community challenges. Using a clear, step-by-step project template, each group shaped a project from problem → insight → idea → testable action → measurable impact.
Teams defined the problem, identified who would benefit, created a simple solution, mapped key steps, listed needed resources, set impact indicators, and delivered a one-sentence pitch—turning ideas into realistic “Leadership Spark Projects” that can be implemented after the forum.
A Question That Captured the Spirit of the Forum
During the day, we received a touching question from a partner: “Why is the Library Association leading a leadership development program with bankers, technologists, teachers, and students?”
Our answer was clear: libraries today are not just places to store books. They are the backbone of the knowledge ecosystem. Libraries connect universities to industry, youth to opportunities, and knowledge to national development. Where knowledge flows, development follows. That is why CLA brings diverse disciplines together because leadership is a way of thinking, technology is a culture, and libraries are the bridges that connect people to the knowledge base of a nation.
Sponsor & Partner Appreciation
CLA extends heartfelt gratitude to our sponsors and institutional partners whose support made this event possible. During the appreciation ceremony, CLA presented Certificates of Appreciation to:
U Book Educations Cambodia (Principal Sponsor)
Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC)
TACTLINK PTE. LTD.
Human Resources University (HRU)
We also express our sincere thanks to the Institute for Banking Studies for hosting, CamEd Business School for active support, our dedicated CLA volunteers for smooth operations at every stage, and all participants for bringing their professional strength, eagerness to learn, and commitment to self-development.
Looking Ahead: Building Cambodia’s Leadership and Knowledge Ecosystem
This forum represents an important first step toward building a stronger leadership system and knowledge ecosystem for Cambodia. Its impact will continue through the projects participants carry back to their schools, workplaces, and communities, demonstrating the true meaning of the theme Leading Beyond Boundaries.