As artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity rapidly transform how organizations operate, the need for leaders who can integrate these advances into business strategy has never been more urgent.
Prof. Kenneth Co (Photo: Asian Institute of Management)
In response, the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), one of Asia’s leading business schools, has redesigned two of its master’s programs to close the growing leadership gap in these fields.
The Master in Data Analytics (MDA) and Master in Cybersecurity (MCS) have evolved into the Master in AI and Data Analytics (MAIDA) and the Executive Master in Cybersecurity Management (EMCSM), respectively. Both programs are designed to prepare leaders to confidently navigate an economy where data, innovation, and digital security power business growth and competitiveness. Across industries, organizations are grappling with a critical shortage of leaders who can bridge technical capability and strategic insight. While technical specialists understand the tools, few business executives possess the fluency to turn AI and cybersecurity into engines of growth and resilience.
“This transformation reflects the Institute’s recognition that AI and cybersecurity are no longer emerging trends but essential business imperatives,” said Professor Christopher Monterola, Head of the Aboitiz School of Innovation, Technology, & Entrepreneurship at AIM. “Companies need leaders who can address these challenges now, not in some distant future.”
Master in AI and Data Analytics (MAIDA): Developing Drivers for the AI Age
“AI and data analytics are the new racecar. MAIDA is designed to train exceptional racers,” explains Professor Kenneth Co, Academic Program Director of MAIDA. Prof. Co likens today’s AI and data tools to a high-performance machine, capable of incredible speed and power, but only as effective as the person operating it. “Having access to AI technologies isn’t enough,” he says. “Leaders need to know when to accelerate, when to pivot, and how to keep control in complex business environments.”
MAIDA equips them with that capability – to utilize data strategically, make informed decisions, and drive measurable business results. Participants gain mastery in descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics, leveraging advanced AI techniques to generate tangible business impact. Key additions to the curriculum are Fundamentals of Programming and Vibe Coding with AI, Business Statistics for Decision-Making, Data Visualization and Storytelling in Business Intelligence, AI for Data Analytics, and other related electives.
The program also emphasizes ethical leadership and governance. Graduates learn to harness AI responsibly, communicate insights effectively, and lead cross-functional, AI-driven transformation.
Executive Master in Cybersecurity Management: Leadership for a Secure Digital Age
The Executive Master in Cybersecurity Management (EMCSM) is designed for senior leaders who manage cybersecurity as a high-impact business priority. Building on the Institute’s established Master in Cybersecurity program, the redesigned EMCSM sharpens its focus on developing executives and decision-makers who can lead at the intersection of business strategy, governance, and cyber resilience.
[From left to right] Prof. Jose Gerardo “Gerry” O. Santamaria, PhD; Prof. Kenneth Co, PhD; Prof. Philip Kwa, FICD, CISSP, SID, CISM, CA, PMP; Prof. Christopher Monterola, PhD; Ms. Alodia C. Hernaez (Photo: Asian Institute of Management)
While the program’s curriculum remains comprehensive, its refined positioning ensures that professionals gain not only technical awareness but also leadership and management perspectives on cybersecurity. Courses such as Strategy and IT Security Governance, Cybersecurity Policy, Ethics, and Law, and Security Management and Digital Forensics equip participants to contextualize technical risks within organizational strategy and enterprise-wide decision-making.
EMCSM develops leaders capable of making informed cybersecurity investments, assessing organizational vulnerabilities, and embedding resilience and governance at every entry level of the organization.
Bridging the Leadership Gap
Through MAIDA and EMCSM, AIM reasserts its position at the critical intersection of business and technology. These programs embody the Institute’s conviction: technology creates real impact only when leaders strategically align technological advancements with purpose and organizational goals.
They are founded on the understanding that data, innovation, and cybersecurity are not separate from business – they define it.
“The market isn’t waiting for leaders to catch up,” said Professor Jose Gerardo Santamaria, Head of the Washington SyCip Graduate School of Business at AIM. “Organizations need decision-makers who can lead initiatives, evaluate cybersecurity postures, and make sound technology investments today. That’s who these programs develop.”
As organizations face implementation challenges, talent shortages, and the realities of operating in an AI-augmented world, the Asian Institute of Management’s redesigned master’s programs equip leaders with the skills and insight that businesses urgently need – preparing them not just to keep pace with a digitally driven world, but to lead it.
