V R Mahadevan is the Finance & IT Director for Saint Gobain Abrasives Asia Pacific. Having been with the Saint Gobain group for 22 years, he has multi-faceted global experience with expertise in Business management, Finance & Strategy, Global Sourcing and business development. He has developed a global perspective by working in Paris for about 6 years; and presently as the CFO in Bangkok of a large business in a diverse & interesting emerging market – Asia Pacific. He has a consistent track record of high performance and building professional & cross-cultural teams in India, Europe and Asia Pacific.
V R Mahadevan ( Batch – 1997 ) Designation – CFO & Director Company – Saint Gobain Abrasives Asia Pacific
Prior to the APAC stint, he has successfully managed an overall P & L responsibility in India. He has hands on experience in implementing World Class manufacturing (WCM) initiatives to improve operational metrics, and significantly transform factories through Industry 4.0
He is exposed and sensitized to business practices in different businesses (manufacturing, distribution) in different parts of the world. He has assisted newly acquired companies to improve their processes and achieve good corporate governance; in his present role he is working on a few acquisitions for transformational growth in Asia Pacific.
An Engineering graduate and an ICWA, he was part of the first batch of CFA-PGDBA program with IBS Mumbai in 1995.
Amit Mankekar is the Founder and Director of Consulting Planet Inc., in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. A dynamic entrepreneur, in his current position as CEO of Consulting Planet Inc., he manages programs for clients across countries like Canada, India, Costa Rica, the Philippines, and Chile.
Amit Mankekar has a total of 25 years’ experience across 5 different organisations, 3 continents, and several verticals like Automobiles, Financial Services, Oil & Gas, Mining, and Information Technology.
Amit Mankekar ( Batch – 2001 ) Designation – CEO Founder & Director Company – Consulting Planet Inc
In his previous role, he served as Practice Area Leader for ServiceNow in IBM Canada and Delivery Executive in IBM Canada. During his tenure there, he was awarded the Best of IBM award. Amit Mankekar is a Gold Medallist of IBS Mumbai-Batch of 2001.He is fluent in several languages like English, French, Spanish, Hindi, Marathi, Urdu, Konkani, and also Sanskrit.
Partner – Management consulting, & amp; National Automotive sector leader PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) India. Over the last 25 years+ Kavan has advised clients in the Automotive sector on aspects of strategy & operations excellence. As a Partner in PwC Management consulting he has led engagements across strategy development, cost optimisation, operations excellence and digital transformation. He has also helped clients with challenges related to organisation structure, leadership, technology roadmap development.
His recent work has been in the area of electric mobility. Kavan has been actively involved in working with various Automotive industry associations and the Government of India to provide inputs for the development of enabling Automotive policy environment in the country.
Kavan speaks extensively at Automotive industry events, roundtables and actively contribute articles on the trends in the Indian Automotive industry. He was part of the first batch of graduates from ICFAI Business school based in Mumbai and joined Frost & Sullivan in 1997. Over the next 19 years he played various roles within the organisation leading up to being a Senior Partner and Leader at Frost & Sullivan Asia-pacific leadership team. Kavan had the opportunity to live and work across the Asia Pacific region with significant stints in Malaysia, Singapore and SE Asia. Kavan joined PwC India in 2015. Over the last 7 years he has led the firm in establishing PwC as a leading advisory services firm in the Automotive sector. He enjoys working on highly complex transformation engagements serving clients across the Automotive OEM, and component industry in India. Prior to joining IBS, he obtained an Engineering degree from University of Bombay. To enhance his knowledge in field of supply chain he studied to be a ‘Certified Supply Chain Professional’ from APICS USA. The CFA-MBA from ICFAI Business school helped Kavan gain strong understanding of business fundamentals. It also gave him the opportunity to learn and network with other students to imbibe a ‘can do’ attitude and an entrepreneurial spirit. The resilience built at IBS has been one of the bedrocks of his professional success over the years
Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception. One of our alum also proved to the world that she is incredibly capable of achieving heights in her life. Nothing makes us prouder than being able to share her success story.
Mrs. Shaveta joined dunnhumby as a graduate analyst in 2009 after completing her MBA from ICFAI Gurgaon. She is a seasoned data science professional with rich experience in leveraging data-driven insights and data science at scale to drive transformation and deliver Business impact across multiple clients globally over years.
Shaveta Kapoor IBS Gurgaon (2007-09) Global Applied data science Head of Media Productsdunnhumby
She is one of the fastest grown data science leaders and a business transformation champion within Dunnhumby. She has a proven track record of setting up and scaling data science solutions and teams across developed and emerging markets.
She leads the Media Analytics hub of 140+ data scientists within dunnhumby which is responsible for continuously delivering media science to our clients along with developing new solutions, embedded with the latest data, analytics, and AI in order to drive innovation for our clients globally. She is passionate about solving complex business problems at the intersection of data, technology, and people leveraging a growth mindset and multi-disciplinary teams. Shaveta has the rare skill of being able to lead transformation whilst keeping a team inspired and shows great determination to improve herself, her team, and the business.
A Kidney transplant survivor herself, a working mom of a 10-year-old, and a parental blogger, Shaveta has a wealth of knowledge that she shares with family, friends, and colleagues to ensure they achieve success. Leading by example, Shaveta takes tough challenges unflinchingly and is an inspiration to all those around her. Shaveta is a firm supporter of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) and co-leads the D&I bold goal for dunnhumby India. Shaveta has been leading one of the much-anticipated initiatives – dunnhumby’s “Back to her future” women returners program. She has been actively involved across various diversity forums to raise awareness within dunnhumby. She has been recognized in the industry over time for her contribution – Winner of Women in AI Leadership at Rising 2022, Finalist for Women Tech Leader of 2021 by Techgig. Member of Achievers Club at dunnhumby 2022.
Since 1984, our MBA alumni have been making an impact on Business and society and it gives us immense pleasure to share their success story.
The managing director of APAC, Ms. Neha Kulwal, attended IBS Gurgaon from 2008 to 2010. She started her work as an assistant manager at “Compare Infobase” after earning her MBA, where she tried her hand at digital marketing and delved into the realm of SEO. In order to advance, she joined Optimise Media Group. Within a short time, she was able to advance to the position of associate director. She served as Admitad’s Country Manager starting in 2015 and was most recently elevated to the position of Managing Director for the APAC area.
Neha KulwalICFAI Business School (2008-10) Managing Director APAC and India Admitad
She is an active member of the Affiliate Committee of IAMAI where they take some key decisions regarding the industry’s uplift and also has been a regular speaker at various platforms like Global Mobile App Summit and Awards, India affiliate summit, Ad tech, India affiliate conference & New York affiliate summit. BW Marketing honoured Neha Kulwal with the prestigious award of “40 under 40” leaders. Not just that, she has been recognized as the “Superwoman 2022” by Social Samosa, CMO Asia with ‘the 50 Most Influential Digital Marketing Leaders’ award, and the 4th World Women Leadership Congress felicitated her with the ‘Outstanding Women Entrepreneurship Award’ in 2017. Also, she has received the ‘Professional & Business Services Industry Award’ from the prestigious Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards 2017 India.
Our students go on to do much more than just earn money – they change world. So, here we present the success story of one of those alumni Mr. Sumesh Khatua. Mr. Sumesh earned his MBA in HR & Marketing from IBS in 2005 and presently doing Post Graduate Certificate in “Human Capital Leadership” from XLRI, Jamshedpur. L&D Strategy Architect with 16 years of experience in the implementation of measurable learning and development solutions to optimise business operations and take advantage of opportunities for organisational growth; responsible for the management of learning and development for about 10,000 professionals.
Sumesh Khatua IBS Gurgaon (2003-05) DirectorKPMG Global Services (KGS)
He presently serves as a Director for KPMG Global Services’ Learning and Development team, where he oversees a group of 10 accomplished individuals that build specialised learning journeys to meet the wide range of learning and development needs. He is the winner of the prestigious “Brandon Hall” award in 2021 for “Best Unique/Innovative Leadership Development Program,” 2020 for “Best Advancement in Competencies and Skill Development,” and 2018 for “Best Use of Mobile Learning,” people development solutions have received recognition around the world (Best use of Performance support). In order to influence executives’ demonstrable behavioural change, he is a Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centred Coaching credentialed “Executive Coach.”
He has gained knowledge from all of his experiences, and each assignment has improved him as a professional in learning and development. He sees Infosys as the place where he has gained knowledge of the effects “L&D” as a function may have on the business and honed his designing skills. Also Mr. Sumesh has spent almost ten years at Deloitte, which was also where he made his entry into the “Professional Services” industry and had the chance to collaborate with experts from other nations and gain an appreciation for the value of flawless execution and participant experience. One of his proudest professional achievements was managing a team that received recognition both inside and externally. He had a chance to be at the forefront of the decision-making process, all because of his recent excursion into “KPMG Global Services.”
Nothing makes us prouder than being able to talk about the success of our alumni who has made significant contributions in their fields, ICFAI students have a history of achieving their dreams and pushing their limit. So, here we present the success story of one of those alumni Mr. Ayush Bansal. He is a new-age entrepreneur who is proactive, intelligent, enthusiastic, and full of energy passion he has done his PGPM from ICFAI Business School in 2009-2011, He is currently the Founder and CEO of iDreamCareer. At the age of 17, he helped a student of facing the challenge for choosing the right career path and guided a domestic helper too to get back to education.
Ayush Bansal IBS Gurgaon (2009-11) Founder and CEO iDreamCareer.com
. Later at the age of 22, he made the decision to leave his well-paying position in investment banking and launch iDreamCareer, along with that, he was also a part of many social organizations like Aasman Organisation, Medhavi organization. The US state government chose Ayush as one of India’s top ten entrepreneurs, and he was also invited to the GES 2016, which was hosted by US President Barack Obama. iDreamCareer was recently selected as World’s top 200 EdTech companies by Arizona State University & GSV Venture for the GSV Cup 2020 & also as South Asia’s top 100 EdTech companies by Holon IQ. Ayush often contributes to media outlets and speaks at international conferences. As one of India’s top 40 leaders in the education sector, he was recently named to the Business World Education 40 under 40 2020 list.
He has worked as a full-time entrepreneur for the last 10 years and has spent the last 11 years in the field of career counselling. He has successfully guided iDream Career to become India’s most well-known social company for career guidance, inspiring around 2.5 Crore+ students each year.
To some extent, women have been deprived of opportunities once in a lifetime because of their gender. India’s history of women struggling for equality is not a novel concept. Basic rights like education and freedom to choose a specific life for themselves were big things to ask back then. Due to inequalities in income, most families always ended up being middle class or in the lower middle-class bands.
Later, people realized the inequality and conservatism created in the name of values and started questioning. Social standards and traditions never worked in a women’s favor anyway. Gradually, this belief changed, and women asking for equal rights in society. We are already halfway, but a long journey is yet to be covered. The families were hesitant to accept a ‘working woman’ because, you know, she ‘may not look after the family’. What an anomaly it was at that time. With the increased awareness, I feel most of the current generation is lucky enough, as they are free to obtain any degree of their choice, and choose any field to work as well. We are independent and even ventured out on our own, in different fields.
But then again, the challenges never end now more than ever, it has become so easy to compare ourselves to people on entirely different paths. We compare ourselves to people who have been building their careers and finances much longer than we have. We compare ourselves to people who had financial support from their families when we didn’t. We compare ourselves to people whose lives seem alluring when they may be in debt trying to afford their lifestyle.
Nowadays, women are gradually making their leadership presence felt in entrepreneurship, administration, education, engineering, health, etc. at regional, national, and global levels. Women are now breaking the traditional glass ceiling that barred them from entering leadership positions even if they possessed the requisite skills and talent to occupy them. Women are constantly evolving and reaching new milestones across a wide spectrum of human activities in modern times. They function as a role model for their subordinates. They inspire their team and spend a lot of time coaching their team. They care a lot about their personal development. Women leaders emphasize teamwork, collaborate well, and are multi-taskers who are thriving to balance the home and work efficiently. Their authentic communication act as a key to success. For most women leaders, leadership is not meant only for accomplishing organizational goals but for transforming their people into better and improved individuals. Any institution, whether it is society or organization, in the present century cannot function effectively without women’s equal participation in leadership activities. Women bring a whole new perspective emphasizing overall growth.
In today’s world, organizations that are led by leadership teams make effective decisions that deliver better results. In the twenty-first century, the essential qualities required to lead include the ability to collaborate, connect, empathize and communicate. Many statistics show that companies led by women have better financial results. Leadership by women is vital to increase the pace of societal transformation at home and in the workplace. Women leaders are likely to provide an integrated view of work and family, resulting in an engaged and promising personal and professional future. Gender parity in leadership is important because true progress cannot happen without a diversity of perspectives in leadership roles.
However, to bring equality environmental support and guidance are extremely vital. I am fortunate enough to find the required push in IBS Gurgaon, everyone here believes in equivalent opportunities irrespective of their gender. Professors here, give equal opportunities to all and educate them to grow. As even today too many women continue to experience environments where their achievements and voices are not recognized or heard. Proudly, IBS pays special attention to how women learn while placing that learning within the overall co-educational context on the campus. They offer a stimulating, active, and academic environment and a home to all students. The environment here is warm, friendly, and inclusive. The College has shaped outstanding, independent-minded women across different careers. Our alumni also support each other and the young women just starting in their careers. IBS has female workers, receptionists, and staff which certainly shows they not only preach but also aim to give equal career and educational opportunities to all. Most importantly, it is essential to give safe working space to women. All measures are carefully taken to make the environment friendly, safe, and secure. This way, no woman will ever feel unheard or unappreciated in any field, and will continue to grow. A woman has always been capable to lead and excel in the desired field and with appropriate provision, the sky will always be the limit. IBS not only strengthens the core foundation of the individual but also makes them believe in the power of raising their voice against inequality.
A master’s degree is the final step into academics for most individuals, and for those who want to enter the corporate ladder, a master’s degree plays a pivotal role. So, choosing the institution for the same is critical in one’s life. And if you are planning to do an MBA, then the decision to select a B-School involves the student network, too, as you will be around them during your MBA journey, and they would be playing an essential role in your journey from campus to corporate.
The question that may arise is why diversity is important as students are happy in their comfort zone and are making groups according to their interests or similarities. But if someone wants to stand out, diversity plays an essential role.
As it brings critical thinkers
Students from different backgrounds in the classroom help in building social awareness, which allows them to gain different perspectives, draw more vital conclusions, and equip them with skills they’ll use for the rest of their lives.
2. It helps the students feel involved among the peers A study from the University of California, Los Angeles, looked at diverse classrooms to assess the emotional gains of students and found uplifting results. According to the study, students in
the most varied classrooms were likelier to feel safer, less lonely, and less bullied.
What does diversity look like at IBS?
Professional Diversity
IBS admits approximately 500 students to its PGPM program every year. IBS each year adds students from different fields holding degrees in commerce, humanities, science, economics, and engineering. What is even fascinating is that some students have work experience in a good company, which results in a better understanding of corporate norms for the students who are freshers.
Gender Diversity
With around 50-50% ratio of students, IBS left no stone unturned to respond to the market demand for diversity by working on the gender ratio and successfully managing to improve on it. And through B-School, women are getting an opportunity to work at the top level and expand the economy through their contribution to the corporate world.
According to a study published by global accounting and consulting firm Grant Thornton, the percentage of women in senior management for India stood at 39 percent as against the global average of 31 percent, which signals the changing outlook of Indian businesses towards working women.
Academic Diversity
The class is refreshingly diverse as students come from various entrance tests. Students get the option of multiple entrance tests like IBSAT, CAT, XAT, NMAT, and GMAT, from where they can apply for IBS; the college experience a diverse group of people who brings several points with them, their outlook towards problems, their insights towards topics in detail, etc. Apart from scores, students often fetch resume spikes to their credit, like but not limited to higher-than-average work experience, non-traditional backgrounds or entrepreneurial profiles, and a propensity to add tremendous value to the class through their varied experiences.
Cultural Diversity
IBS witnessed its students from various states representing their own unique cultures. The students of colleges are comprised of different states and union territories like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Assam, and Bihar, etc. they bring new perspectives to the classroom.
How does diversity elevate the IBS experience?
Attending lectures with such a diverse group of students lends rich perspectives to the subject being taught, as students share their own experiences and viewpoints, which are different among students, that bring fresh insights about the topic, resulting in healthy discussion among students. Through this, students also generate synergy among each other. For example, an analytic class may be more insightful if someone with experience in the same industry can share their viewpoint. This scenario generally takes place in the class; work ex-students share their perception of the specific topic and link it with the work they had done in their job.
How does IBS celebrate and encourage diversity?
Study Group Pairing
With countless presentations, group discussions, panel discussions, and assignments, a student experience different sights from a diverse group of people as they work with distinct people bringing other dishes to the platter. These groups of students remain flexible most of the time as the students are tied up with different groups which emphasize that students can learn from distinct people’s mindset.
You must be thinking about what it would result in as if people are working in a diverse group, it can bring problems within the group members, but if we look at the positive aspect, it can get a vibrant outlook among the students. And while working in a diversified group, one can be assured of the optimal solution as all members put their best forward. That outcome eventually results efficiently.
Buddy session
IBS narrows the gap between juniors and seniors by organizing buddy sessions where seniors come into class and share their insights on respective topics; seniors carry distinct backgrounds and have diverse knowledge, which helps students gain more awareness of particular issues. Seeing that your seniors have also excelled from a diverse group brings confidence and a sense of belongingness that you can also shine.
Numerous Cells and Clubs
There are 11 Cells in the college: Placement Cell, Students Council, Internship Cell, Digital Marketing Cell, Alumni Cell, Samvaad Cell, Entrepreneurship Cell, Local Immersion Cell, Social Responsibility Cell, Class Representatives Cell, and Institutional Building Activity Cell.
There are also around 20-25 clubs that promise to enhance student’s skills in different fields like as Marketing (Research & Analytics, E-Marketing, Brand Communication, Marketing Research), Finance (Financial Market, Stock Market, Accounting & taxation club), International club, People Managers Club, Spartans (Sports Club), etc. which emphasis that IBS has multiples opportunity for its students to excel on. Students need to work with diverse people and not limit themselves to their section only.
IBS’s continuous focus on and enforcement of diversity on campus has produced magnificent outcomes. Not only are IBS graduates better prepared and more aware, but many start-ups have been incorporated from enthralling students of IBS, and the college on a continuous basis is providing many opportunities for its students.
If at any point in time the question “NOW WHAT?” hits, that’s the point where a pause is needed to take a breath and THINK and THINK until you get the best answer to your question.
Manvi, is a student with a medical background.
After four years of rigorous hard work in the medical stream, the future still seemed blurred to her, bestowing confusing questions. Later after self-acknowledgment, she realized that medical is very practical and a lot of hard work and dedication is required in this stream, which she is capable of but not so passionate about from a professional sight. She always believed in that no path is easy to gain success but with passion, discipline, and dedication, you can achieve great heights.
Thorough learnings and rigorous hard work are the two main components based on which she analyzed that one career path for which she is equally passionate and dedicated. For her professional growth, the managerial ladder is the path she chose, and decided to change her career path and opted for MBA for her post-graduation.
The Right Place?
After deciding her path, now the biggest question in front of her was “Which College?”. She researched, talked to people, and discovered about ICFAI Business School and its chain of 9 campuses. The IBS Gurgaon became the best choice for her.
With more than 62000+ alumni base, IBS Gurgaon has achieved excellence in the last 25 years of its journey. Since the start of its journey, IBS Gurgaon had a remarkable multifarious environment in all terms. With a tremendous diversity, be it in terms of students or courses provided, IBS has never failed to provide any chance to students who are capable enough of being the best version of themselves.
I believe that being provided with equal opportunity, gives students great confidence to grow in whichever field they want to move into.
IBS has fruitful cultural togetherness from all over the country and has never failed to acknowledge the importance of the fresher students who constitute around 79% of its composition and students with work experience who constitute around 21%. Students from different regions choose IBS because of the amicable environment it provides to enhance oneself. The students from diverse backgrounds like engineering, medical and humanities.
Diversity- Not just in education but in extra dimensions as well
Diversity in education is not just about students from different regions of the country but also includes diversity adding to the equality of students present there. It’s a proud moment to note how greatly ICFAI Business School has balanced out the multifarious environment.
IBS has always tried to give equal opportunities to girls as well as boys. It has never differentiated students based on any grounds. Rather has always provided a platform to those capable enough to be there on that stage.
With an equal ratio of students, IBS has focused on nurturing the students.
A diverse number of companies that visit IBS Gurgaon for placements have the greatest stand among the all.
At IBS Gurgaon, from Start-ups to Big-4, various companies visit the campus at the time of placement for recruitment. And a great student base is being recruited by these companies every year from the campus according to their requirements.
Not just placements, but with great diversity IBS Gurgaon invites a lot of companies starting from Start-ups to well-established companies for SIP (Summer Internship Program) as well.
Various guest lectures are also conducted for guiding the students with immense knowledge about the corporate world before officially entering into it.
How IBS is so capable in the corporate building in such a diverse culture? The answer to the question lies again in diversity. Students are given various platforms through various cells and clubs to groom their personalities.
Personality Development
All MBA institutes prepare their students with strong personalities so that they can create a strong base for themselves in the corporate world. But with strong personality development, IBS believes in creating a magnificent future self in a student’s mind by brushing up the student from the first day he/she steps into the IBS campus.
With a strong faculty base, IBS ensures proper mentoring of its students so that they don’t lack anywhere around.
Accent building
Students with different accents are not an issue but a thing to be concerned about. At IBS, students are provided with proper soft skills training to improvise themselves accordingly for the corporate world.
Understanding the student’s perspective
With a great supportive team of faculty members, ICFAI Business School has always given its best shot in inculcating the required skill set in a student. Building a strong mindset is way more important than getting indulged in any theoretical practices.
Student’s strengths and weaknesses
Coming from a specific background, restricts a student’s thinking in a particular way. MBA provides an opportunity of widening their thoughts and helps in adapting the flexibility the course provides one with, which IBS has always won over on.
Coming back to Manvi’s story……….
After knowing all the components that IBS Gurgaon is capable of inbuilding into its students. With a calm mind, Manvi decided to take a step closer to IBS Gurgaon. And what next, after clearing the IBSAT exam she’s now a happy-satisfied student of the IBS family.
Thus, after staying here in an excellent environment, every IBS student steps out as a ready-to-go corporate human being.
