Dr. Rajan Saxena is one of India’s most distinguished educationists and institution builders, with over five decades of experience in management education, academic leadership, and strategic transformation. The former Vice Chancellor of SVKM’s NMIMS (Deemed-to-be University), Mumbai, Dr. Saxena has been instrumental in elevating the university into one of India’s top management institutions through academic innovation, international collaborations, and expansion across multiple campuses. A respected thought leader, he has served as Co-Chair of the FICCI Higher Education Committee, Chairman of the AICTE’s All-India Board of Management Studies, and a key contributor to the South Asian Quality Assurance System (SAQS) for management education. Currently, he serves as Advisor and Member of the Academic Advisory Board at QS I-Gauge, where he continues to guide excellence and benchmarking in higher education. Widely recognized for his leadership and vision, Dr. Saxena has received numerous national and international honors, including the Distinguished Educationist Award, Visionary Leadership Award, and Lifetime Achievement Awards for Excellence in Education. A scholar with a Ph.D. in International Marketing from the Delhi School of Economics and an alumnus of Shri Ram College of Commerce, he continues to mentor institutions, educators, and policymakers in building globally competitive and socially responsible centers of learning.

Dr. N. Jayasankaran (M.Sc., M.Ed., MBA, M.Phil., Grad. O.R., Ph.D.) stands as one of India’s foremost management educators and institutional mentors, widely acknowledged for his profound impact on higher education and management pedagogy. His distinguished career spans over 45 years, during which he has held key leadership positions including Director General of Bharathidasan Institute of Management (Trichy), Vice-Chancellor of SCSVMV Deemed to be University (Kanchipuram), and Advisor to leading institutions like NMIMS University (Mumbai/Bengaluru) and Symbiosis International University (Pune).

Throughout his career, Dr. Jayasankaran has championed curriculum innovation, quality assurance in education, and the creation of academic ecosystems aligned with global standards. He has served as a senior assessor for the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), conducted academic audits for universities across India, and contributed to national policy-making through his membership on panels created by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and other regulatory bodies.

As an advisor and mentor, Dr. Jayasankaran has played a pivotal role in institution-building: developing off-campus programmes, strengthening governance frameworks, and nurturing leadership among faculty and administrators. His reputation as a trusted guide in shaping academic excellence, strategic faculty development, and institutional transformation is well established in Indian higher education circles.

Dr. Jayasankaran’s enduring commitment to enhancing management education, his strategic vision for academic institutions, and his hands-on role in building sustainable educational models make him a valuable asset to any advisory board or institutional leadership team.

Dr. Suresh Mony is a seasoned management educator and higher-education strategist with more than four decades of experience across academia and industry. As the Founding Director of NMIMS Bengaluru, he played a pivotal role in establishing and leading the campus to international accreditation (AMBA, UK) and academic distinction. With 28 years in the corporate sector and 18 years in higher education, Dr. Mony combines strategic insight with academic rigor. His areas of expertise include Business Strategy, Risk Management, Management Control Systems, and Operations Management. After retiring from his directorship role, he continues as Professor Emeritus at NMIMS and serves as a consultant and advisor to several universities and management institutions, guiding them in academic quality, governance, and leadership development. Dr. Mony’s thought leadership and mentoring have made him a trusted voice in advancing quality, innovation, and institutional transformation in Indian higher education.

Dr. Latha Pillai is a distinguished academic leader with over three decades of experience in higher education, quality assurance, accreditation, and institutional development. She has served in several senior roles including Director, Quality Assurance & Rankings at SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Adviser and Acting Director at NAAC, Director at Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Youth Development, and Pro-Vice Chancellor at IGNOU.

A Ph.D. in Applied Psychology, Dr. Pillai has played a key role in developing national frameworks, manuals, and policies for improving quality standards in Indian higher education. She has led international delegations, contributed to national youth policies, and authored numerous publications on accreditation, governance, and quality enhancement. Her work reflects strong leadership, policy expertise, and a lifelong commitment to strengthening higher education systems in India and abroad.

Dr. Mukesh Sharma is a distinguished broadcasting leader and media professional whose career spans decades in India’s public service television sector. As the former Additional Director General of Doordarshan Mumbai and later Director-General of the Films Division, he has been instrumental in shaping content, institutional direction and public broadcasting strategy. His leadership has been marked by a focus on elevating the quality of public media, fostering children’s film festivals, and innovating in television and content delivery in the face of rapidly evolving digital and private-channel competition. With a long tenure at Doordarshan, Dr. Sharma brings rich experience in film?production, institutional growth and media education, making him a respected figure in India’s broadcast landscape

Shishir is the Founder and Chief Executive of the award-winning not-for-profit Project Mumbai (www.projectmumbai.org) which strives for social transformation through initiatives of scale. People remain the Purpose and Positive Change the intended objective. Healthcare (mental health) -Environment-and Inclusive urban spaces, especially for the differently abled and elderly - are some areas he works in through Project Mumbai, tapping into the volunteering spirit of the Mumbaikar, striving to build the city into the Kindness Capital of India. The UN awarded Shishir-led Project Mumbai with the Social Development Goals (SDG) Solidarity Action Award 2020 for humanitarian work during COVID 19. One among the global 50. During COVID-19, Shishir co-founded KhaanaChahiye, a citizen led hunger solution initiative

Anup Vishwanathan is a distinguished professional with a remarkable ability to make brands Interesting and desirable to their audiences.

His illustrious career spans across globally acclaimed organizations such as McCann Erickson, Leo Burnett, Sony Entertainment Television, and Times Network. He has played key roles in shaping brands and content over the years – Some notable ones being KBC from Sony Entertainment Television, and in his stint at Times Network, as EVP Network Brand Strategy, saw him shaping the brand and content strategy across the entire cluster of 14 brands spanning News, Entertainment and Digital.

Notably, he has been recognized with prestigious accolades like the Star Reacher Award, bestowed upon the best professional at a global level during his tenure at Leo Burnett. Apart from this, the numerous Abby’s, Effie’s and Leo Burnett 8 Ball stand proud testimony of his impactful work

Founder and CEO: Analytics-Based Performance Management LLC; Expert in ABC, EPM/CPM, Profit Analysis, Budget, Analytics

Gary Cokins is the Founder and CEO of Analytics-Based Performance Management LLC and a globally recognized expert in enterprise performance management (EPM), activity-based costing (ABC), and business analytics. With a career spanning over four decades, he has worked as a financial controller, operations manager, and senior management consultant with Deloitte, KPMG, and EDS. He later spent sixteen years with SAS, where he advanced his expertise in analytics and performance management systems.

An accomplished author and speaker, Gary is known for designing and implementing analytics-driven EPM frameworks, including strategy maps, balanced scorecards, budgeting, customer value analysis, and risk management. His books and professional insights are widely acclaimed for their practical approach to improving organizational performance.

Experienced Account Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the media industry. Skilled in online & Offline media planning, Integrated Marketing, Advertising, and Brand Management.

MET has played a foundational role in shaping my professional journey, and I am delighted at the opportunity to contribute to its continued growth and success. I wholeheartedly accept the invitation to join the Advisory Board and look forward to sharing insights, collaborating with fellow members, and supporting initiatives that bridge academia and industry.

about the Company:
WPP is one of the world’s leading marketing communications groups, offering a comprehensive range of advertising, media investment, and brand consulting services. Mindshare Fulcrum, part of the WPP network, is the dedicated media agency partner for Hindustan Unilever Limited, managing strategic planning, media investment, and brand communication initiatives across its diverse portfolio.

Kaveri Roy is a Senior Director of Strategic Planning and Creativity at Burson, WPP, where she leads high-impact marketing and communications initiatives for global brands. A Columbia Business School alumna and a recipient of e4m PR & Corp Comm 40 Under 40 as well as Reputation Today’s 40 Young Turks recognition, she is known for her strategic insight, creative leadership, and ability to navigate complex reputation landscapes with clarity and impact.

Ercole Egizi is a global brand strategist and creative transformation leader with over two decades of experience guiding international brands and agencies across Europe, the Middle East, and North America. He has led creative and strategic operations for Mercedes-Benz, PepsiCo, Visa, Reckitt, Emirates, and Citroën, helping organizations evolve through insight, culture, and purpose.

A former Chief Creative Officer, Managing Director, and agency founder, he has built cross-cultural teams, launched in-house creative labs, and driven large-scale brand reinventions.

As an educator and mentor, Egizi has taught advertising and brand strategy at universities and master’s programs in Europe and Asia, developing courses on brand purpose, storytelling, and digital transformation. His teaching emphasizes curiosity, ethics, and critical thinking, encouraging students to see brands not as products, but as living reflections of culture.

Garima Arora is a spirited producer and entrepreneur who built Entourage Films from the ground up. She is known for nurturing talent and leading teams with energy, creativity, and passion.