Building on Legacy: My Journey with ISB’s PGP MFAB

Before joining ISB, I completed my undergraduate studies and joined our family business, Punjab Jewels. I now lead the company as CEO, overseeing strategy, brand, merchandising, people, and the P&L. Most mornings begin with a store walk, a review of inventory and orders, and a quick huddle with the team. I have always valued craft and numbers in equal measure. I like clear goals, clean dashboards, and steady execution.

Two turning points nudged me toward the PGP MFAB. As our business grew, scale began to outpace instinct. I realised that intuition, while valuable, needed to be supported by structured tools for planning, reviews, and decision-making. At the same time, growth demanded discipline. I wanted sharper frameworks for allocating time, people, and capital and a clearer sense of when to say yes and when to say no.

I wanted to sharpen my thinking, learn from peers who face similar decisions, and bring back practical ideas that would work just as well at the counter as in the boardroom.

Why ISB: Learning That Blends Structure and Flexibility

Several friends and peers who had completed the PGP MFAB told me how transformative the experience had been for them. They spoke of how it redefined the way they ran their enterprises like introducing clearer governance, smarter capital allocation, and stronger teams. 

ISB’s reputation as one of Asia’s top business schools, combined with PGP MFAB’s focused approach to family enterprises, made it an easy choice.

The modular format was another advantage. It allowed me to learn on campus, absorb complex frameworks, and immediately apply them at work. That balance between academic learning and on-ground execution was exactly what I was looking for.

Early Lessons: Expanding Horizons Through Peers and Professors

I have attended only two sessions so far, but the experience has already been eye-opening. My cohort is made up of business owners and next-generation leaders from diverse industries, all driven by a shared ambition to grow their family businesses responsibly and sustainably. The discussions are grounded in real challenges, generous in insights, and ambitious in vision.

The energy on campus is palpable. The faculty are approachable and deeply invested in our learning. They bring research depth paired with India-focused examples, making the lessons instantly relatable to family-run enterprises. Even in this short time, my perspective has widened.

Conversations with peers have opened new possibilities, from succession design and governance to how a luxury retailer should approach omnichannel expansion and service excellence. Interactive lectures with distinguished professors have helped me formalise what I once understood intuitively about finance, marketing, and strategy. I now find myself mapping these concepts to assortment planning, inventory management, brand storytelling, and team reviews back at Punjab Jewels.

Looking Ahead: Blending Tradition With Modern Business Discipline

My goal is clear. I want Punjab Jewels to be recognised as one of India’s most respected and successful luxury retail brands in the next decade. We will continue to honour craftsmanship and design superiority while operating like a high-performance company.

In this next phase, my focus will be on governance that fits our context like practical decision rights, clear forums, and simple rules that keep family and business conversations healthy. Financial discipline will be central. I aim to improve inventory turns, establish store payback models, and create a repeatable approach to expansion and renovations.

Equally, people and culture remain at the core of our growth. Building a strong leadership bench, defining clear growth paths, and providing training that raises standards across Tier-2 markets are priorities. These, I believe, are what transform family businesses into enduring institutions.

For those considering the PGP MFAB, my advice is to get involved in your family business before you apply. Bring real experience and intent to the classroom. Reflect on what you want to change, from processes that slow you down to capital that remains underutilised. Be honest about your weaknesses, and come ready to engage, contribute, and grow.

We also plan to expand into new verticals, and when the time is right, I am confident people will hear about them

Synopsis

Ansh Anand, CEO of Punjab Jewels and PGP MFAB Class of 2026, shares how ISB has helped him bring structure and discipline to a growing family business. From peer learning to faculty mentorship, his time at ISB is helping him blend tradition with modern governance, sharpen decision-making, and shape Punjab Jewels into a high-performing luxury brand for the future.