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Sougata Ray

Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship (Practice)
Thomas Schmidheiny Chair and Executive Director - TSCFE

Email sougata_ray@isb.edu

Overview

Overview

Sougata Ray is a Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship (Practice), Thomas Schmidheiny Chair Professor and Executive Director of the Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise. Earlier he served Indian Institute of Management Calcutta for over two decades as a Professor of Strategic Management, a member of the Board of Governors and Dean. He was also a senior level executive in Infosys Technologies Limited for two years in a strategic role as Head of innovation Lab. He is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and Indian Institute of Engineering, Science and Technology, Shibpur.

Sougata’s research interests have evolved over the years in understanding various facets of strategic management, entrepreneurship, innovation and governance of firms and business groups in high growth economies. Given the ubiquity of family firms in India and observing how family owners and leaders play a pivotal role in shaping the future of enterprises, he was gradually drawn into family business research. Since the past few years, under the aegis of the Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise, he has been spearheading a mega program towards developing a solid research based understanding of family firms and business groups in India and South Asia. He has also been leading a research program in the areas of social entrepreneurship, corporate sustainability strategy and practices, Bottom of the Pyramid initiatives, and involvement of corporations in inclusive and sustainable development.

Sougata is one of the most prolific and cited home-grown strategy scholars in India. He has been publishing regularly in reputed scholarly journals and presenting in leading peer-reviewed international conferences. Sougata received over half a million dollar research grants, several prestigious research and teaching awards and many more award nominations.

Sougata blends over three decades of experiences in diverse roles – international quality academic, research and institution building practice with hands on corporate managerial and governance experiences as an executive, member of the Board of Directors, and co-founder of start ups.. He has been an advisor to numerous medium and large corporations, family businesses and start ups, and Principal Consultant to leading International Development Agencies. He currently sits on the governing and advisory boards of several listed and unlisted companies, start ups and social enterprises. Sougata has taught in numerous executive education programs, designed and conducted many workshops exclusively for Owner-managers, Entrepreneurs and C-Level Executives of companies in India, Asia, Middle East, Nordic and Scandinavian countries. Over the years he has led over thirty C- level executive delegations to multiple countries in every continent for high-level meetings with the Ministers and high ranking officials, Multilateral agencies such as WTO and ILO, Chambers of Commerce, MNCs, Industrial Organizations, Research Labs and Academic Institutions.

Experience

Academic

  • 2022 - Present: Executive Director - Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise, Indian School of Business
  • 2021 - Present: Thomas Schmidheiny Chair & Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship (Practice), Indian School of Business
  • 2021 - 2021: Executive Director Designate -Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise, Indian School of Business
  • 2012 - 2021: Professor, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
  • 2010 - 2012: Dean (Programme Initiatives) and Professor, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
  • 2006 - 2010: Professor, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
  • 2003 - 2006: Associate Professor, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
  • 2000 - 2003: Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
  • 1998 - 2000: Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Management Indore
  • 1993 - 1997: Research Scholar, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

Professional

  • 2011 - Present: Independent Director, Corporate Board of Tinplate Company of India Limited
  • 2008 - 2010: General Manager & Head, Infosys Technologies Limited
  • 2005 - 2008: Independent Director, Bongaigaon Refineries and Petrochemicals Limited (BRPL)
  • 2002 - 2007: Independent Director, IBP Company Limited
  • 1989 - 1993: Executive, Steel Authority of India Limited

In the Media

March 14, 2023: Leveraging the power of an independent board, Financial Express.

March 7, 2023: Managing Differences in the Family to Prevent Destruction of Business and Wealth, Economic Times.

January 11, 2023: Book launch - A Talk On Entrepreneurship With Dr BVR Mohan Reddy, Sakshi, Telangana Today, India Education Diary, Navayuga Sandesh, Namaste Telangana.

November 15, 2022: Tricks to Ensure the Next Generation becomes capable to take over the Family Business, Economic Times.

September 18, 2022: Rise of the Daughters, Business Today.

September 7, 2022: Indian Family Businesses are Indian Economy's Backbone - CII, The Himachal Times, The Hawk, The Garwhal Post.

August 10, 2022: India at 75: Family Businesses that Reform, Rethink and Reinvent, Rule, Financial Express.

July 6, 2022: Ambani Succession Journey – Well Begun But Not Over, BQ Prime.

June 28, 2022: What Drives Resilience in Family Businesses, Business Journal, Financial Express, MSN News, Times of India, Babushahi, India Education Diary,.

April 18, 2022: Shareholder capitalism to stakeholdercapitalism: Are Indian Family Firms Prepared?, Money Control.

April 5, 2022: Why the Rs 4.6 lakh crore Pledged Promoter Shares Matter for India Inc.,?, Financial Express.

April 5, 2022: Family Firms in India: Performance and Relevance, Money Control.

March 29, 2022: Family firms: Preordained to be governed by passion and purpose, Money Control.

September 8, 2021: Some Firms Create Value using Funds Raised via Pledging of Shares, finds ISB study, Hindu Business Line.

Research & Publications

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