Mumbai, 16th July 2026: SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), a Deemed-to-be University, has appointed Prof. Sougata Ray as its Vice Chancellor, effective July 16, 2026.
A distinguished management scholar, academic leader, and institution builder, Prof. Ray brings more than three and a half decades of experience spanning higher education, strategy, innovation, entrepreneurship, and corporate governance.
Prior to joining NMIMS, Prof. Ray held the positions of Thomas Schmidheiny Chaired Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship Practice and Executive Director of the Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise at the Indian School of Business (ISB). Earlier, he held several academic and leadership positions at the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM Calcutta), including Professor of Strategic Management, Dean, and Member of the Board of Governors. He also led the Innovation Lab at Infosys Technologies as General Manager and has advised entrepreneurs, business leaders, multinational corporations, and public institutions on strategy, governance, innovation, and digital transformation.
An internationally recognised scholar, his work spans strategy, innovation, entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and family enterprise. He has authored nearly 200 research papers, articles, books, and case studies and has played pivotal institution-building roles at IIM Indore, IIM Calcutta, and ISB. He is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad, and the Indian Institute of Engineering, Science and Technology (IIEST), Shibpur.
His appointment comes at a significant moment in NMIMS’ growth journey as the University seeks to deepen its focus on academic excellence, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and global engagement. He brings a bold vision of AI-enabled, innovation-driven, and globally relevant higher education to NMIMS. Under his leadership, NMIMS aims to further advance interdisciplinary learning, industry partnerships, global collaborations, and future-ready education in an increasingly AI-driven world.
Speaking on the appointment, Chancellor Shri Amrish R. Patel said, “Prof. Ray’s distinguished scholarship, proven leadership, and deep commitment to institution-building make him exceptionally well-positioned to lead NMIMS into its next phase of growth, scale, and academic excellence.”
Speaking on his appointment, Prof. Sougata Ray said, “It is a privilege to lead one of India’s most respected institutions, distinguished by its scale, academic excellence, and spirit of innovation, at a time when higher education is being reimagined globally. Together with our faculty, students, alumni, industry partners and other ecosystem. I look forward to building on these strengths to foster innovation, interdisciplinary learning, and meaningful societal impact, while preparing future-ready leaders equipped to navigate an AI-driven inclusive world.”
Prof. Ray’s appointment marks a new chapter in NMIMS’ journey to further strengthen its scale, excellence, and global standing, while shaping a future-ready, globally engaged university driven by innovation and societal impact.
