Congratulations to first EMBA-Mumbai graduates

In April 2015, IIT-Bombay and Washington University launched the first US-India joint Executive MBA program in Mumbai. Today, Oct. 14, 2016, the first batch, or cohort, graduated in St. Louis after a three week residency stateside. Congratulations to these trailblazing executives who are now alumni of two leading universities and equipped with new leadership skills to manage business challenges in the 21st century.

Olin’s Interim Dean Kurt Dirks was master of ceremonies for the graduation event held in Knight Hall’s Emerson Auditorium. David Farr, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Emerson was the keynote speaker. Washington University Chancellor Mark Wrighton also addressed the students, faculty, staff, and family members present. The entire ceremony was live-streamed online; the recorded version will be available for viewing beginning Oct. 18, link here.

Shivganesh Bhargava, Head of the Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management at IIT Bombay was also a featured speaker at the graduation ceremony as well as IIT Bombay Professor Prasanna Mujumdar. Sunil Punjab, Managing Director for Sigma-Aldrich in India, and a member of the graduating class, was chosen by his peers to be the student speaker. Ashly Thomas Jacob received the Student Recognition Award.

Inaugural class at a glance:

• Approximately 16 average years of professional experience, with 11 years of management experience
• 11 industries represented — both India and multinational companies
• Over 40 percent of the class are executives at the senior vice president level and higher
• Over 50 percent of the class is traveling from outside of the Mumbai area