SPJIMR PGEMP marks historic milestone with 100th batch

January 22, 2025

SPJIMR celebrated a significant achievement with the inauguration of its 100th batch of the Post Graduate Executive Management Programme (PGEMP), underscoring the programme’s transformative impact on executive education. The milestone was commemorated with a two-day event that brought together the PGEMP founding team, faculty, alumni, industry leaders, and participants.

PGEMP batch 100 inauguration

The inauguration on January 22, 2025, began with the lighting of the lamp, followed by keynote speeches from the leadership team. Prof. Varun Nagaraj, Dean of SPJIMR, highlighted the unique opportunity the programme offers to engage with industry partners and address their evolving needs. He encouraged participants to embrace a mindset shift for lifelong learning and skill acquisition.

Prof. Shabbir Husain R.V., PGEMP Chairperson, reflected on the programme’s success, attributing it to the continuous support of industry partners. He noted that Batch 100 participants, with 5 to 33 years of professional experience across various sectors, exemplify the programme’s diversity. He also highlighted key milestones:

  • The 100th batch is the largest cohort, with 100 participants, earning the title ‘100@100’.
  • Batch 100’s graduation in 2027 will coincide with PGEMP’s 25th anniversary.

Fireside chat: Reminiscing PGEMP’s journey

Mr. Yogi Sriram, Member, PGEMP Advisory Council and SPJIMR Governing Council, Ex – Sr. Vice President, Corporate Human Resources, Larsen & Toubro; Dr. Suresh Mony, First Chairperson – PGEMP, Retd. Director, NMIMS, Bangalore, Advisor Higher Education Institutions and Member PanIIT Executive Council; Mr. Deepak Shetty, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, JCB India (PGEMP-8, 2008) and Prof. Preeta George, Associate Dean of Executive Education at SPJIMR deliberated the programme’s evolution since 2002. They shared insights into PGEMP’s success, including:

  • Its consortium approach and participant-focused model which set a benchmark for executive education in India.
  • SPJIMR’s autonomy, allowing the programme to design a unique curriculum.
  • The co-creation of the programme with industry partners to address attrition and promote individual growth.
  • The 500-hour curriculum incorporated yoga, industry mentorship, and immersive off-campus experiences.
  • PGEMP’s pioneering ‘learning by doing’ approach and capstone projects in India.
  • The programme’s scalability was supported by strong back-office functions and outcome-driven results.

Summarising the insightful discussion Prof. Preeta George said, “I have had a front-seat view of PGEMP’s growth journey, and it would not have been possible without the immense contribution of our faculty and programme chairpersons, both past and present. Over its nearly 25-year journey, PGEMP continues to combine academic rigour with practical learning to develop leaders who inspire change.”

Celebrating the milestone

On January 24, 2025, SPJIMR hosted a grand celebration with the SPJIMR community, PGEMP industry partners, and alumni. The event featured panel discussions, the launch of the PGEMP Impact book, and partner recognitions.

Panel 1: Tomorrow is already yesterday: Building a culture of continuous learning

Moderated by Prof. Varun Nagaraj, this panel featured Mr Anurag Sahai, Chief Executive Officer, Asian Paints PPG Pvt. Ltd.; Dr. C Jayakumar, Executive Vice-President & CHRO, Larsen & Toubro Ltd.; Mr. Mandeep Singh Kumar, Vice President & Managing Director – India, Medtronic; Mr. Shankar Krishnan, Group Head – Strategy, HR, IT & Corporate, Communication, Shapoorji Pallonji Group. Key highlights included:

  • Continuous learning and agility: Leaders must adapt to evolving workforce needs, with learning agility—learning, unlearning, and relearning—crucial for career growth. Organisations should hire for capacity, energy, and character, not just experience.
  • Organisational support for development: Companies should invest in training and mentorship programmes to transition employees into managerial roles, emphasising skills, knowledge, and attitude development through experiential learning.
  • Digital and blended learning: While digital platforms offer scalable training, a blended approach that combines digital and in-person learning is essential for developing both technical and social skills.
  • Cultural and structural shifts: Organisations must embrace more inclusive, open cultures that encourage learning, humility, and innovation, allowing employees to fail fast and learn from mistakes. At the senior management level, the focus should be on how to learn to learn.
  • Role of educational institutions: Institutions like SPJIMR must regularly update curricula to reflect industry needs, emphasising social and emotional skills, teamwork, and real-world problem-solving while fostering lifelong learning and curiosity.

Panel 2: Leadership lessons: From classroom to boardroom

Speakers: Ms. Anshu Sarin, Chief Executive Officer, 91Springboard (PGEMP-39, 2014); Mr. Krishnakumar S, General Director, Kirby Southeast Asia (PGEMP-1, 2004); Mr. Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Limited | Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Limited (PGEMP-1, 2004); Mr. Shardul Kshirsagar, Global CEO & Managing Director, Fowler Westrup (India) Pvt. Ltd. (PGEMP-1, 2004); Mr. Rana Ashutosh Kumar Singh, Managing Director, State Bank of India (PGEMP-22, 2011).

This panel, featuring PGEMP alumni, shared leadership lessons, focusing on agility, empowering teams, embracing failure, and adapting to changing business environments. Key insights included:

  • Agility, flexibility, and purpose are crucial for leaders to stay relevant in a rapidly changing world and adapt to evolving customer needs.
  • Communicating clearly the leadership vision empowers teams to make aligned decisions across all levels.
  • Embracing new technology, learning from global trends, and collaborating with startups drive personal and professional growth for leaders.
  • Modern leadership has shifted from control-based management to collaboration, with a focus on empathy, listening, and leveraging diverse perspectives.
  • Leaders must adapt to cultural and generational differences, overcome conscious and unconscious bias, and foster inclusive environments for success in diverse teams.

Launch of PGEMP Impact

The event concluded with the launch of the PGEMP Impact coffee table book, celebrating the programme’s legacy of developing leaders who drive change. The celebration also honoured PGEMP’s longstanding partnerships with leading corporations. The networking dinner offered alumni, industry leaders, and participants the opportunity to reflect on PGEMP’s legacy and its continued influence on the future of executive education.

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