The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) and Duke CE have formed a collaboration to develop and deliver custom corporate education programs in India and the Middle East.

Housed on the Ahmedabad campus, the initiative leverages the resources and capabilities of each institution to bring Duke CE’s business model—using education as a means to help clients effect corporate strategy—to this exciting part of the world. 

“This is a matter of the best joining with the best,” said Duke CE’s CEO, Blair Sheppard, noting that IIMA has been consistently rated as the best B-School in India and among the top ranking B-schools in the Asia-Pacific region.  “We’re delighted to be partnering with another world-class institution to extend our reach to India and the Middle East.”

IIMA director Bakul Dholakia agreed, citing Duke CE’s strong growth and existing program deliveries in 43 countries.  Both parent institutions regard the joint venture, Dr. Dholakia says, “not as an experiment but as a logical and inevitable expression of our mutual goals.”

Globalization is a key element in the strategies of both IIMA and Duke CE. IIMA has established programs in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Duke CE too has had a very successful partnership with the London School of Economics, through which it has delivered programs in Europe. It also has a significant and increasing presence in Latin America, Asia and Africa as well. It is therefore natural that the two are coming together to forge a partnership that will focus on India and the Middle East and will also develop opportunities in Southeast Asia.

“High level managerial talent is in short supply in India,” explained Shailendra Mehta, who heads the new venture. “It is estimated that in the next five years, nearly 5000 new CEOs will be required in the Indian corporate sector and many times that number in other top level positions. Executive education is a critical component in developing this talent. However, in India, executive education cum training is a much neglected field. Against the global norm of 7 days of training a year for top managers, the top companies in India train for about 7 hours. Therefore, there is a crucial need to provide this critical missing link.”

Duke CE Managing Director William J. Bigoness, who previously headed Duke CE's joint venture in London, will also be joining the initiative as Chief Operating Officer for India.