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Top Indian CEOs and their academic qualifications

March 20, 2023

Top Indian CEOs and their academic qualifications

They say, “you don’t need an MBA to be successful.”

Well, in some cases it might be true.

But business acumen doesn’t come naturally to everyone. And the people who have achieved great success without an MBA have worked extraordinarily as compared to anyone else or they have had the support of someone with business knowledge to make them reach great heights.

Young minds study MBA to build their business acumen and expand their knowledge of markets.

Few of them want to build their confidence and acquire essential business skills.

Even if there are many exceptions to those who have achieved success without an MBA, in this blog we share with you the stories of those who got the opportunity and achieved success because of an MBA. Plus bonus tips!

1. Sundar Pichai, CEO – Alphabet

The very famous, Sundar Pichai started his career by working in engineering and product management at McKinsey & Company.

He joined Google in 2004, in 2015 he was appointed as the CEO of Google and in the next 4 years, he became the CEO of Google’s parent company – Alphabet.

He is originally from Tamil Nadu, India and after completing his graduation in India he came to the USA to study MS in material sciences and engineering from Stanford and holds an MBA degree from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Tip from Sundar Pichai –

“The right moral compass is trying hard to think about what customers want.”

2. Satya Nadella, CEO – Microsoft

Satya Nadella is another Indian American Business Executive. He succeeded Steve Ballmer as Microsoft’s Chief Executive Officer in 2014.

Born in a Telegu family, Nadella is from Hyderabad. He did his bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering and went on to do MS in computer science in the USA from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.

He also studied MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Tip from Satya Nadella-

“Spend some time thinking about the “you” that you want your firm to be working for. Who is that most intense, other-focused version of yourself? And can you put her in charge?”

3. Narayan Murthy, Chairperson – Infosys

Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy, chairman of Infosys is an Indian Business tycoon, investor, and philanthropist.

N. R. Narayana Murthy did his education in his home country itself. His origin lies in Karnataka.

He did his graduation from the National Institute of Engineering, the University of Mysore with a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a Master’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.

He is also known as the “father of the Indian IT sector by TIME magazine.

Tip from Narayan Murthy –

“Attract people who are smarter than you”

4. Indra Nooyi, Former CEO of Pepsico

Indra Nooyi, the former executive of PepsiCo, has been consistently ranked amongst the world’s most powerful women. She is now in the Board of Directors of Amazon.

Born in Madras, she did her bachelor’s degree in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics from Madras Christian College and PG Diploma from IIM Calcutta. She has earned a Master’s degree in Public and Private Management from the School of Management.

Tip from Indra Nooyi –

“Focus on doing your current job better than anybody has ever done.”

5. Uday Kotak, Managing Director – Kotak

An Indian Billionaire Banker who is the Executive Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank.
He is from an upper-middle-class Gujarati family. He graduated from Sydenham College and pursued his post-graduation in management degree from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies.

Tip from Uday Kotak –

When it comes to market he says, “Run to Marathon”

“you can’t be too slow at a marathon. You have to combine it with a certain pace. Otherwise, you never make it to the finishing line. We need to start thinking in terms of the next five years.”

6. Ratan Tata, Former Chairman – Tata Sons

Ratan Tata is a name lauded all over the country and over the horizons for his business ventures and all the high tides he has crossed.

He is the former chairman of Tata Sons and an Indian industrialist, philanthropist, investor and great-grandson of Jamsetji Tata. He did his graduation from Riverdale Country School in New York City and acquired a degree from Cornell University in Architecture.

He also did the seven-week Advanced Management Program from Harvard Business School.

Tip from Ratan Tata –

“Use creative tendencies than reactive tendencies to get results: Be creative rather than being reactive.”

7. Vandana Luthra, Founder – VLCC

Vandana Luthra, the founder & CEO of VLCC Health Care and is also the chairperson of Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council.

Luthra is from Delhi and started VLCC in 1989. She completed her graduation from the Polytechnic for Women from New Delhi and later she went on to Germany, UK, and France to gain expertise in beauty, fitness, food, nutrition and skincare.

Tip from Vandana Luthra –

“When you close your eyes and imagine an empowered woman, what do you see? Be it.”

8. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson & Managing Director – Biocoin Ltd

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is an Indian Billionaire and has been awarded for her contributions to the progress of science and chemistry. She is being featured in the Financial Times top 50 women and Forbes powerful women in the world for two years i.e. 2016 and 2017 consecutively.

Her origins lie in Pune. She studied zoology from the University of Bangalore and then studies malting and brewing as suggested by her father, from Melbourne University, Australia.

Tip from Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw –

“Keep trying to find a differentiated model, don’t just try to do what others are doing… that’s where innovation comes.”

9. Shantanu Narayen, CEO – Adobe Systems

Shantanu Narayen is an Indian American businessman. He is the chairperson and CEO of Adobe Inc.
Narayen grew up in Hyderabad and received a graduate degree in electronics and communication engineering from the University of Engineering, Hyderabad. He then went onto the USA to complete his MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. In addition to it, he also did a master’s in computer science from Bowling green State University, Ohio.

Tip from Shantanu Narayen –

“Customer experiences rise above all else.”
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Though the above-written information includes only the academic qualifications it is important to understand that the advice we always get hammered with even without MBA you can earn more, and you might waste your money in doing the degree so.

It is crucial to understand it is upon individuals who feel confident and necessary to receive an MBA degree not because of the certificate but because of the quality of education, personal and professional growth and to learn.

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