Chancellor BITS Pilani, Mr Kumar Mangalam Birla, commented on the transition, “As a key member of the founding team, Dr Banerjee played a pivotal role in establishing a firm foundation for BITSoM, fostering strong ties with both students and corporates. He was instrumental in developing initiatives such as the tailored personal development programme, mentorship programme, the management ideas festival—Beacon, and in building a robust career services team. Over the last two years, BITSoM has emerged as a truly new-age business school. This foundation will be fortified further by Dr Kesavan, whose vision aligns with our aspiration to be amongst the top business schools globally. Looking ahead, as the world undergoes rapid technological and societal shifts, the role of premier institutions like BITSoM becomes even more crucial in shaping the future of business leadership and innovation. Dr Kesavan, with his deep understanding of global education trends, will no doubt steer BITSoM to new heights.”  

Dr Kesavan is renowned for his exceptional teaching skills at the Kenan-Flagler Business School’s MBA programme. He has been honoured with the MBA All Star Teaching Award on 14 occasions and received the Weatherspoon Award for Excellence in MBA Teaching. Additionally, he was recognized as the Best Teacher for Core Teaching by the Indian School of Business. A dedicated researcher, Dr Kesavan’s contributions have appeared in prestigious journals like Management Science, Manufacturing & Service Operations Management (MSOM), and Production & Operations Management. His research has been featured in mainstream media such as The New York Times, The Economist, Forbes and was acknowledged in the 2022 Economic Report of the US President.