Faculty Profile

A firm believer in participant-centred learning, SPA enthusiastically experiments with learner-centred methodologies rather than relying solely on lectures.

SPA underwent certification in Paris with StratX Simulations. In addition, he has attended the Global Colloquium on Participant-Centered Learning and the Case Workshop at Harvard Business School held in Boston and Shanghai.

Following a mid-career shift to academics in 1999, he served at XLRI (Jamshedpur), IIM Kozhikode, and Thiagarajar School of Management (Madurai). He has also held visiting academic appointments at the Asian Institute of Management (Philippines), IIM Lucknow, and Amrita School of Business (Coimbatore). In addition, he has taught working executives in Singapore and Dubai.

Since joining IIM Tiruchirappalli in 2012, SPA has taught two elective courses—Product Policy & Brand Management and Strategic Marketing in Action—both delivered using simulations, and has also occasionally taught Services Marketing and Marketing Metrics for Growth.

SPA’s training and consulting interests lie in products, services, brands, and marketing strategy. He has worked with executives from leading organizations across Asia in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors on themes covering products, services, brands, customer centricity, and marketing strategy. He recently engaged with Titan Company Ltd., where he helped set up the Impulse School of Marketing.

His areas of research include marketing demographics and consumer vulnerability.

SPA has undergone training in academic leadership in the United Kingdom. He has been actively involved in institution building at IIM Trichy and has made significant service contributions. Notably, he set up the Chennai Campus in 2012, launched the PGPBM for working executives, chaired the residential PGPM at Trichy for three years from 2013, conducted the first four convocations, initiated major revisions to the PGPM Manual, and introduced the social project “Make a Difference” into the curriculum, which is now a mandatory requirement for the award of the PGPM Diploma.

At IIM Trichy, SPA has headed several key activities, including Executive Education & Consulting, the Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme, Accreditation, Programme Review, Branding, Library Services, and Campus Relocation. He has also served on multiple committees such as Sexual Harassment at the Workplace, Placements, External Relations, International Exchange, Library, and Student Activities. He has been the mentor for the Marketing & Advertising Club at IIM Trichy since its inception.

His 14 years of industry experience since 1985 span the automotive, financial services, direct selling, and music retailing sectors, covering both business and consumer markets across rural and urban contexts.

The conceptual understanding gained through decades of reflection, learning, coaching, and consulting enables him to add value in both boardrooms and classrooms by crafting effective business strategies and fostering customer orientation.

As an Independent Director at Manappuram Home Finance Ltd., SPA chairs the Corporate Social Responsibility Committee and serves on two other board committees.

In addition, he serves on the Governing Body of St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Mumbai, and the Academic Council of St. Thomas College (Autonomous), Thrissur.

SPA believes in listening first and then building meaningful conversations. With a keen sensitivity to context, he helps articulate the perspectives and emotions of diverse stakeholders. He learns best by initiating new tasks or projects and through coaching. Interacting with people energizes him, and by choosing his commitments carefully, he focuses on work he truly enjoys. Known for his integrity, he remains steadfast in honoring his responsibilities.