Dr Raman Ramachandran serves as Director and Dean of K J Somaiya Institute of Management, guiding the institute’s academic direction with an emphasis on practical relevance. He believes management education works best when students move beyond theory, apply classroom learning to real situations, and develop the judgement required to navigate complex organisations.
His approach to academic leadership is shaped by over three decades of corporate experience across international and regional markets. During his 22 year tenure with BASF, he held Asia Pacific responsibilities such as Marketing Director and Asiapac regional business head and later served as Chairman and MD of BASF India. He subsequently served as Managing Director and CEO of PI Industries and continues to serve on its board. He has also contributed to industry leadership through roles with CropLife Asia and the Confederation of Indian Industry's Chemicals and Petrochemicals group.
He remains closely connected with the corporate ecosystem. He serves as Non-Executive Chairman of Calibre Chemical Pvt Ltd and as an Independent Director on the boards of Proklean Technologies and Godavari Biorefineries. As a certified executive coach, he works with senior leaders across corporate and non-profit organisations.
His academic foundation complements his industry experience. He holds a PhD in Agriculture from the University of Adelaide and has undertaken post-doctoral research at ICIPE (Kenya), IRRI (Philippines), and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 1990, he was named a Robert S. McNamara Fellow at the World Bank's Economic Development Institute.
In recognition of his long-standing contribution to the agrochemical industry, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chemical and Petrochemicals group of FICCI.
Having worked in environments where decisions carry long-term consequences, he brings a practical perspective to academic discussions, ensuring that management education remains grounded in the realities of business and public life.
Outside work, he plays competitive table tennis and enjoys bird photography.
