Published by: Sukanya Nandy
Last updated: Oct 20, 2023 2:12 PM IST
Prof Arvind Sahay received his PhD in marketing strategy and international business from the University of Texas at Austin from 1992 to 1996 (Image: mdi.ac.in)
Before joining MDI, Arvind Sahay played a pivotal role as the Founder and Chairman of the NSE Center for Behavioral Sciences and Chairman of the India Gold Policy Center at IIM Ahmedabad.
MDI Gurgaon on Tuesday, October 17, appointed Professor Arvind Sahay as its new director, following his tenure as a distinguished marketing professor at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad. Before joining MDI, he played a pivotal role as the Founder and Chairman of the NSE Center for Behavioral Sciences and Chairman of the India Gold Policy Center at IIM Ahmedabad.
“The appointment represents an important milestone for MDI in its journey to excellence, given the status of Prof. Sahay in the marketing academy and his leadership role at IIM-A,” MDI said in an official statement.
Sahay received his PhD in Marketing Strategy and International Business from the University of Texas at Austin from 1992 to 1996. His academic journey began with a PGDM, majoring in Marketing and Finance, from IIM Ahmedabad between 1987 and 1989. He completed his BTech in Chemicals research. Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur from 1982 to 1986. He also gained valuable management experience at the London Business School.
In addition, his contributions extend to the publication of research in renowned international journals and the compilation of more than 60 cases. Throughout his career, he has held several key leadership positions, including Dean of Alumni and External Relations (2013-2016), Chairman of PGPX (2007-2009), Chairman of Executive Education (2017-19) and Chairman of the Marketing Area ( 2019-2021) at IIM Ahmedabad. Additionally, he has provided consulting services to companies in India, Southeast Asia and the United Kingdom. Most recently, his work has delved into the practical applications of behavioral science within the business landscape.
Professor Arvind Sahay quoted from the CXO Playbook program and emphasized the importance of tailoring interventions in the choice architecture to facilitate the necessary behavioral changes to achieve desired outcomes. He believed that “the right kind of intervention in a choice architecture helps achieve the right kind of behavior change needed for the desired results – whether it’s increasing the efficiency of the sales force, or creating a brand that is better deals with the customer. Whether it is out-of-box thinking from the creative team, or achieving a behavioral change that changes the team dynamic – in both cases leading to better organizational performance.”
In his role as Founder and Chairman of the Behavioral Science Center at IIMA, he has been actively involved in integrating neuroscience applications into advertising metrics and testing, brand positioning testing based on customer insights and strategies for increasing employee engagement within HR functions. His recent research activities cover a broad spectrum, including areas such as pricing, neuroscience, brand management, gold policy, FOPL, blockchain and innovation.
Prof. Sangeeta Shah, who oversees the institute’s information management department, took over as acting director at MDI Gurgaon in January 2023, taking over from Dr Rajesh Chakrabarti. MDI had already invited applications for the directorship earlier this year, completing the process. in April 2023. After internal consultations and an extensive search led by a committee comprising experts from leading B-schools, it was officially declared that Prof. Sahay would take up the post of Director.
