IIM Kozhikode
LEAP Strategic Management Programme for Senior Professionals

Rajesh S. Upadhyayula is a professor in the area of Strategic Management and Executive Director, IIMK LIVE – IIM Kozhikode Laboratory for Innovation, Venturing, and Entrepreneurship (Incubator of the campus). He has eclectic experience spanning academia, industry, and non-governmental sectors. He is a post-graduate from IIFM Bhopal and a PhD from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. His topic of research was examining how networks help IT firms (within and outside clusters) build capabilities. He was a recipient of the prestigious Infosys Fellowship for his doctoral dissertation. During his doctoral programme, he spent 3 months at the Institute of New Technologies, United Nations University, Maastricht, Netherlands. He was a Visiting Scholar at the University of Sydney, Australia. His works (along with co-authors) were recognised at many national and international conferences. He was also a speaker at various events and has also extensively taught at MDP Programmes including facilitating sessions for senior leadership for companies such as Bosch India Limited, Star TV, etc. Before joining IIM Kozhikode, Rajesh worked as a Manager, Think Tank, a strategic planning wing at Tata Consultancy Services. His current research interests are in the areas of firm choice in multiple clusters, internationalisation strategies of offshore service...

Dr. Keyoor Purani is a Professor in the marketing area at the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode. He is an electrical engineer, MBA in marketing, and has a PhD in management. He has over 25 years of experience with 20 years in teaching at the postgraduate level and has taught in India, Sweden, Thailand, and Ghana. Before joining IIM Kozhikode in 2005, he worked at Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad. Prior entering academics in 1998, he spent about five years in the industry in advertising and marketing roles. Professor Purani has been involved in several consulting projects for organisations such as Cadila Pharmaceuticals, Oushadhi, Kerala State Electricity Board, Department of Post, Department of Handlooms – Government of Kerala, McCann World Group, and several others. He has over 25 publications in high-impact international scholarly journals and co-authored a few books. Professor Purani has remained a member of BoG, IIM Kozhikode Society for two years (2015-2017), has held several academic administrative positions including Dean-Development at IIM Kozhikode, and has chaired several program/task committees. He is the founding Executive Director of IIM Kozhikode’s entrepreneurship development center, LIVE, and led the center between 2016 and 2021.

Rajesh S. Upadhyayula is a professor in the area of Strategic Management and Executive Director, IIMK LIVE – IIM Kozhikode Laboratory for Innovation, Venturing, and Entrepreneurship (Incubator of the campus). He has eclectic experience spanning academia, industry, and non-governmental sectors. He is a post-graduate from IIFM Bhopal and a PhD from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. His topic of research was examining how networks help IT firms (within and outside clusters) build capabilities. He was a recipient of the prestigious Infosys Fellowship for his doctoral dissertation. During his doctoral programme, he spent 3 months at the Institute of New Technologies, United Nations University, Maastricht, Netherlands. He was a Visiting Scholar at the University of Sydney, Australia. His works (along with co-authors) were recognised at many national and international conferences. He was also a speaker at various events and has also extensively taught at MDP Programmes including facilitating sessions for senior leadership for companies such as Bosch India Limited, Star TV, etc. Before joining IIM Kozhikode, Rajesh worked as a Manager, Think Tank, a strategic planning wing at Tata Consultancy Services. His current research interests are in the areas of firm choice in multiple clusters, internationalisation strategies of offshore service...