Prof. G R Nair is presently working as Dean of Corporate Relations for LEAD College of Management & Kochi Business School. Over 28 years of experience in Administration Functions in Financial institutions/Banking as DVP& and as General Manager in industries in India, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and UAE. 21+ years in the Education industry, Trainer in Banking, Life Sciences, and Entrepreneurship. Functioned as an advisor for CBSE schools in Gulf Countries and as Chairperson/Director in Business schools in VJIM Hyderabad and ISBR Business Bangalore for Education, Admissions, Placements, Internships, Academic Administration, Alumni Association, and International students' welfare.

Kochi Business School

You have held key positions at education institutes throughout your professional career. What are the key factors that keep you connected with the education sector?

The key positions where I headed the placements at both and Lead College of Management as well as at Kochi Business School. Before coming head to Kochi Business School and the Lead College of Management, I was head of the Director at ISBR Business School, Electronic City, Bangalore. So I was in charge of the whole system prevailing there for the education of people who are in the industry. So there was an industry connection for me there.

Previous to that, I was with Vignana Jyothi Institute of Management as a Chairperson. There, too, I had a long range of tenure wherein I was connected very much with the industry. So, on background, I wanted to get into an institute where I could head the placements. That is how I have been here for the last two years. There is a lot of credit that is added to this institute by placing almost 99% of the students in various places or industries with a range of CTC level from 3.5 to around 13,00,000 this year. Also, we have scored a very good rank for placing our students and I think the best place is around 15:00,000 and the lowest is again at 3.5.

Being the Placement Officer of this College, what is your philosophy of leadership? How would you describe your leadership style?

So, coming to leadership, I feel to be a leader because I started my career as a probationary officer with the State Bank group where I could and I was in the private sector where I was always a leader. I went to a phase where I had fast growth in my career from a preparation officer to the level of a deputy general manager or heading many of the branches as well as regions. So leadership, is where you can take people along with you. I am repeating the same general style in this B school.

How does the curriculum of the college ensure the best practice of industry?

The curriculum in this particular institute matches the requirements of the industry. So, industry connects, normally people say that PGDM is a better program because it is connected more to the industry or the curriculum is atone to the requirements in the industry. But for me, I find that in PBS and lead added they have been able to give extra mileage on various factors that are added on to placing people into the industry. So there is a good connector for the syllabus to get a turn to those other requirements of industry.

Any insights into how your university could be more welcoming to students of different races or economic backgrounds?

I was always curious to know the backgrounds of students while I was serving in the other states. The fee levels were very high. The fee levels in those new schools ranged up to as high as 16 to 18 students. So the selected students who used to be there were from the upper strata of society. When I came over to KBS and LEAD, I found it is not that way that we can give this particular management education to people belonging to the downtrodden. Also, I could see people can very low levels coming and taking up MBA programs. So I can find that this institute can match the requirements of our society in educating students.

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What do you think should be the College’s top priority over the next 10 years?

The top priority for any institute is to excel. Though we may not reach the levels of IIMs’, we can get into the first rank and all the first groups of institutes that are there in the country. So, for that, you need both academics and the support of the placement department to take the institute to that level.

When you first came to this College, what was your vision for the university? Has it evolved, and how far along in implementing that vision are you? 

So once, when I was planning to come to Kerala and be with this institute, the first thing that came to my mind was to do something good for the people of my state. So I think that was the vision that I was taking with me and over time, I think I can plan it out and do something for the students through which I can serve society.

What would you like people to know about your university they may not know?

I think the people in our state are not very aware of our colleges, but I can say that they are ranked maybe 2nd or 3rd in the state as far as academics and placements are concerned. The discipline, too, is excellent and the freedom for going for students is also excellent because it is a place where students feel at home. And in the hostels, especially people who join our hostels at the end of the second year, I find students are not willing to move out. So they love the way they are treated in the hostels.

What do you see as the College’s greatest strengths?

The greatest strength of that, I think the management. The top management is the one by a person called Doctor Thomas, who is a visionary. His life has been throughout only to serve the students. He is a very friendly man who is himself known to be a good trainer, as well as he is a man who mixes with society and the students with oneness. So he is called Thomas by the students. Even the students call him Thomas and he loves to be called like that.

How do you tend to establish a healthy relationship and environment in your College?

Yeah, there should be a healthy relationship among the students, the faculty, and the top management. I think the friendly nature of people or the loving sentiments or the affection that you carry from family should be carried over.