MICA Ahmedabad has announced the appointment of Ms. Jaya Deshmukh as the Director of the institute for a period of five years. An alumna from the first batch of MICA, Ms. Jaya brings to the position a wealth of over 25 years of extensive global experience in Business Strategy and Digital Transformation.
Making the announcement, Professor Tridip Suhrud, President of the MICA Governing Council, said, “Mrs. Tina Anil Ambani, the chairperson of MICA Foundation based on a unanimous recommendation of the Search Committee has appointed Ms. Jaya Deshmukh as the next Director of MICA, Ahmedabad. MICA thus becomes that rare institution to be led by women leaders. The Chairperson of the Foundation Mrs. Ambani, the Dean Professor Githa Heggde, the Registrar Professor Shubhra Gaur and now Ms. Jaya Deshmukh as the Director.”
Throughout her illustrious career, Ms. Jaya has held leadership positions across the globe, in India, the Asia Pacific, USA, and Europe, working at technology giants such as Google, Microsoft, Colt, Cognizant and AT&T.
“Ms. Jaya joins us from Colt Technology Services, where she was the Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President, Strategy & Transformation. Before her tenure at Colt, she was the Head of Strategy for Google Cloud EMEA and prior to Google, she played a global role leading innovation within Microsoft’s Enterprise Commercial teams”, Prof. Suhrud added.
Expressing her enthusiasm about joining MICA at a critical time of transformation across the globe, Ms. Jaya Deshmukh shared, “I am delighted to be joining MICA at this pivotal time where AI, Robotics, Quantum Computing, and Synthetic Biology are transforming the world as we know it. For the benefits of this transformation to reach people and the planet, it is essential that new ideas be brought to the table and these ideas be communicated and executed upon effectively to reach all communities. I strongly believe that MICA, as the school of ideas, has a central part to play in this new wave, building on its leadership in strategic marketing and communications. I am excited to be working with the MICA faculty, alumni, governing council, students, and the Foundation on taking MICA on this exciting journey," she added.
Ms. Jaya is celebrated for her comprehensive understanding of technology and its business applications, from the presentation layer right down to the physical layer, making her one of the few professionals worldwide to possess such a full-stack experience. Her commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in the tech industry is evident through her active support for initiatives like Women@tech and her advocacy for gender pay parity.
In addition to her professional achievements, Jaya is an inventor with a patent to her name and a respected author, contributing to various academic journals and handbooks. Her leadership has led her teams to earn prestigious industry accolades, including a Clio award for a project led by Microsoft for Childish Gambino and a Webby honouree for work done at Cognizant.
Welcoming the new director designate Ms. Jaya Deshmukh, outgoing Head of MICA, Dr. Shailendra Raj Mehta said, “Having her on board is an inspired choice by the Search Committee which will undoubtedly take MICA to greater heights. I look forward to warmly welcoming the new Director and to a smooth transition.”
She will be assuming office from July 2024.
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