Biography
Abhi is an entrepreneurial and professional academic with experience of developing and delivering executive programmes, engagement in accreditations and validations, and a strong commitment to innovation, global societal challenges, student employability, knowledge exchange, and corporate engagement.
Abhi is an Associate Professor in Strategy and MBA Programme Leader at The Business School. He is very committed to driving a cross-sectoral and innovative approach to MBA education. Abhi strongly believes that every business education should integrate thinking and ideas around business resilience, digitization, entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainability transitions. He ensures continued relevance of the curriculum - bringing together both academic theory and the meaningful exposure to real-world business practices to meet the needs of the rapidly changing business environment. He acts as a strong interface between industry and the business school and the wider University.
Abhi's course development and delivery interests are in the areas of Strategic Management, Energy Policy & Strategy, Sustainability Transitions, Consultancy Projects etc.
One of his key achievements has been being the lead for MBA consultancy projects including resourcing projects, supporting industry to scope projects, coordinating the delivery of consulting and employability skills workshop and ensuring successful completion and delivery of projects ensuring win-win for both industry executives and MBA students. Abhi has developed his industry skills and network through repeated success with leading on projects of strategic importance to a range of industry clients as well as through his various board positions.
Abhi shares this expertise to other business schools around the world as an external adviser and examiner for MBA programmes. Currently, he is the MBA Programme Oversight Examiner for Lincoln International Business School and the External Examiner for MSc Sustainable Resources: Economics, Policy and Transitions at University College London (UCL).
In his role as the Board Chairman, Abhi has been instrumental in providing the Grampian Housing Group with strong leadership and vision. He redeveloped a skilled board and galvanised board members for effective contributions, steered the strategy development, oversaw a transformation programme to build a more agile, leaner and greener organisation putting customers at the heart of the organisation, and led the development of a new appraisal system for CEO and the board, as well as new policies and processes for board member recruitment, induction, training, and communication to ensure effective governance. On 1st July 2022, Abhi has been appointed as the Non Executive Board Member of Healthcare Improvement Scotland Board by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care in Scotland.
Strategy, governance, circular economy, energy policy, industry 4.0, sustainability transitions and entrepreneurship are some of his research interests. He is an editorial board member for 'Business Strategy and the Environment' and 'Sustainable Development' journals; and an Associate Editor for 'Business Strategy and Development'. Abhi is a co-chair of the Circular Economy Business Models track at the International Conference on New Business Models and is a judge for the UK Green Gown Awards since 2019. He has successfully supervised and examined various PhD and DBA students and is currently supervising four doctoral students.
Abhi has an MBA from University of Aberdeen and a PhD from Robert Gordon University. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), a Chartered Management and Business Educator (CMBE) of Association of Business Schools, a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (FCMI) and a Full Member of the Institute of Directors (IoD).
Abhi displays a great passion to be part of the actions and solutions to address sustainability and community-based issues. He was honoured in 2022 as a Burgess of Guild of the City and Royal Burgh of Aberdeen in recognition of his work for the benefit of communities in Aberdeen.