Executive Director - Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise

Position: Executive Director

Centre: Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise

Location: Indian School of Business, Hyderabad or Mohali Campus

The Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise at the Indian School of Business advances the understanding and practice of family enterprise, with a focus on India and other emerging markets. Its purpose is to strengthen the stewardship capabilities of business families and to shape how such enterprises endure, evolve, and contribute to society.

Since its establishment in 2006 as a Chair and in 2015 as a Centre, the Centre has built a strong foundation under successive leadership over the last 20 years and is today among the preeminent centres for family enterprise in India and Asia. The opportunity now is to build on this position—expanding the Centre's global standing while deepening its impact across research, practice, and policy.

The Executive Director is the chief executive of the Centre, responsible for defining its intellectual agenda, extending its influence, and building it into a globally recognized authority on family enterprise. Reporting to the Deputy Dean (Faculty and Research) and working with the Centre's Supervisory Council, the Executive Director will lead the Centre's next phase with clarity of direction and discipline of execution. The position comes along with a faculty appointment (Rank depending on qualification) at the school.

Role:

The mandate is to establish the Centre as a leading voice at the intersection of research, practice, and policy on family enterprise.

This requires:

1) Driving a distinctive research agenda: Set and sustain a focused, high-quality research program in collaboration with ISB faculty and global scholars. The work must meet the standards of top academic outlets while remaining grounded in the realities of family firms. The expectation is not volume, but influence—ideas that shape both scholarship and practice.

2) Building consequential external engagement: Develop deep, trust-based relationships with family businesses, institutions, and global networks. Convene platforms that matter—where serious practitioners and scholars engage with substance. Extend the Centre's reach through disciplined thought leadership and selective visibility.

3) Translating insight into learning: Ensure that the Centre's work informs teaching and executive education. Shape offerings that build stewardship capability among current and next-generation leaders, with an emphasis on relevance, rigor, and impact.

4) Leading a focused, high-performing institution: Set strategy, build a cohesive team, and allocate resources with discipline. Strengthen integration with the School's academic priorities while maintaining a clear identity for the Centre. Ensure financial sustainability and engage actively with advisory bodies and partners.

Profile:

The role calls for a leader with a clear intellectual agenda and the ability to translate ideas into institutional impact. Accordingly, we are looking for someone with:

• Experience in academia with deep expertise in family business, entrepreneurship, or management with teaching experience in family business dynamics, including ownership, governance, succession, and intergenerational issues.

• Advanced degree (PhD/MBA/related field) preferred.

• Proven track record in leading organizations including financial management, program development, fundraising, and partnership building.

• Strong communication and networking skills to represent the Centre at national and international forums.

• Proven network in Indian family business and a commitment to advancing family business scholarship and practice in India and globally.

The ideal candidate will combine analytical depth with practical judgment—someone who can shape conversations, not just participate in them. Equally critical is discernment: the ability to prioritize, to focus the Centre's efforts where they matter most, and to build sustained influence over time.

The candidate must have demonstrated commitment to advancing the role of family enterprises in economic and societal development and have the passion to play the role of a transformational catalyst.