The Indian Management Conclave 2015 held at ISB, Hyderabad, presented the IMC distinguished alumni award 2015 to Avani Davda, CEO, Tata Starbucks, and to RS Sodhi, Managing Director Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Amul).
Avani Davda, an alumna of the NMIMS, Mumbai, received the award from Dr Rajan Saxena, Vice Chancellor, NMIMS and Amit Agnihotri, Founder, MBAUniverse.com & Convenor, IMC. Sodhi, an alumnus of Institute of Rural Management, Anand, received the award from Dr Jeemol Unni, Director, IRMA.
The citation for Sodhi’s award reads: After taking over the legacy from Dr Verghese Kurien, father of the White Revolution, Sodhi has led his organisation from the front to register the highest ever growth of 51 per cent in the last two years, to achieve a turnover of Rs 20,733 crore during 2014-15, becoming India's largest food and beverages company. Sodhi serves the interest of 3.5 million milk producers and crores of consumers everyday by excelling in business management practices, setting an example for running an ethical and profitable model on a global scale.
Avani Davda received the award for being the youngest CEO of any Tata group company; she rose from a TAS probationer to the CEO of a Tata joint venture with a global iconic corporation, Starbucks, in just 10 years. She is role model for young management graduates.
The awards were decided on the basis that the recipient achieved excellence in management and business practice. The companies where they serve as leaders should have achieved national leadership and had a global impact. And, they should have pursued a management education from an Indian business school.