Educational Qualification

• PhD in Social Sciences, CUSAT, Kochi 
• Post Graduate Diploma in Agri Business Management (PGDABM) from Indian Institute of Management , Ahmedabad (IIM-A) (2004 – 2006)
• Kerala Agricultural University, Bachelor of Technology in Agricultural Engineering (1996 to 2001)

Work Experience (Research /Teaching)

• Assistant Professor, Rajagiri Business School (RBS), Kochi 
  • Currently, I am having both teaching and administrative roles at RBS. I do teach subjects in the general management domain. I also hold the administrative role of Controller of Examinations of RBS.
• Founder & CEO, Kirin Knowledge Consulting 
  • Kirin was a consulting organization in the field of higher education. We helped management educational institutions for incorporating more sector-specific courses into the teaching curriculum and creating a better environment for teaching-learning process. Abhilash exited Kirin in Aug 2013 with a 10X return to follow his passion for teaching and research.
• Consultant, Housing For All initiative, Ashoka – Innovators for the public 
  • Ashoka is the one of the largest networks of social entrepreneurs worldwide, with over 3,000 Ashoka Fellows in 70 countries creating large-scale impact through new innovations. Housing for All (HFA) is an initiative pioneering a Hybrid Value Chain (HVC) model to support affordable housing in India. This had a new operating framework for transforming markets by leveraging the strengths of business and social actors.
  • Abhilash assisted the strategic top management team in designing and executing entry, scale-up and exit strategies for HFA in India.
• National Coordinator, National Innovation Foundation 
  • National Innovation Foundation-India (NIF) is an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, based on the Honey Bee Network philosophy, which provides institutional support to grassroots innovators and outstanding traditional knowledge holders from the unorganized sector of the society.
  • Abhilash headed the Scouting & Documentation function of NIF spread over 30 states of India by institutional collaboration with honey bee  network members, NGOs and own field staff. He also coordinated the screening process of innovations for its biennial innovation awards through an internal team of 10 scholars in the fields of botany, agriculture, medicine, law and engineering.
• Spencers Retail Limited 
  • Spencer’s Retail is the largest ‘food-first’ supermarket chain in India with over 350 stores across 52 cities covering a retail trading area of a million square feet and an astonishing 3.5 million customers a month. 
• Zonal Merchandiser, Staples 
  • Conceptualized, designed and developed new Spencer’s private-label packaging material for Staples.
  • Implemented an auto-replenishment supply chain and distribution system in the zone.
  • Attained contribution of >25% (Best within the company) consistently in top line by managing merchandise for 20 stores in Kolkata & Durgapur.
  • Attained highest sale/square among all categories in the financial year 2007-08 for staples department.
  • Selected for fast-track leadership role as ”Star Manger”
  • Promoted as Head of Regional Merchandising for Tamilnadu.
• Regional Head, Merchandising 
  • Led store opening and expansion team in the upcountry parts of Tamilnadu. Opened 4 stores in 3 months ahead of target date.
• Project Manager, START, Society for Transfer of Agricultural & Rural Technology. 
  • START is a professional NGO based in Kerala, which focuses on sustainable management of natural resources. It is a consortium of agricultural professionals committed to the cause of sustainable grass-root development. START provided technical as well as implementation consultancy support to local self-governing bodies in planning and implementation various government-sponsored development programmes.
  • Managed and implemented 26 micro water supply projects from source and beneficiary identification to installation and handing over with a total outlay of INR 3 million.
  • Implemented more than 150 Roof-Top Water Harvesting structures with 25% beneficiary contribution within a time frame of 6 months.

Journal Publication

Journal Publications

1. G. Nambudiri, Abhilash, and Sam Thomas. 2019. "Hierarchy of Effects of Social Capital: An Evidence-based Study on World Bank-aided Rural Water Supply Project in Kerala, India." The International Journal of Sustainability in Economic, Social, and Cultural Context 15 (2): 15-26. doi:10.18848/2325-1115/CGP/v15i02/15-26.
2. ‘Success and Failure of Social Projects’ – A Comprehensive Review Through the Prism of Social Capital, The International Journal for Sustainability Policy and practice (Forthcoming)
3. G. Nambudiri, Abhilash. 2018. "Spatiotemporal Study of Inwards Migration of Low and Unskilled Workers to Kerala (India) and its Effects on Social and Physical." The International Journal of Sustainability Policy and Practice 14 (1): 37-51. doi:10.18848/2325-1166/CGP/v14i01/37-51. (Schimago – Q4)
4. G. Nambudiri, Abhilash. 2015. "Low-income Housing: A Perspective on India's Urban Poor." The International Journal of Sustainability in Economic, Social, and Cultural Context 11 (3): 13-28. doi:10.18848/2325-1115/CGP/v11i03/55161. (Schimago – Q4)

Conference Proceedings

1. Weather Derivates and its Application in Agriculture Insurance, National Conference on New Paradigms in Business and Management, School of Management Studies, CUSAT, Kochi, India (April 2017)
2. Indian Super League and it’s Impact on Perception of Kochi Residents, Vaidakthya - National Conference on Recent Trends in E-Business: Opportunities and Challenges, Naipunya Busines School, Thrissur, India (May 2017

Case studies

1. Ivey case - Ohmycake.in: Scaling Up by Scaling Back, 9B18M201, (https://www.iveycases.com/ProductView.aspx?id=99670)
2. Building a long-term relationship KCR Retail’s Loyalty Program, SAGE Business Cases (Online ISBN: 9781526459756, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781526459756, 2019)
3. Outsourcing dilemma and after-effects at Grand Insurance Company, SAGE Business Cases (Online ISBN: 9781526459862 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781526459862, 2019)
4. Stock Planning Of Specialty Goods At Zegema Retail, SAGE Bussiness Cases. (http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781526430892)
5. Zegema Retail: Space Planning, ET Cases, OM-1-0044
6. S-Mart: How to get Pricing Right?, Case Centre collection, (Formerly known as European Case Clearing House) 315-217-1

Case teaching notes

1. Ivey Case - Ohmycake.in: Scaling Up by Scaling Back.
2. Building a long-term relationship KCR Retail’s Loyalty Program, SAGE Business Cases
3. Outsourcing dilemma and after-effects at Grand Insurance Company, SAGE Business Cases
4. Stock Planning Of Specialty Goods At Zegema Retail, SAGE Business Cases
5. Zegema Retail: Space Planning, ET Cases, OM-1-0044A
6. S-Mart: How to get Pricing Right, Case Centre collection, (Formerly known as European Case Clearing House) 315-217-8 

Conferences / MDPs Attended / FDPs Attended

1. National Conference on New-Age Marketing, School of Management Studies, CUSAT, Kochi, India (March 2018)
2. Vaidakthya - National Conference on Recent Trends in E-Business: Opportunities and Challenges, Naipunya Busines School, Thrissur, India (May 2017)
3. National Conference on New Paradigms in Business and Management, School of Management Studies, CUSAT, Kochi, India (April 2017)
4. The Sustainability Conference - Copenhagen, Denmark. Common Ground Publishing (Jan 2015)
5. Global Summit of Management Cases, IIM-Raipur (Dec 2014)

Awards And Achievements

• Recepient of DAAD Scholarship from German Academic Exchange Service (2015) for Treaching a full course on ”Social Entrepreneruship – Focus on India” as a visiting scholar at WFi School of Management Ingolstadt, Germany.
• Awarded a UGC minor research project worth INR 1,00,000 to undertake primary research on migrant labourers of Kerala.

International Exposure

• Delivered a full block course on ”Social Entrepreneruship – Focus on India” at Katholic University of Ingolstadt’s WFi School of Management in winter - 2015.