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Day: May 19, 2025

Kuala Lumpur, May 19, 2025 – The Asia School of Business has announced new roles for Professor Sanjay Sarma as he steps off as CEO, President, and Dean of the School with his return to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) after two years helming the School. Professor Sarma will remain closely involved in the School’s endeavors ahead, as Eminent Visiting Professor and a member of the School’s Board of Governors.

A respected academic, innovator, and entrepreneur, Professor Sarma led key changes at the School, inspired by his vision to transform education for the future. He introduced Agile Continuous Education (ACE) to provide modular, flexible and stackable learning pathways for lifelong learning and to upskill in a range of business topics with rich AI immersions. ACE is built around a suite of stackable micro-credentials, offering professionals multiple pathways to lead and adapt in a fast-changing world — from specialized MicroMasters®Programs in AI, logistics, finance, and supply chains to lateral entry into the School’s distinctive MBA and EMBA programs. While reinventing the Asia School of Business through a post-COVID, post-AI educational transformation, Professor Sarma also shepherded new pedagogical frameworks into the MBA and EMBA programs including Growth Mindset and Integrated Management Lab. Professor Sarma also played a key role in the renewal of the School’s collaboration agreement with MIT Sloan.

Professor Sarma has reflected on the profound impact Malaysia has had on him, expanding his horizons and enriching his appreciation of human culture and history. He believes the Asia School of Business has accomplished something truly extraordinary — becoming the first to boldly pivot its approach in anticipation of a rapidly changing world. “This School has laid the foundation for a future-ready institution that doesn’t just react to disruption, but leads through it,” he shared. “The Asia School of Business is uniquely positioned — world class rigor and techniques applied to the most exciting region in the world: Asia.”

In recalibrating the School’s academic offerings to meet the evolving demands of business education, he leaves an enduring legacy of innovation, agility and boldness to position the Asia School of Business as a leading institution of learning in Asia and beyond. The School expresses its deepest appreciation to Professor Sarma for his visionary leadership, dedication and commitment to shaping the future of education especially in the face of current global shifts in higher education in the age of AI and technology.

About Asia School of Business
The Asia School of Business is a premier global business school located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, established in collaboration with the MIT Sloan School of Management. The Asia School of Business offers innovative post-graduate degree programs, MicroMasters®Programs, executive education, micro-credentials and cutting-edge research. To learn more about Asia School of Business, visit their website at asb.edu.my, or check out their LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook pages.

Kuala Lumpur, May 19, 2025 – The Asia School of Business has announced the appointment of Joseph Cherian as its Chief Executive Officer, President, Dean, and Distinguished Professor. Professor Cherian was previously Deputy CEO of the School and assumes the role of CEO from Professor Sanjay Sarma, who has taken on a new role on the School’s Board of Governors and returns to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) after two years helming Asia School of Business.

As Professor of Finance, he possesses a highly versatile, varied and distinguished international background, spanning academia, global financial markets, and strategic leadership in education. Professor Cherian’s academic career in teaching and researching finance, asset management and portfolio investments includes top global universities including Cornell University, National University of Singapore, and Boston University. Apart from teaching at the Asia School of Business, he most recently served as Visiting Professor of Finance at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University. He was formerly an Executive-in-Residence and a two-term member of the Johnson Dean’s Advisory Council at Cornell University and is now an Emeritus Member of the Council.

Professor Cherian’s professional experience in the financial services sector spanned asset management where he managed US$67 billion in client assets as Global Head and Chief Investment Officer of the Quantitative Strategies Group at Credit Suisse Asset Management. He continues to be involved in the financial industry through advisory roles to governments and think-tanks in the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore, in areas such as venture funds, asset management, pensions and capital market policies and reforms.

As an internal successor to the School’s top role, Professor Cherian’s appointment builds on his international and varied experience combined with his successful steering of the School’s strategic endeavors since joining in 2022. The School remains focused on delivering world-class business education with its unique perspectives from emerging markets and economies.

Professor Cherian holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering from MIT, and MSc and PhD degrees in Finance from Cornell University.

About Asia School of Business
The Asia School of Business is a premier global business school located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, established in collaboration with the MIT Sloan School of Management. The Asia School of Business offers innovative post-graduate degree programs, MicroMasters®Programs, executive education, micro-credentials and cutting-edge research. To learn more about Asia School of Business, visit their website at asb.edu.my, or check out their LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook pages.

The Asia School of Business (ASB) has appointed Joseph Cherian as its new Chief Executive Officer, President, Dean and Distinguished Professor.

Cherian succeeded Professor Sanjay Sarma as Chief Executive Officer as the latter has taken on a new role on ASB’s Board of Governors and returns to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) after two years helming the position.

Apart from teaching at ASB, he most recently served as Visiting Professor of Finance at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University.

He was formerly an Executive-in-Residence and a two-term member of the Johnson Dean’s Advisory Council at Cornell University and is now an Emeritus Member of the Council.

Cherian’s professional experience in the financial services sector spanned asset management where he managed US$67 billion in client assets as Global Head and Chief Investment Officer of the Quantitative Strategies Group at Credit Suisse Asset Management. He continues to be involved in the financial industry through advisory roles to governments and think-tanks in the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore, in areas such as venture funds, asset management, pensions and capital market policies and reforms.

Meanwhile, as a respected academic, innovator and entrepreneur, Sarma led key changes at ASB, driven by his vision to transform education for the future. During his tenure, he introduced Agile Continuous Education, a modular, flexible and stackable learning pathway designed to support lifelong learning and upskilling in a range of business topics with rich artificial intelligence immersions.

As Sarma steps down and returns to MIT, he will remain closely involved in its endeavours as an Eminent Visiting Professor and a member of the Board of Governors.

Originally published by Business Today.

KUALA LUMPUR 19 Mei – Asia School of Business (ASB) melantik Profesor Joseph Cherian sebagai Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif, Presiden, Dekan, dan profesor yang baharu.

Beliau menggantikan Profesor Sanjay Sarma yang kini ditetapkan semula jawatan sebagai ahli Lembaga Gabenor ASB dan kembali ke Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) selepas dua tahun menerajui institusi tersebut.

Joseph sebelum ini berkhidmat sebagai Profesor Kewangan Pelawat di Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University.

Beliau memiliki Ijazah Sarjana Muda Sains dalam Kejuruteraan Elektrik dari MIT, serta Ijazah Sarjana dan Ijazah Kedoktoran dalam bidang Kewangan dari Universiti Cornell.

Malahan, Joseph berperanan sebagai Executive-in-Residence selama dua penggal sebagai ahli Johnson Dean’s Advisory Council di Cornell University, dan kini merupakan Ahli Emeritus bagi majlis tersebut.

Joseph berpengalaman luas dalam sektor kewangan dan pernah menguruskan AS$67 bilion (RM315 bilion) aset pelanggan sebagai Ketua Global dan Ketua Pegawai Pelaburan, Quantitative Strategies Group di Credit Suisse Asset Management.

Beliau turut terlibat sebagai penasihat kepada kerajaan dan badan pemikir di Asia Pasifik termasuk Australia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, dan Singapura dalam bidang dana teroka, pengurusan aset, pencen, serta dasar dan reformasi pasaran modal.

Sanjay pula memacu pelbagai transformasi penting di ASB, termasuk memperkenalkan Agile Continuous Education seperti pendekatan pembelajaran modular, fleksibel, dan boleh digabungkan dalam menyokong pembelajaran sepanjang hayat dengan integrasi kecerdasan buatan.

Originally published by Dagang News.