Future Of MBA: ISB Dean Madan Pillutla On AI, Skills, Careers And Lifelong Learning

Ahead of the BT-MDRA India’s Best B-Schools Ranking issue, Business Today Group Editor Siddharth Zarabi spoke with Professor Madan Pillutla, Dean and Professor of Organisational Behaviour at the Indian School of Business (ISB), as the institution marks 25 years. In a wide-ranging conversation, Pillutla reflects on ISB’s journey and its ambitions for the next 25 years. He explains how ISB wants to move from building a world-class business school in India to creating knowledge from India that can inform the rest of the world. The conversation also explores how AI is reshaping management education, the changing relevance of technical skills, and why critical thinking, sound judgment, curiosity and relationship-building could become increasingly important for future managers. Pillutla discusses his hypothesis that the traditional two-year MBA model could evolve towards more flexible, specialised and continuous learning, with professionals choosing courses at different stages of their careers. He also examines the growing role of executive education, corporate-funded learning and the changing relationship between business schools and employers. From student aspirations in consulting and finance to entrepreneurship, public policy, AI-enabled learning and the possibility of undergraduate education at ISB, Pillutla offers a detailed perspective on the future of management education.