Singapore, 22 September 2015 (Tuesday) – The AACSB International (AACSB), the global accrediting body and membership association for business schools, has announced that Singapore Management University (SMU) alumnus Kaushal Dugar has been recognised as one of 100 AACSB Influential Leaders around the world.  As the only honoree from Singapore, and one of five from Asia, Kaushal joins a notable group of individuals from over 20 industry sectors across 21 countries to be recognised in the inaugural Influential Leaders from AACSB Business School challenge.

The Influential Leaders from AACSB Business School challenge recognises business schools for their work in developing exceptional leaders and industry innovators, as well as individuals from AACSB-accredited schools who personify the role of a change agent and demonstrate positive impact on society.

About Kaushal Dugar

Kaushal graduated from SMU with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management in 2006 and is the Founder and CEO of Teabox, an online tea retailing business that aims to disrupt the 200-year old tea industry in India.  Since his graduation from SMU, his work has exemplified the innovative mindset and meaningful contributions to society that SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB) graduates display, whether they operate within large corporations, small businesses or the nonprofit sector, in Singapore or overseas.

It is therefore no coincidence that Kaushal was also a winner of the inaugural SMU Alumni Awards in 2014 – the SMU Rising Star Award.  The award recognises established and future leaders among SMU’s alumni, who epitomise the potential of SMU CIRCLE values (Commitment, Integrity, Responsibility, Collegiality, Leadership and Excellence) by achieving extraordinary sustained excellence in their chosen profession and/or have made a significant impact through their service to society.

[Photo: Kaushal (R) receiving the SMU Rising Star award at the SMU Alumni Awards 2014 from SMU Chairman Mr Ho Kwon Ping (L).]

Following a short stint in the corporate world, Kaushal had taken on the Indian tea industry, leveraging on innovations in technology and supply chain to start Teabox in 2012 from scratch with a vision to build India’s first Billion Dollar global tea brand.  Credited in a New York Times article as one of India’s new crop of tea entrepreneurs responsible for ‘bringing the sector into the modern era via his online tea retailing startup, Teabox’, Kaushal cut his teeth early when he founded a business that provided affordable refurbished computers for India’s lower income groups in 2006 when he was 23 years old.

Even though his business has caught the eye of high powered investors, Kaushal’s sense of social mission is never far behind.  Wanting to increase literacy in underprivileged communities, Kaushal co-founded Books to Read, a non-profit aimed at helping young children in developing nations gain access to books.  He is also a founding member of Sandbox Network, a global community of young achievers and innovators committed to transform ideas into action.

Professor Gerard George, Dean of SMU LKCSB and Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, said, “It’s wonderful to see our alumni do well, particularly when they make a real difference to society by being entrepreneurial.  SMU shapes individuals into leaders and Kaushal Dugar is an exemplar of what we can do if we commit to making a difference.  Well done Kaushal!”

[Photo: SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business]

On receiving this honour, Kaushal said, “I'm thrilled to be recognised by the AACSB as one of its first 100 Influential Leaders.  I believe that my education at SMU has helped me build a strong foundation that has made me a capable leader with a strong generalist skill set.  The broad-based education which I gained at LKCSB in various business management and principles has helped me grow Teabox as a successful global e-commerce company that has revolutionised the 200-year-old global tea industry.”

From April to June 2015, AACSB-accredited schools were invited to submit their nominations of notable alumni who have made (or are making) an impact in the world through their business acumen, leadership abilities or entrepreneurial success.  From the nominations, a selection committee reviewed and chose stories that showed a sampling of the positive impact that business school graduates have made on society.  This year, a total of 198 submissions were received from 127 schools across 25 countries.  The inaugural 100 Influential Leaders comprised distinguished individuals, including the CEO of one of the world’s largest global relief services, a technology pioneer who is working to cure cancer, the founder of a global e-commerce powerhouse, and an enterprising president attributed with reviving an international toy industry favorite.

“It is my honor to recognise Kaushal Dugar for his contributions as an Influential Leader, and to thank SMU LKCSB for its dedication to providing a business education environment based on engagement, innovation, and impact,” said Thomas R. Robinson, president and chief executive officer of AACSB International.  “If told, the success stories of all business school graduates would fill unmeasurable volumes.  AACSB is honored to celebrate Kaushal Dugar – and the collective 100 Influential Leaders – as representation of how business school alumni have positively influenced society, as well as the management education industry’s past, present, and promising future.”

For the full list of recipients, visit www.aacsb.edu/Influential-Leaders.

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