Sameer Barua is new IIM-A Director

Professor Sameer Barua will take up the reins of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) as its director within a week.

Barua has been declared the successor to Bakul Dholakia, of the premier institute, while Pankaj Chandra has been appointed as the new director of IIM Bangalore.

"It is true that Professor Barua has been appointed as the new director of the institute. We are waiting for an official intimation from the HRD ministry," confirmed a source close to the development. It is learnt that the ministry will inform the newly-appointed directors soon.

It has already notified the chairperson, board of governors of IIMA as well as IIMB.

A faculty of production and quantitative methods, Barua is also a visiting faculty at academic institutions in the United States, The Netherlands, Singapore and Cyprus.

One of the leading candidates for the post of director along with G Raghuram at IIMA, Barua is also on the board of several large organisations including Indian Oil Corporation. Presently, the 56 year old capital market expert is also the chairperson of post-graduate programme at the institute.

The post of director was vacated by Bakul Dholakia when his term ended last month.

Barua, who is expected to take over the post as soon as he receives an official intimation, was out of country and could not be reached for comment.