In the first time in the history of Mudra Institute of Communications (MICA) in Ahmedabad, the institute has appointed a female director. Jaya Deshmukh is set to take charge of the post for a period of five years from July. She will succeed Shailendra Raj Mehta who was appointed as the director in 2017. Mehta was given a second term in 2020. He was given an extension for around a year while the Search Committee looked for his successor. His tenure will expire on May 31. With Jaya Deshmukh's appointment, the MICA Governing Council has also changed the tenure of director from three to five years. Professor Tridip Suhrud, President of the MICA Governing Council, said, “Tina Anil Ambani, the chairperson of MICA Foundation, based on a unanimous recommendation of the Search Committee has appointed Jaya Deshmukh as the next director of MICA, Ahmedabad. MICA thus becomes that rare institution to be led by women leaders- Chairperson of the Foundation Tina Ambani, Dean Professor Githa Heggde, Registrar Professor Shubhra Gaur and now Jaya Deshmukh as the Director.” An alumna from the first batch of MICA, which was established in 1991, Deshmukh brings to the position over 25 years of extensive global experience in business strategy and digital transformation, said the institute. Deshmukh has held leadership positions in India, Asia Pacific, USA, and Europe, working with technology giants such as Google, Microsoft, Colt, Cognizant and AT&T. “Jaya joins us from Colt Technology Services, where she was the Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President, Strategy and Transformation. Before her tenure at Colt, she was the Head of Strategy for Google Cloud EMEA and prior to Google, she played a global role leading innovation within Microsoft’s Enterprise Commercial teams," Prof Suhrud added. Expressing her enthusiasm about joining MICA at a critical time of global transformation, Deshmukh was quoted as saying in a release by the institute, “I am delighted to be joining MICA at this pivotal time where AI, Robotics, Quantum Computing, and Synthetic Biology are transforming the world as we know it. For the benefits of this transformation to reach people and the planet, it is essential that new ideas be brought to the table and these ideas be communicated and executed upon effectively to reach all communities." In addition to her professional achievements, Deshmukh is an inventor with a patent to her name and an author, contributing to various academic journals and handbooks. Her leadership has led her teams to earn prestigious industry accolades, including a Clio award for a project led by Microsoft for Childish Gambino and a Webby honouree for work done at Cognizant, said the institute. Welcoming the new director-designate, outgoing MICA head Shailendra Raj Mehta said, “Having her on board is an inspired choice by the Search Committee which will undoubtedly take MICA to greater heights. I look forward to warmly welcoming the new Director and to a smooth transition.”
