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IIMB Archives
Professor J. Philip was educated at XLRI, Jamshedpur, and Harvard Business School, where he attended the prestigious International Teachers Program. His career reflects a rare blend of academia, public sector leadership, and corporate management.
He began his career at XLRI in 1960, rising to become Dean and Professor of Management in 1970 and contributing to the founding of its MBA program. In 1971, he joined Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL) as Principal of its Central Management College, where he played a major role in management development and launched the journal GROWTH. In 1980, he moved to the Oberoi Group as Vice President (Human Resources -- HR), managing HR globally. From this senior corporate role, he was appointed Director of IIM Bangalore in April 1985.
Professor Philip’s core academic orientation lay in General Management and Human Resource Development. He was one of the early champions of Management by Objectives (MBO) in India, alongside leading academics from IIM Calcutta (IIMC) and the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI). His approach combined management theory with practical administrative reform, strongly influenced by his Harvard training and corporate experience.
Throughout his career, Professor Philip taught Management at XLRI, SAIL, IIMB, and later at XIME. At IIMB, he contributed to the Post Graduate Program (PGP), Management Development Programs (MDPs), and leadership-oriented executive programs. He led early MDPs, including a four-day program on Management by Objectives (2-6 September, 1973)—one of IIMB’s early executive education offerings.
Professor Philip’s tenure marked a decisive shift in IIMB’s academic direction. When he assumed office, IIMB followed a sector-based model offering programs in areas such as Transport, Energy, Health, Education, and Urban Management. He led a major restructuring of the PGP, moving it toward a mainstream Business Administration model. This shift was crystallised during a faculty retreat at Windsor Manor in 1985, which he described as a defining institutional moment. He also revitalised the Fellow Program in Management (FPM), the equivalent of the Doctoral Program. Under his leadership, it was reoriented along functional and general management lines.
Professor Philip introduced structured faculty work plans and annual performance reviews inspired by Management by Objectives principles. He constituted committees to establish work norms and pioneered the Faculty Development Allowance—later reflected in national pay structures.
He played a key role in founding IIMB Management Review and institutionalising the journal as a sustainable academic platform.
As Director, Professor Philip undertook sweeping administrative reforms. He secured enhanced delegation of financial and administrative powers from the Board, reducing centralised bottlenecks and modernising governance practices. He expanded the Dean structure from two to four positions, introducing a unique Dean (Projects) role to accelerate campus development. Major infrastructure milestones during his tenure included completion of the Library, Executive Block, Director’s Block, hostel facilities, and improved campus amenities.
One of his most defining administrative challenges involved restoring managerial authority during a prolonged employees union confrontation. Through legal action—including securing a court injunction to prevent campus disruption—and firm negotiation, he re-established discipline and institutional order.
He also oversaw a major expansion of the PGP intake from 120 to 190 students in 1989, marking the first significant capacity expansion at IIMB.
Under his leadership, IIMB strengthened research and external engagement. Notable projects included:
He also facilitated a significant European Commission-supported faculty development program, enabling Indian faculty—including those from IIMB—to spend extended research periods in European institutions.
Professor Philip was Founder President of the Association of Indian Management Schools (AIMS) in 1988, creating a national platform for management institutions. He later founded the Association of BRICS Business Schools and established the Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship (XIME) in 1991, building it into a leading private management institution. He was also President of the Indian Society for Training and Development (ISTD) and engaged widely with industry and government bodies.
Professor Philip authored several books and publications, including Institution Building in India: Some Experiences (2007). His leadership was recognised through major awards such as the Ravi J. Mathai National Fellow Award (1999), AIMA’s Kewal Nohria Award (2011), and multiple lifetime achievement honours.
Colleagues recall his firmness combined with personal warmth. He often quoted Peter Drucker and Biblical verses, famously telling P.R.S. Oberoi, when leaving a lucrative corporate role, “Man does not live by bread alone”. Students were described as his “great source of strength” during turbulent years. After years of institutional strife, many staff later acknowledged that his decisive actions restored harmony and professional culture.
Professor J. Philip left IIM Bangalore in January 1991 with what he described as “a feeling of fulfilment and achievement,” having redefined its academic direction, governance structure, and institutional culture.
Link to an account of the launch of the IIMB Golden Jubilee publication, ‘The Evolution of IIMB: Directors’ Perspectives’
https://www.iimb.ac.in/archives/directors-perspectives.php
For more from “The Evolution of IIMB: Directors’ Perspectives”, which features interviews with former Directors Professors J. Philip, K. R. S. Murthy, M. Rammohan Rao, Prakash G. Apte and Sushil Vachani, and a foreword by the then Director Professor G. Raghuram, and an essay (reproduced from an earlier collection) by the first Director Professor N. S. Ramaswamy visit
( https://www.iimb.ac.in/archives/directors-perspectives.php )
Click to read the book : https://www.iimb.ac.in/sites/default/files/directors-perspectives/#p=1
Link to snippets from an interview with Prof. J Philip, on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of IIMB 2023, recorded on 20 April 2023.
https://www.iimb.ac.in/archives/philip.php
Link to films commemorating IIMB’s Golden Jubilee in 2023
https://www.iimb.ac.in/archives/video-library.php
In Memoriam – Professor J. Philip
https://www.iimb.ac.in/archives/snippets.php