Sudhakar Rao

Sudhakar Rao, an alumnus of IIM Bangalore and MIT Sloan, brings 25+ years of leadership as an award-winning Brand Strategist. As Director of Branding at ICFAI, he leads strategy for 11 universities, 9 business schools, and multiple tech and law schools, while mentoring startups and speaking globally on innovation. He has been recognized as CK Prahalad Chair Awardee for Marketing 2024, Dun & Bradstreet Marketing Maverick 2024 and Brand Strategist of the Year 2025 by Fluxx Awards, Hong Kong. Author of WiseViews: Lessons from the Game Changers and DiviSeema Business Fables, he also chairs FICCI’s Education Committee. An adventurer, he trekked to Everest Base Camp in 2023, to Machu Picchu in 2025 and has cycled over 12,706 km.