Dr. Shardul Phadnis is an Associate Professor (II) of Operations and Supply Chain Management at the Asia School of Business. His research explores the intersection of supply chains and strategic management: (a) how organizations create value by orchestrating supply chain operations and (b) how strategy processes, such as scenario planning, influence the adaptability of supply chain infrastructures and processes.

His research has been published in leading journals in both disciplines, such as Strategic Management Journal, Academy of Management Perspectives, Technological Forecasting & Social Change, Production and Operations Management, Journal of Business Logistics, MIT Sloan Management Review, and several others. His book “Strategic Planning for Dynamic Supply Chains: Preparing for Uncertainty Using Scenarios” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022) describes first-hand accounts of scenario planning applications in three in-depth cases of strategic/long-range planning in business and governmental planning organizations. Shardul is a member of the editorial board of Futures & Foresight Science and regularly peer-reviews research for leading management journals and academic conferences.

Shardul received the Giarratani Rising Star Award (2015) from the Industry Studies Association for his research in apparel supply chains. He has also been honored with the Best Reviewer Award for his reviews of papers submitted to the Academy of Management’s annual meeting (Operations and Supply Chain Management Division, 2020).

Applying his expertise in strategic supply chain management to contribute to the greater good, Shardul serves as the President of the board of directors (a voluntary role) of The Lost Food Project – a sustainability-focused Malaysian food bank that rescues surplus food from going to the landfill to provide nutritious meals.

Shardul holds a Ph.D. in Engineering Systems from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He teaches graduate-level courses in Operations and Strategic Supply Chain Management, and Scenario Planning in executive education. Before beginning his academic career, Shardul worked in manufacturing firms for seven years and led the Continuous Improvement program at a design-to-manufacture firm.

Jack joined Swiss Re Corporate Solutions in 2015 as a Senior Underwriter and he was promoted to Head Casualty & FinPro Southeast Asia in 2017. Subsequently in August 2021, he was appointed as Head of Malaysia and Principal Officer.

Based in Kuala Lumpur, Jack is responsible for managing operations and driving success and overall profitability. He oversees a local team of sales and underwriting specialists servicing large and upper mid-sized Malaysian businesses, through broking partnerships and other intermediaries. Jack has more than 17 years of financial lines underwriting experience in Southeast Asia including India and South Korea.

Jack holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Banking & Finance awarded by University of London.

Sumana is a senior policy professional with 17 years of experience. Having worked at several dynamic and vibrant tech firms, Sumana designs and implements policies through advocacy, strategic communication and evidence-based analysis. With a flair for writing and communication, Sumana is able to negotiate complex engagements & cultivate senior-level internal/external relationships.

Sumana holds a Masters in Public Policy from the University of Michigan, as well as a B.A. in Political Science and Geography from UCLA.