Cyril Shroff and IIM Ahmedabad co-found the Cyril Shroff – IIMA GC Leadership Academy

The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) and Cyril Shroff, founder and managing partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the Cyril Shroff – IIMA GC Leadership Academy, a research and executive development initiative designed to address a critical gap in leadership development for General Counsels (GCs), the institute said in a release on Saturday.

The Academy will be a learning hub for the GC community, creating world-class knowledge products, executive education, and thought leadership.

The GC Leadership Academy represents Shroff’s personal philanthropic vision and long-standing commitment to advancing the legal profession through institution-building that prepares future legal leaders.


The GC Leadership Academy will focus on four core priorities. These include: boardroom and enterprise leadership; business, finance, and strategy integration; technology, AI, and emerging risk readiness and global peer learning and thought leadership.

As the role of GCs continues to evolve from legal adviser to business leader, the need for specialised executive education has become increasingly important. The Leadership Academy has been envisioned by Shroff as a platform that would help prepare legal leaders for greater boardroom and enterprise-wide responsibilities. IIMA joined hands to bring its capabilities in rigorous case-based pedagogy and academic depth across strategy, finance, marketing, human resources, negotiation, organisational behaviour, decision science, AI, and public policy to shape future-ready enterprise leaders.

Prof. Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA, said in a statement: “The establishment of the Cyril Shroff – IIMA GC Leadership Academy is a groundbreaking initiative that addresses the evolving needs of General Counsels in today’s dynamic business landscape. This partnership and the Academy signify our shared commitment to foster leadership for global institutions at the intersection of law, business, and governance. Together with Cyril Shroff, we are dedicated to shaping the next generation of legal counsels who can navigate the challenges and opportunities of modern times.”

Cyril Shroff, Founder and Managing Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, said, “The Cyril Shroff – IIMA GC Leadership Academy is a deliberate step towards institution-building for the legal profession and long-term stewardship of the in-house counsel community. The role of General Counsel has moved from legal advisory to enterprise leadership, with responsibilities spanning governance, strategy, technology, risk and business transformation. Through this leadership Academy, we hope to build a globally relevant platform that prepares the next generation of General Counsels to lead with judgement, capability and purpose.”

Prof. Sandip Chakrabarti and Prof. Ranjan Ghosh, who are leading the Academy at IIMA, added, “This partnership brings together complementary strengths in legal leadership and management education, creating strong value for the GC community and the broader profession. Executive Education programmes offered by the Academy will draw on IIMA’s strengths in case-based pedagogy and interdisciplinary learning to deliver practical insights in strategy, finance, technology, governance, and leadership.”