The best of American business know-how met the future of Indian entrepreneurship at the International Management Institute (IMI) in New Delhi yesterday. Mr. John Rivera-Dirks, Special Assistant to the US Ambassador to India delivered a talk entitled “Going to Business School in the US” and “The Opportunities Available to those with an MBA”, and also addressed questions posed by IMI’s student body on topics such as burgeoning US-Indian trade relations, corporate social responsibility, US outsourcing to India, and the explosive potential of the Indian market for both Indian and foreign investment.

Mr. Rivera-Dirks joined the US Foreign Service in September 2004 and serves in New Delhi as the Special Assistant to Ambassador H E David C. Mulford. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Mr. Rivera-Dirks earned his MBA from Columbia Business School in New York, one of America’s top five business programs, and his undergraduate degree in Economics from Williams College in Massachusetts. Before attending Columbia Business School, Mr. Rivera-Dirks worked in the private sector as a marketing manager for Apple computer, where he substantially grew Apple's market share among college students and teenagers. Mr. Rivera-Dirks speaks Hindi fluently and has traveled extensively through India.

Dr. C. S Venkata Ratnam, Director, IMI said “We are pleased and honored to have Mr. Rivera-Dirks here at IMI. His experience, practical knowledge, and deep understanding of international business practices are all invaluable insights for students of IMI as they enter a highly competitive global marketplace. Our students are amongst the top business talent in India, and we are privileged to be able to present them with such a distinguished guest to answer their questions and queries from a global perspective. We at IMI strongly believe in providing our students with the best possible resources and skills to become tomorrow’s captains of industry.”

Added Mr. Rivera-Dirks that " MBA is a jack of all trades course and my advise to you all isnot to do a second MBA. Instead, youshould do some other professional course, which is aligned to their career preferences. Asstudents you should beclear about career objectives and not shift jobs too often. In the US companies have started looking at frequent job hoppers in poor light."

IMI’s ongoing endeavour is to offer its students interaction with top tier industry leaders. In July 2007 IMI has planned to host a series of talks:-

17th July 2007: Mr. Stefano Pelle, VP and COO, Business Unit Russia and South Asia, Perfetti Van Melle Group, and Chairman of Perfetti Van Melle, India.

28th July 2007: Dr. Bimal Jalan, former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (1997-2003) and current Member of Parliament.

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About IMI

International Management Institute (IMI) was established in 1981, as an autonomous non-profit educational society under the Societies Registration Act 1860 in collaboration with International Management Institute, Geneva to meet the widely felt need for internationally oriented management education/ training for managers at all levels in industry, government and public systems. The academic program’s of the institute continues to enjoy full support of the corporate sector as well as the Government of India since its inception. Today, IMI holds a place of distinction among the premier schools of management for being the first corporate sponsored business school with strong international orientation in India.

IMI follows international standard curricula in its programs, which has been enriched by its academic collaborations with International Institute for Management Development (IIMD), Lausane (erstwhile International Management Institute, Geneva); Faculty of Management, McGill University, Montreal, and Manchester Business School, U.K, prepares participants to successfully manage and lead in an increasingly global business environment. IMI’s educational programs have been recognized by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India.

The corporate world in India, public, private, multinational companies, international consulting firms and other organizations have employed its alumni who are rightly called, the Achievers.

In keeping with the ideology, IMI offers4 postgraduate programs:

Postgraduate Program in International Management (PGPIM) is now evolved into Executive PGDM (Post Graduate Diploma in Management)

Postgraduate Program in Management (PGPM) is now titled as PGDM (Part Time)

Post Graduate Program in Management (PGP) is now titled as PGDM

Post Graduate Program in Human Resource Management (PGPHRM) is now titled as PGDM (HR)

In addition, the institute offers a full range of custom-made in-company programs, andManagement Development Programs (MDPs), all geared to enrich creativity and ability to manage in a dynamic global environment. The Institute also has an active research and consulting baseincludingThe Center for Managing Innovation and Technology andthe Center for Social Sector Governance to enhance the body of knowledge.

For more information about the IMI please visit www.imi.edu

For any further information, you may contact:

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