Vivin Samuel Mathew
Class of 2010

Regional CEO - West, Value and Budget Housing Corporation

Previous Occupation: Editorial Team, CNBC-TV18
Present Occupation: Regional CEO - West, Value and Budget Housing Corporation
Sector: Affordable housing; bottom of the pyramid market solutions in education, health, housing, water and power
Work Experience: Six years prior to ISB and one year post ISB
InterestsProfessional/Personal: Emerging markets business solutions, squash, swimming, reading

Tell us about yourself – your profile, recap your professional life after ISB including your career progression
It has been one year since I started working at Value and Budget Housing Corporation (VBHC), where I am responsible for executing projects in Maharashtra and Gujarat right from planning to final delivery. The profile is very interesting, since I am with a new company in a new space. This gives me the opportunity to experiment and take reasonable risks which might not have been possible in a different company.

Key take-away from the ISB, your one year at the School.
The art of merciless prioritising – everything was important but I had to find what was critical and solve that first.

I also value the friendships and acquaintances that I made in the one year. It taught me so much and has enriched my life in many ways. ISB has given me the unmatched opportunity of interacting with 570 really smart, driven and enterprising individuals.


How do you think the ISB has contributed to your career growth, your two years since graduation?
The alumni network, which I reach out to a regular basis, has often come up with the solutions I was seeking. Whether it pertains to a good SEO company, niche recruitment firms, etc, –
the ISB network has an expert in the area and that has helped me tremendously at the work place.


What is your vision for the School?
The School needs to be perceived as the benchmark for education – not just management education – in the country. I see ISB as the eminent place in India in the area of cutting-edge research for developing economies in Asia and Africa.

What are the strengths that the School can leverage upon and areas it can improve?
I believe ISB has the best infrastructure compared to other educational institutions in the country. There is also plenty of goodwill amongst the alumni community. To me, these are the School’s strengths.

How do you think alums can associate with the School or alum’s role in building the School?
Alums can associate with the School by helping with the admissions process and preparing students for the placements interviews. Alums can also actively participate in the activities organised in the cities they reside in. For example, the School can organise refresher courses for subjects such as NEGA, Valuations, etc, in different cities. This is something which we would love to take up and use on a daily basis in our jobs. Alums can also bring along their friends, colleagues, etc, to such courses. This would give them a taste of academics at ISB.