Jayraj Rau

Having spent more than 3 decades in the business of building brands, Jayraj is one of the better known names in the marketing and management circles in India.

A former Senior Vice-President and General Manager at JWT, India's premier advertising and communications agency, he has a track record of having spent 28 years in the same office of JWT in Chennai. In a business that can deflate most, he has earned the trust and confidence of several clients, with whom he has enjoyed long relationships for over 30 years at a stretch! He has handled more than a hundred brands across categories – from launching several multinational companies and services to developing many premium brands as market leaders in their category. He is currently a business advisor to several fast track companies looking for business expansion and rapid growth.

A product of Don Bosco, Egmore and a commerce graduate of Loyola College Madras, Jayraj Rau was nominated for a special course in advanced management in IIM, Ahmedabad in 1992. Later in June 2000, he was the only nominee from South India in June 2000 to attend the Senior Executive Course in Manchester Business School, UK on the Chevening Scholarships funded by the UK government. At this course, he gained another feather in his cap by earning the ʻBest Business Managerʼ in this batch of senior executives from the world over.

He has been on the Board of Advisors at the MBA Program of Ethiraj College and served as an Executive Committee Member of the Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies. A visiting faculty at University of Madras, ISB Hyderabad, IFMR, MICA, PSG Coimbatore, Asian College of Journalism, LIBA and several other B-Schools, he is currently in charge of the Integrated Marketing Communications course at the Great Lakes Institute of Management.

Largely an ʻoutdoorsʼ person, he has been the Grandmaster of the Madras Hash House Harriers for over 22 years and continues as the founder member of this unique running club. His leadership qualities surfaced right from his academic days – as the School Captain and the President of Loyola College in 1977. He has been at the helm of sailing in the city – as founder member of the Tamil Nadu Sailing Association and later, the Commodore of the 101 year old Royal Madras Yacht Club. He is a travel enthusiast, fitness freak and actively involved in charity and education of those less fortunate.