Prof. Sukaran Thakur

Professor of Practice

Sukaran, Principal Partner at ICE Studios, is an alumnus of MICA and NLS Bangalore with expertise in brand management and research in AI in marketing, semiotics, and cultural identity. He teaches storytelling, semiotics, and AI-driven creativity.

A Marketing & Business Law graduate with experience across Beauty, Apparel, Hospitality and Brand Consulting; Sukaran, a MICA & NLS Bangalore Alumnus, has previously worked with L’Oréal India and ITC Ltd across Brand Management roles for Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, YSL, Diesel, Lancôme, Kiehl’s and Wills Lifestyle | WLS.

Currently, Sukaran is the Principal Partner at ICE Studios, a Brand Expression Studio, and an Executive Producer with the FlowMo Picture Company.

Sukaran’s area of research include the Intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Marketing, Cultural Myths from a Semiotic lens, Music as a source of identity for people in exile, and Language & Gender. A digital artist and musician, he also works on Design Thinking & Data Visualizations.

View Publications
Education
  • PGD Management Communications, MICA, Ahmedabad
  • Masters in Business Law, NLS Bangalore
  • Bachelors of Applied Sciences, Hans Raj College, University of Delhi
Area of Teaching
  • Culture & Communications Area (Storytelling for Brands, Semiotics, Imagining India, Design Thinking, Self as a Brand)
  • Business Management Area (Governance, Change & Transformation, Data Visualization, Luxury Branding)
  • Sectoral Specialization (FMCG, FMCD, Creating & Future Proofing Brands)
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI as a Creative Tool)
Professional experience
  • Principle Partner - ICE Studios (2019 - Present)
  • Brand Manager - Wills Lifestyle, ITC (2017 - 2019)
  • Marketing Manager - Lancome & Kiehl's, L'Oreal India (2016 - 2017)
  • Regional Retail Manager (North India) - L'Oreal Luxe (2014 - 2016)
Awards & Research
  • UGC NET - Management (2018)
  • Book Chapter: Digital Brand Governance - The Routledge Handbook of Global and Digital Governance Crossroads: Stakeholder Engagement and Democratization
  • Book Chapter: ESG Maturity Mapping - The Routledge Handbook of Global and Digital Governance Crossroads: Stakeholder Engagement and Democratization
  • Research Paper - The Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Advertising & Creative Development - Academy of Marketing Sciences, Florida
  • Research Paper - Employing Large Language Models for Predictive Ad Evaluation - Society for Marketing Advances, Florida

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IQAC & Assurance of Learning

Sr. No. Member
1Registrar (Lead) - Professor Panda
2Dean & Principal (Designate) – (Co Lead) – PK Sinha (Prof. Sinha will continue to play this role post his becoming Dean & Principal)
3Controller of Examinations (Lead Assurance of Learning) – Niyati Bhanja
4Dean & Principal – Githa Heggde (Prof. Heggde will continue once she transitions to her new role)
5Director & CEO – Jaya Deshmukh
6Associate Dean Knowledge – Suresh Malodia
7Head of FRC – Rasananda Panda
8Head of CLIP – Pooja Thomas
9Faculty – Harmony Siganporia
10External Review Member – Amrita Randhawa (MICA Alumni)
11External Review Member – Arun – Accenture Song (MICA Alumni)
12External Review Member – Maya Indira Ganesh (TBC)
13Secretary: Sethu Iyer

Institution Industry Cell / Placements (Including Summer Internship)

Sr. No. Member
1Head of External Relations & Growth (Lead) – Indranil Banerji
2Executive Advisor – Strategic Initiatives (Co-Lead) – Githa Heggde (Githa will play this role even when she is Dean & Principal)
3Dean & Principal (Designate) – PK Sinha (Sinha Sir will continue to play this role when he becomes Dean & Principal)
4Associate Dean – Academics – Santosh Patra
5Faculty - Bikram Bindra
6Faculty – Govindrajan
7Director & CEO – Jaya Deshmukh
8CMO – Ruchi Tewari
9Management Trainee – CEO’s Office – Strategic Initiatives – Kuldeep Raj
10MICA 2026 leaving placecomm member – Akhilesh
11MICA 2027 SPC sitting member – TBC
12MICA Committee List 2026-27 5
13Student MLS Lead 2026 - TBC
14MAA Board Placement Enabler – Navneeth L V
15Secretary: Harjeet

Institution’s Innovation Council – IIC (Entrepreneurial Initiatives)

Sr. No. Member
1 Faculty & IIC Lead: Adwait Mardikar
2 Faculty (Co-Lead): U T Rao
3 Faculty/ Anchor Technology in AI Centre – Viral Nagori
4 Faculty – Ashutosh Yadav
5 Faculty – Saurabh Pandya
6 Faculty – Sukaran Thakur
7 Director & CEO – Jaya Deshmukh
8 Dean & Principal (Designate) – PK Sinha
9 Secretary: Pooja Sharma