Mumbai, India, Feb. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- February 18th, 2026, Mumbai, India - ESSEC Business School, a global leader in management education, officially announced the opening of its hub in Mumbai today, in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron. This strategic milestone coincides with the French President’s visit to India in honor of the Indo-French Year of Innovation. ESSEC’s Mumbai hub is the first step in a long-term plan to develop a strong institutional presence in India. It will allow ESSEC to boost its international development, establish local partnerships, and enhance student recruitment and mobility.
"For years, ESSEC Business School has embodied academic excellence and truly global reach," said Vincenzo Vinzi, Dean and President of ESSEC. "Today, that enduring legacy takes an essential step forward into a dynamic country of incredible growth and potential: India. This move is the first step in our long-term plan for a significant institutional presence in the country."
The Mumbai Hub: A Strategic Anchor
The newly inaugurated Mumbai Hub, to be led by Sophie Collet Khanna, is designed as a strong foothold to build deeper ties with Indian higher education institutions, corporate partners, and its robust alumni network. While serving as ESSEC’s strategic base, the Hub will be the catalyst for ESSEC’s ambitious academic roadmap in the region.
Sophie Collet Khanna
Sophie is a higher-education specialist who has spent nearly 20 years working between India and France, supporting French and international institutions in their expansion into the Indian market. She has recently been appointed Director of the ESSEC Mumbai Hub. A graduate of Sciences Po (2005), she has also been a Foreign Trade Advisor of France (CCE) since 2022.
Promoting a STEM-B Approach with CentraleSupélec
A cornerstone of this vision is a partnership with the top French engineering school, CentraleSupélec. Together, the institutions are fusing business, engineering, technology, and science to create a unique, hybrid STEM-B approach. This future-fit educational framework is designed to meet the needs of modern industries, focusing on solution-building and high employability in complex times. This collaboration underscores a shared commitment to fostering innovation at the highest level between India and France.
The two institutions are long-standing partners and currently deliver several joint-degree programs in France: the MSc CentraleSupélec-ESSEC Entrepreneurs, the Master in Data Sciences & Business Analytics (DSBA), the BSc in Artificial Intelligence, Data and Management Sciences and the Bachelor HEPTA, a program for high-level athletes seeking to both study and train at the same time.
Expanding Academic Excellence with IIMB and ISB
Further defining its commitment to the Indian market, ESSEC is pleased to announce the enhancement of its partnerships with India’s premier institutions:
- IIM Bangalore (IIMB): ESSEC is in the process of establishing a prestigious double degree program, where students are awarded an ESSEC Master in Management (MIM) and an IIM Bangalore MBA degree.
- Indian School of Business (ISB): ESSEC is enhancing student mobility initiatives, strengthening the exchange of global talent and perspectives.
These partnerships will allow ESSEC students to have a new multicultural student experience and enhance their understanding of global business practices.
"The Mumbai Hub is where the next chapter of ESSEC’s global story begins," concluded Vinzi. "Together, we are ready to shape the future of management education in India."
The Mumbai hub is ESSEC’s third international hub - after London and New York City - acting as “embassies”: outposts of ESSEC abroad, designed to build networks composed of local alumni, academic institutions, and corporate partners.
About ESSEC Business School
ESSEC Business School has been a prestigious institution for higher learning since its foundation in 1907, set apart by its humanist approach. In light of current and future economic, environmental, social and geopolitical challenges, ESSEC is committed to transforming its teaching, research, and campuses to train inclusive, influential and multicultural leaders. With 8534 students in pre-experience programs and 5000 participants in executive education across four campuses in Cergy, La Défense, Rabat and Singapore, ESSEC offers programs recognized as some of the best in the world. ESSEC’s exceptional faculty, composed of 197 professors (including 26 emeritus professors), 240 partnerships with prestigious international universities and an alumni network of over 79 000 members, showcases ESSEC’s commitment to excellence and academic innovation. For more information, please visit www.essec.edu
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Julia Smith ESSEC Business School +33 1 34 43 98 25 smith@essec.edu Marie Caroline Saro ESSEC Business School +33 6 99 09 82 25 saro@essec.edu
source: ESSEC Business School
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