Greater job diversity was the distinguishing feature of placements this year. The PGPABM students bagged consulting and advisory roles in RABO bank, one of the largest bank worldwide, engaged in agri-financing and consulting. Excited about his job profile in RABO bank, Manoj Nair, who got placed as Manager, Research/Strategic Advisory, (Food and Agribusiness) said, “This has opened yet another major sector where ABM grads would be required in large numbers in the coming years. Being an international concern the exposure will be challenging as well as rewarding”.

Yet another new profile in offer was that of knowledge banking in YES bank. While continuing the long association with the big names in sectors of Food, Supply chain, Procurement, Agricultural finance, Retail and Commodity trading, the placements this year also saw interest of FMCG giants like Pepsi and Marico who participated in the process for the first time.

The placements also marked the shift in preferences of students toward the profile of the
job on offer rather than to the company’s brand or salary as some students chose to accept
consulting roles over regular marketing profiles.

The highest salary offered was 10 lakhs for laterals as well as for freshers. The average salary rose to INR 9 lakhs for freshers and 9.5 lakhs for laterals. The placements this year ensured that the variability in the compensation for students was minimized and all students got placed in the bracket of INR 7.5 lakhs to INR 10 lakhs.

Kamal deo Singh, Coordinator, IIM Ahmedabad placement committee (PGP-ABM) said
that this trend is just the beginning. The future demand for agri-business managers is
going to grow rapidly. He also informed that the summer placement of the current batch, which happened in November last year, also bears testimony to the overwhelming demand of the PGP ABM programme in the industry.