LONDON: ESCP Business School has appointed Professor Marie Taillard as dean of its London campus, effective December 19, 2025, as the institution sharpens its expansion and academic ambitions in the UK.

Taillard, who previously served as interim dean, will take on the role for a three-year term. Her appointment comes as ESCP seeks to strengthen its position in London and expand its academic, industry and societal engagement across the UK.

ESCP Business School executive president and dean Leon Laulusa, said Taillard’s expertise in creativity and marketing, combined with her long association with the institution, made her well placed to shape the campus’s next phase. He credited her with launching the MSc in Marketing & Creativity, now one of the school’s flagship programmes.

ESCP London chairman of the board of trustees Lord David Gold, said Taillard would build on the campus’s recent momentum, citing her academic leadership and international outlook.

A L’Oréal professor of creativity marketing and former UK head of faculty, Taillard has been central to ESCP’s push for innovative pedagogy that bridges academic research and professional practice. She was recently shortlisted for the Times Higher Education’s Most Innovative Teacher of the Year award.

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Taillard said her focus would be on expanding the programme portfolio, strengthening lifelong learning and deepening links between academia, industry and local communities, aligned with ESCP’s Bold & United strategy.

She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a PhD from the University of London, and has held several senior leadership roles at ESCP since joining its permanent faculty in 2007. The London campus currently serves more than 1,900 students and executive participants each year and is ranked second in the UK by the Financial Times.

YORK: Bestselling author and former diplomat Amish Tripathi has added a new title to his name, Doctor of the University. 

The University of York in the United Kingdom has conferred on Tripathi an honorary doctorate, honouris causa, recognising his contribution to Indian literature and his role in carrying Indian culture to audiences around the world.

In its citation, the University described Tripathi as the fastest-selling author in Indian publishing history. His 12 books have sold over eight million copies globally, earning him a regular place on Forbes India’s list of influential celebrities.

Beyond the printed page, Tripathi is a familiar voice and face to viewers. A seasoned broadcaster, he has hosted acclaimed documentaries, including the award-winning Legends of the Ramayan. He is also co-founder of Tara Gaming, the studio behind Age of Bhaarat, billed as India’s first AAA video game. Before returning to full-time creative work, he served as minister for Culture and Education at the Indian High Commission in London.

The honorary degree was presented at the University of York’s winter graduation ceremony in the second week of January 2026, in the presence of students, faculty and guests from across the world. In awarding the honour, the University praised Tripathi for deepening global understanding of Indian values, traditions and storytelling.

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He was joined in this year’s roll of honour by three other distinguished figures: renowned mathematician professor Simon Donaldson, ecologist professor Sue Hartley OBE, and dame Amanda Blanc DBE, group chief executive officer of Aviva.

The University of York awards its honorary doctorates to individuals whose achievements show exceptional distinction and reflect the institution’s values. For Tripathi, it marks another chapter in a career that continues to blend myth, modernity and meaningful dialogue across cultures.

NEW DELHI / SAN FRANCISCO: Niit learning systems limited’s managed training arm, niit mts, has bought 100 per cent of Sweetrush Inc in a deal worth up to $26 million, tightening its grip on the USA and sharpening its ai-led learning offer.

The acquisition, completed through Niit (USA) inc, includes performance-linked earn-outs over five years. Sweetrush, founded in 2001 by Arturo Schwartzberg and Andrei Hedstrom and headquartered in San Francisco, employs more than 100 people across the United States and Costa Rica, with a wider bench of learning specialists.

Niit MTS is betting that Sweetrush’s award-winning, human-centred learning design, spanning certification-driven content and a fast-growing talent solutions practice, will plug neatly into its global, ai-enabled managed learning platform for Global 1000 clients. The aim: turn project work into sticky, annuity-like contracts and lift wallet share across enterprises, professional associations and not-for-profits.

Niit MTS chief executive officer and executive director Sapnesh Lalla, said the tie-up brings “human-centred learning craft and global operational scale, powered by technology and AI, under one roof”.

Sweetrush chief executive officer Danielle Hart, said joining niit offers a bigger global runway while preserving the firm’s culture of care and innovation.

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Niit MTS vice chairman and managing director Vijay K Thadani, called the deal a boost to its outcome-focused portfolio, marrying strategic learning interventions with delivery at scale.

Sweetrush’s founders struck a similar note. Arturo Schwartzberg said the teams and culture would remain intact, now backed by Niit’s heft, while Andrei Hedstrom said the combined ecosystem would “amplify” the firms’ impact on mission-critical learning.