Dr. Mukesh Kumar is an Associate Professor in Operations Management and the Head of the Industrial Resilience Research Group. He holds a PhD in Risk in Production Networks from the University of Cambridge, an MBA in Finance, and a BCom. Since 2003, Dr. Kumar has developed a unique academic and professional profile, undertaking key roles such as Tutor for the Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership and MIM Supervisor at Cranfield University.

During his tenure at the University of Cambridge, he held positions including University Lecturer in Operations Management and various research associate roles, concentrating on resilience, sustainability, and global supply chains. Before embarking on his academic career, Dr. Kumar gained invaluable industry experience as a Senior Analyst at an investment bank in Mumbai, India, and as a Corporate Finance Analyst at AWR Lloyds in Bangkok, Thailand.

In addition to his research and professional roles, Dr. Kumar's teaching portfolio encompasses courses on supply chain risk management, procurement, and industrial psychology subjects such as Organisational Behaviour and Managing People. This broad teaching scope reflects his extensive expertise across both the technical and behavioural dimensions of operations management.

Dr. Kumar has served in several significant academic appointments, both internally and externally, including Chair of Examiners for the Manufacturing Engineering Tripos, Co-leader of the Inclusive Manufacturing Research Theme, and Senior Treasurer of the Cambridge University Eco Racing Student Society. Externally, he has contributed to prestigious panels and committees, including the Food Standards Agency, UK, and the European Operations Management Conference.

His research, targeting critical areas such as the UK-India Critical Mineral Supply Chain Observatory, blockchain technology for nutrition supply chain design, and circular economy practices in manufacturing networks, has attracted substantial grant support. Dr. Kumar's publications appear in prestigious journals, including the Journal of Cleaner Production, Annals of Operations Research, and IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, highlighting his expertise in circular supply chain configurations, industrial resilience, and sustainable supply networks.

Dr. Kumar's contributions to his field have been recognised with several awards, including the Highly Commended Paper at EUROMA, the Best Paper Award at the International Journal of Production Research, and accolades for emerging research leadership from the University of Cambridge.

Publication:

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=LJEJNjkAAAAJ&hl=en

Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mukesh-Kumar-66

20th International Manufacturing Symposium - Architecting the digital supply chain - the implications of digitalisation for global manufacturing