Ajit Kumar Sharma
Ajit Kumar Sharma is an Indian global open science and sustainability leader with over 25 years of experience across scientific publishing, research intelligence, higher education, digital transformation, and data-driven knowledge ecosystems. He is the Founder and Chief Steward of The SciFront Collective and formerly served as Managing Director – India and South Asia at the Royal Society of Chemistry.
He is widely recognized for advancing open access, equitable research dissemination, policy engagement, and multi-stakeholder collaboration across academia, government, and industry.
Professional Overview
Ajit Kumar Sharma has held senior leadership roles across global organizations including Royal Society of Chemistry, Elsevier, RELX Group, Danaher (Sciex), and HarperCollins.
His leadership experience spans:
Strategic business growth and regional P&L management Scientific publishing and scholarly communication Research data, analytics, and digital knowledge solutions Open science advocacy and responsible research evaluation Cross-sector partnerships across South Asia and Asia-Pacific
The SciFront Collective
Ajit Kumar Sharma is the Founder and Chief Steward of The SciFront Collective, a collaborative science-policy-education platform based in India.
The initiative focuses on:
Open science and equitable access to knowledge Teacher empowerment and science education frameworks Policy influence through evidence-based engagement AI-enabled and data-driven science learning ecosystems
The Collective works with ministries, academic institutions, corporate CSR bodies, and civil society stakeholders to strengthen national research ecosystems.
Royal Society of Chemistry
From 2022 to 2025, Ajit Kumar Sharma served as Managing Director – India and South Asia at the Royal Society of Chemistry.
In this role, he led regional strategy across India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Maldives, advancing:
Publishing and membership growth Open science expansion UK–India Innovation and Sustainability Consortium initiatives STEM diversity and researcher engagement Multi-stakeholder academic and policy partnerships
He also previously served as Country General Manager – South Asia.
Earlier Leadership Roles
Ajit Kumar Sharma has held leadership positions including:
Director Marketing – Elsevier South Asia Head of Marketing and Business Management – Sciex (Danaher) Marketing Director – RELX Group Marketing Manager – HarperCollins Product Manager – McGraw-Hill Education
His work across these organizations focused on digital transformation, CRM innovation, market intelligence, revenue growth, strategic partnerships, and product innovation.
Open Science and Research Advocacy
Ajit Kumar Sharma is known for promoting:
Equitable access to scientific knowledge Responsible research evaluation practices Data-driven research ecosystems Collaboration between governments, funding agencies, universities, and industry Science communication and public policy alignment
His philosophy emphasizes that science belongs to everyone and must be accessible, inclusive, and transformative.
Education
Executive Program in Marketing – Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) – Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya
Additional executive learning includes strategic marketing programs and advanced research engagement initiatives.
Awards and Recognition
Top 10 Leaders to Watch – Times Now (2024) Elsevier Health Sciences Pearls Top Performer IBM MITR Top 20 Digiratti Award for Marketing Excellence Innovation Champion Recognition
Volunteering and Environmental Advocacy
Ajit Kumar Sharma is also the Founder and Fundraiser of Aravali Bird, Bees and Forest Conservation, an initiative focused on urban biodiversity protection, pollinator conservation, and habitat restoration.
Areas of Expertise
Scientific publishing and scholarly communication Open access strategy and policy advocacy Research data and analytics solutions Digital transformation in education and publishing Strategic leadership and revenue growth Cross-sector ecosystem building