Ajit Kumar Sharma
Ajit Kumar Sharma is an Indian global open science and sustainability leader with over 28 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, science diplomacy, policy engagement, and multi-stakeholder collaboration across academia, government, and industry.
Professional Overview
Ajit Kumar Sharma has held senior leadership roles across global publishing, education, and scientific technology organisations, including:
- Director Marketing – Elsevier South Asia
- Head of Marketing and Business Management – SCIEX (Danaher Group)
- Marketing Director – RELX Group
- Marketing Manager – HarperCollins Publishers
- Product Manager – McGraw-Hill Education
Across these roles, his work focused on business growth, digital transformation, and expansion of knowledge and research products across emerging markets.
He led regional marketing and commercial strategies across Asia-Pacific, supporting the growth of journals, books, scientific databases, and analytical technology solutions. His responsibilities included demand generation, portfolio strategy, customer segmentation, pricing strategy, and development of go-to-market programmes for academic, corporate, and government customers.
He contributed to the transition from print-led to digital and platform-based business models through the adoption of marketing automation, CRM systems, and data-driven customer analytics. His work also involved building market intelligence capabilities, supporting product launches, and strengthening partnerships with universities, research institutions, and industry stakeholders.
These roles shaped his expertise in scientific publishing, research intelligence, marketing strategy, and regional business leadership across the knowledge and information sector.
Royal Society of Chemistry
Ajit Kumar Sharma served as Managing Director – India and South Asia at the Royal Society of Chemistry from 2022 to 2025.
He led the Royal Society of Chemistry’s strategy and operations across India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Maldives. He owned full regional P&L responsibility and long-term growth strategy, directing a multi-country team and large partner network across academia, government, industry, and research institutions.
Regional Leadership and Growth
- Drove sustained publishing and membership growth across South Asia
- Expanded institutional partnerships with universities, research institutes, and government bodies
- Strengthened RSC brand presence and influence across the region
- Built high-performing regional teams and leadership capability
Research, Publishing and Open Science
- Accelerated adoption of open science and open access publishing
- Supported national research capability through data, analytics, and policy engagement
- Led regional strategy for journals, books, databases, and professional services
- Built strong engagement with researchers, librarians, and funding bodies
Government and Policy Engagement
- Represented RSC with central and state governments, embassies, and policy institutions
- Contributed to science diplomacy and research collaboration between the UK and South Asia
- Supported policy dialogue on research assessment, open access, and research infrastructure
- Strengthened RSC’s position as a trusted partner in national research ecosystems
UK–India Innovation and Sustainability Consortium
- Co-led creation and growth of the UK–India Innovation and Sustainability Consortium
- Enabled cross-border research partnerships and funding collaborations
- Brought together academia, industry, and policymakers on sustainability priorities
STEM Diversity and Researcher Development
- Championed diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM
- Expanded programmes supporting early-career researchers and women in science
- Led engagement initiatives for students, teachers, and scientific communities
Partnerships and Ecosystem Building
- Built multi-stakeholder partnerships across academia, corporates, NGOs, and scientific bodies
- Supported industry–academia collaboration and skills development initiatives
- Strengthened engagement with professional societies and scientific networks
Earlier Role
Prior to his appointment as Managing Director, he served as Country General Manager – South Asia, progressing into the regional leadership role after successfully leading commercial, publishing, and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
The SciFront Collective
Ajit Kumar Sharma is the Founder and Chief Steward of The SciFront Collective, a collaborative science-policy-education platform focused on advancing open science, equitable research access, and sustainability.
The initiative works to:
- Inspire curiosity through science education frameworks
- Champion open knowledge and democratized access to research
- Influence policy through evidence-based engagement
- Build bridges between science, society, and future generations
The Collective collaborates with ministries, academic institutions, CSR bodies, and civil society stakeholders to strengthen national research ecosystems.
Open Science Philosophy
Ajit Kumar Sharma advocates that science belongs to everyone and must be accessible, inclusive, and transformative. His work emphasizes responsible research evaluation, equitable access to knowledge, and long-term sustainability of global research systems.
Education
- Executive Program in Marketing – Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
- Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) – Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya
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