Madhu Viswanathan

Madhu Viswanathan is a Professor of Marketing at Loyola Marymount University’s College of Business Administration, recognized as one of the Top 50 Undergraduate Business Professors of 2024 by Poets&Quants. He joined LMU in 2019 after 29 years at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he holds the title of Professor Emeritus. His work focuses on Subsistence Marketplaces and business ethics, emphasizing the role of business as a force for good.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Marketing, University of Minnesota (1990)
• Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (1985)

His research explores poverty-market intersections, consumer literacy, and sustainable business practices. He pioneered the Subsistence Marketplaces framework and directs the Marketplace Literacy Project, reaching over 100,000 women globally. His teaching innovations include LMU’s “Business for Good” course, honored with the 2024 Financial Times Responsible Business Education Award.

Awards:

• Top 50 Undergraduate Business Professors (2024)
• AMA William L. Wilkie Award (Marketing for a Better World)
• AMA Lifetime Achievement Award
• AIB Teaching Innovation Award

Advising and leadership include directing LMU’s D.K. Kim Foundation Business for Good Program and overseeing global marketplace literacy initiatives. His academic contributions span books such as Subsistence Marketplaces and Bottom-Up Enterprise.