Prof. Kakani ex-director, IIM Raipur started his career as a technocrat before transitioning to higher education and ascending to senior roles at some of India's most renowned institutions. He has worked in key faculty and administrative roles in top-ranked universities such as XLRI Jamshedpur, IIM Kozhikode and IIM Raipur of which he was the Director from 2022–2025. His teaching experience also includes an illustrious stint at LBSNAA Mussoorie, where he taught upcoming civil officers in India. Professor Kakani has taught and collaborated with institutions in Denmark, Nigeria, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. Dr (h.c.) A.V.S. Murthy, Chancellor, RV University said Prof. Ram Kakani is an outstanding academic leader with a unique combination of global excellence and profound knowledge of Indian institutions. His commitment to values based education, coupled with his cross-sectoral vision will take RVU to new heights of excellence and influence. His method of institution-building is characterised by the aphorism, competence without action is unrealised potential.

Pro-Chancellor D.P. Nagaraj of RV University said, We are thrilled to welcome Prof. Kakani to the RV family. His distinguished career in higher education, governance and capacity building in public and commercial fields makes him an outstanding choice to head RV University. His academic discipline, governance acumen, and strategic leadership make him best positioned to drive RV University into its future phase of growth. We are confident that he will drive new frontiers in research, collaboration and student achievement.

On his appointment Prof. Kakani said It is an honor to be tasked with leading RV University at this transformative moment. The university has rapidly emerged as a pioneer in transdisciplinary, liberal, and tech-enabled education. He think RVU lays the correct foundation to form not just professions but impactful contributions to India's future. He look forward to working with a fantastic group of teachers, staff and students to create a purposeful academic culture.

Prof. Kakani is an accomplished writer who has published with Cambridge, Sage, Routledge and McGraw-Hill. He is renowned for connecting management education with public policy. 

Professor Kakani possesses an outstanding academic record in technical and managerial education. He graduated from Andhra University's AU College of Engineering in Visakhapatnam in 1992 with a Bachelor of Technology in Chemical Engineering. He then pursued a challenging doctoral program obtaining a Doctorate in Management FPM in Finance and Control from IIM Calcutta in 2002.