Thiruvananthapuram, July 11 (IANS) Oman-based Malayali businessman George M. Thomas, who is the patron of Kerala-based Asian School of Business (ASB), Friday announced an investment of Rs.630 million in three phases for a new campus in Pallipuram on the outskirts here. “The new campus would come up on a 16-acre piece of land a few kilometers away from the Technopark campus. The first phase will be ready in 15 months time and would have 120,000 square feet. The construction of the second and third phases is scheduled to start by the last quarter of 2009 and early 2011,” Thomas told reporters here.

When complete, it would be first Leed Certified Green building in Kerala. Thomas said the new campus has been designed by a Singapore-based architectural group.

ASB was set up by Thomas three years back and at present functions from the Technopark campus. It offers a two-year post-graduate management programme.

The business school’s board of governors has S.Ramadorai, CEO of Tata Consultancy Services, as chairman while Kris Gopalakrishnan of Infosys is a member.

Thomas also runs an international school on the outskirts of the capital city.