IIM Bangalore & Alumnus Mathew Cyriac to Set Up India’s 1st Global Center of Excellence

This marks India’s first global Centre of Excellence dedicated to Private Equity and Venture Capital (PEVC), positioning IIM Bangalore as a leader in this sector.

IIM Bangalore signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with alumnus Mathew Cyriac, Executive Chairman of Florintree Advisors, to establish the Tony James Centre for Private Equity and Venture Capital. 

This marks India’s first global Center of Excellence dedicated to Private Equity and Venture Capital (PEVC), positioning IIM Bangalore as a leader in this sector.

Mathew Cyriac, a graduate of IIM Bangalore’s PGP Class of 1994, made a significant financial contribution to fund the center.

The initiative is named after Tony James, the former President, COO, and executive VC of Blackstone, a prominent New York-based global asset management firm. 

During the MoU signing ceremony, Professor Rishikesha T Krishnan, Director of IIM Bangalore, highlighted the impact of this contribution, noting, “This is the single largest ever contribution from an alumnus, and we are grateful to Mathew not just for his generous support but for his extreme thoughtfulness in contributing to the naming of four classrooms on campus after faculty who taught his batch, and for his clarity in setting up scholarships for PGP and PhD students to continue excellent work in the area of finance.”

The Tony James Center is set to become a global hub for research and education in PEVC, an area crucial for fostering innovation, job creation, and economic growth. 

The Centre aims to connect academia, industry practitioners, and regulators to develop world-class talent and spearhead cutting-edge research in the field. 

Cyriac, reflecting on his contribution, stated, “My alma mater IIM Bangalore, which is a leader in the area of finance amongst the top business schools of the country, is naturally positioned to take the lead on this subject. I expect the Tony James Centre for Private Equity and Venture Capital at IIMB to emerge as a globally reputed ‘go-to’ place for all players interested in private equity as well as venture capital. It should be the kernel around which an ecosystem of academics, practitioners, investors, and regulators gets developed.”

Alumni Contributions to IIM Bangalore’s Legacy

The establishment of the Tony James Center also includes naming four classrooms after distinguished faculty members who taught the PGP Class of 1994. These include Professors PG Apte, Prasanna Chandra, S Sundararajan, and George Varughese. 

Professor G Shainesh, a faculty member at IIMB and part of the same graduating class, acknowledged this gesture, noting its significance in honoring those who have shaped the institution's academic foundation.

Professor Sourav Mukherji, Dean of Alumni Relations & Development at IIM Bangalore, emphasized the importance of alumni engagement in such initiatives. 

“The proposed Centre is a shining example of an alumnus giving back to his alma mater in a meaningful way. We hope this initiative serves as an inspiration to other alumni to collaborate with IIM Bangalore,” he stated.

The Tony James Center is designed to have far-reaching effects, not only contributing to the growth of the PEVC sector in India but also enhancing its global impact. 

The Center will host annual lectures by global experts, drive research on critical industry issues, and foster collaboration between academia and industry.