Professor U Dinesh Kumar, Dean, Faculty, at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with Mathew Cyriac, Executive Chairman, Florintree Advisors and alumnus of the PGP Class of 1994, to pave the way to the setting up of a global Centre of Excellence, the Tony James Centre for Private Equity (PE) and Venture Capital (VC), at IIM Bangalore. 

Tony James – former President, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice Chairman of New York-based global asset management firm Blackstone – is one of the most well-known investment bankers on Wall Street. 

Through strategic investments and collaborative partnerships, the PE/VC industry can play a pivotal role in realising the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, fostering entrepreneurship,

The vision of the Tony James Centre is to be a global thought leader for research and education in all matters relating to Private Equity and Venture Capital. The mission is to create an ecosystem wherein academics, practitioners and regulators collaborate to develop and nurture world-class Private Equity and Venture Capital talent.

The first-of-its kind Centre will serve as a hub for cutting-edge research, education and industry collaboration in the field of PEVC, where students will connect with industry leaders, gain hands-on insights, and explore the latest trends in PEVC. It will host globally renowned experts for annual lectures, spearhead research on critical industry issues, and foster collaboration between academia and industry. Its influence will stretch far beyond IIM-B, contributing to the growth of the PEVC sector and making a lasting impact on both the Indian and global economies.