Iim Ahmedabad Establishes Mattu Centre For Research In Security Pricing Corporate Finance

The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) has set up the Mattu Centre for Research in Security Pricing and Corporate Finance, a new Centre of Excellence aimed at advancing research in asset pricing, corporate finance, corporate governance, and broader themes in financial economics. The Centre has been established through the philanthropic support of IIM-A alumnus Ravi Mattu (PGP 1979), former Managing Director and Global Head: Analytics at Pacific Investment Management Co. LLC (PIMCO). According to the institute, the Centre aims to build India-specific research databases, strengthen the country's finance research infrastructure, and foster collaboration among academia, industry, regulators, and policymakers on issues shaping the development of Indian financial markets. A key focus area for the Centre will be building research infrastructure, including comprehensive financial databases and analytical resources, to support empirical finance research in India, as mentioned in the press release. The institute said the Centre aims to generate research that is academically rigorous, globally relevant, and responsive to the evolving needs of India's financial ecosystem by improving access to reliable data and encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration. The Centre will also serve as a platform to launch and support research scholars in finance focusing on Indian capital markets, and will organise seminars, workshops, conferences, distinguished lectures, and other knowledge-sharing initiatives involving researchers, practitioners, regulators, and policymakers. The Centre will undertake research across themes including asset pricing, investments, market microstructure, corporate finance, and corporate governance. It will also support the dissemination of academic research outputs aimed at addressing practical challenges faced by businesses, investors, regulators, and policymakers. Governing Council The Centre will be guided by a Governing Council comprising Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA; Professor Joshy Jacob and Professor Ellapulli Vasudevan, who will serve as Co-Chairpersons; Ravi Mattu, the donor; Professor R. Narayanaswamy (Retd.), former faculty member at IIM Bangalore; Professor Vaidyanathan Venkateswaran (IIMA PGP 2001), Associate Professor at the Stern School of Business, New York University; and Rajan Raju (IIMA PGP 1988), Director, Invespar Pte. Ltd. Speaking on the establishment of the Centre, Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA, said, "As India continues growing as a prominent global financial market, the need to address structural challenges within the system and establish robust India-specific databases is essential. The Mattu Centre for Research in Security Pricing and Corporate Finance will pioneer future generations of researchers, practitioners, and regulators who will not only conduct in-depth research of key financial sectors within the Indian context but will also create a network of various stakeholders who will strengthen the analytical foundations upon which Indian financial markets can grow."