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IIM Bangalore has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mathew Cyriac, Executive Chairman, Florintree Advisors Pvt Ltd and an alumnus of the PGP Class of 1994, to establish a global centre of excellence—the Tony James Centre for Private Equity and Venture Capital. 

Tony James is a renowned investment banker and former President, Chief Operating Officer, and Executive Vice Chairman of Blackstone Group, a leading global asset management firm based in New York.

“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,” said Mathew Cyriac, Executive Chairman of Florintree Advisors Pvt Ltd.

“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,” said Professor Rishikesha T Krishnan, Director, IIM Bangalore.

The MoU signing was attended by key Florintree executives, including Jayanta Banerjee, Executive Vice Chairman of Florintree Advisors Pvt Ltd, as well as IIMB alumni, faculty, and staff.

The centre will act as a hub for advanced research, education, and industry partnerships in PE and VC, said a release. It also aims to host global experts for annual lectures, drive research on key industry challenges, and promote collaboration between academia and industry. 

Students will be able to engage with industry leaders, gain practical experience, and explore emerging trends in the field, the release added.

“By providing entrepreneurs with the equity capital that they need to grow, private equity is a strong contributor to the vibrant Indian economy. The timing is right now for a centre of excellence at IIM Bangalore to bring the Indian perspective to global PE thought leadership. I look forward to working closely with IIM Bangalore to build the centre into a world-class institution,” said Tony James. 

In the picture (L-R): Prof U Dinesh Kumar, Dean Faculty, IIM Bangalore; Prof Rishikesha T Krishnan, Director, IIM Bangalore; and Mathew Cyriac, Executive Chairman, Florintree Advisors Pvt Ltd.