The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) has established the Mattu Centre for Research in Security Pricing and Corporate Finance, a new Centre of Excellence dedicated to advancing research in asset pricing, corporate finance, corporate governance, and broad themes in financial economics. The Centre aims to build India-specific research databases, strengthen the country’s finance research infrastructure, and foster meaningful collaboration among academia, industry, regulators, and policymakers to deliberate on key issues shaping the development of Indian financial markets.
Established through the generous philanthropic support of Mr. Ravi Mattu (IIMA PGP 1979), Former Managing Director & Global Head: Analytics at Pacific Investment Management Co. LLC. (PIMCO), the Centre reflects IIMA’s commitment to strengthening research that addresses contemporary challenges in finance while contributing to the advancement of management education, capital markets, and evidence-based public policy.
A key focus of the Centre will be the creation of robust research infrastructure, including comprehensive financial databases and analytical resources that enable high-quality empirical finance research in India. By strengthening access to reliable data and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, the Centre seeks to generate research that is academically rigorous, globally relevant, and responsive to the evolving needs of India’s financial ecosystem.
The Centre will serve as a platform for launching and promoting research scholars in finance who focus on Indian capital markets. It will also organise seminars, workshops, conferences, distinguished lectures, and other knowledge-sharing initiatives that encourage dialogue between researchers, practitioners, regulators, and policymakers.
The Centre will be guided by a distinguished Governing Council including Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA, with Professor Joshy Jacob and Professor Ellapulli Vasudevan serving as Co-Chairpersons. The Council also comprises Mr. 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 Mr. Rajan Raju (IIMA PGP 1988), Director, InvesparPte. Ltd.
Bringing together eminent academicians, accomplished industry leaders, and distinguished IIMA alumni, the Governing Council reflects the Centre’s commitment to fostering rigorous scholarships, strengthening academia-industry engagement, and building meaningful collaborations with leading global institutions to advance research in finance.
Underscoring the importance of the Centre in the present-day scenario, 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.”
Sharing the vision for the Centre, Mr. Ravi Mattu, Former Managing Director & Global Head: Analytics at Pacific Investment Management Co. LLC. (PIMCO) and the donor to the Centre, said,“The centre will facilitate interaction and collaborative research in asset pricing and corporate governance between Indian and US faculty in finance. It will also create a dialogue and share research findings with Indian regulators. Furthermore, the centre will spearhead the creation of a comprehensive securities price database and support early-career financial researchers in India.”
The Centre will undertake research across a broad range of themes in financial economics, including asset pricing, investments, market microstructure, corporate finance, and corporate governance. It will also support the dissemination of high-quality academic research outputs that will address practical challenges faced by businesses, investors, regulators, and policymakers.
The establishment of the Mattu Centre for Research in Security Pricing and Corporate Finance has been facilitated by the IIMA Endowment Fund (IIMAEF), the Institute’s unified fundraising and philanthropic arm that enables alumni, individuals, corporates, and CSR partners to contribute towards advancing IIMA’s mission. The Centre represents another significant milestone in IIMA’s efforts to build enduring institutions that strengthen research excellence, foster innovation, and create lasting societal impact through philanthropy.