IIM Bangalore signs MoU with alum Mathew Cyriac to set up country’s first Centre of Excellence on PE and venture capital

IIMB signed an MoU with PGP ’94 alum Mr. Mathew Cyriac, Executive Chairman of Florintree Advisors, to establish a new Centre of Excellence—the Tony James Centre for Private Equity & Venture Capital—the first of its kind in India.

The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM-B) on Saturday has signed a memorandum of understanding(MoU) with Florintree Advisors Private Limited to set up a Global Centre of Excellence, the Tony James Centre for private equity and Venture Capital at the Institute.The signing of the MoU was attended by top executives of Florintree including Mr Jayanta Banerjee, Executive Vice Chairman, Florintree Advisors Pvt Ltd, and IIMB alumni, faculty and staff.

“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, at the MoU exchange, adding that he hoped the Tony James Centre would make great impact, nationally and globally.

Sharing that he has been involved with private equity in India from its early days since 1996 when DLJ opened its PE office in Bangalore, Mr Tony James said, “As a regular visitor since, I have watched Indian PE flourish. 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.”

Private Equity and Venture Capital (PEVC) are more than just financial tools – they are engines that drive innovation, create jobs and foster economic growth. 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 IIMB, contributing to the growth of the PEVC sector and making a lasting impact on both the Indian and global economies.

Prof. Sourav Mukherji, Dean, Alumni Relations & Development at IIM Bangalore, said the proposed Centre was 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 added.