IIM Bangalore to inaugurate India’s first Global Centre of Excellence on Private Equity, Venture Capital on Aug 6

The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) will inaugurate the Tony James Centre for Private Equity and Venture Capital on August 6, marking the launch of the country’s first Global Centre of Excellence dedicated to research, education, and collaboration in private equity and venture capital (PEVC).

Established through a historic donation by Mathew Cyriac — Chairman of Florintree Advisors, Co-founder of Yali Capital, and a 1994 IIMB alumnus — the Centre is named in honour of Hamilton “Tony” James, former President and Executive Vice Chairman of global investment firm Blackstone.

“This is more than a tribute, it is a commitment to a future where Indian talent leads global investing conversations,” Cyriac said ahead of the launch. A recipient of IIMB’s Distinguished Alumni Award 2025, Cyriac was also the gold medallist of his class. His contribution is one of the largest individual alumni donations in IIMB’s history and includes support for the Centre, the naming of four classrooms after influential faculty members, and scholarships for PGP and Doctoral students in finance.

The inaugural ceremony will feature addresses by senior leaders from the global PEVC community, including keynote speaker Vivek Pandit, Senior Partner & Global Co-Leader at McKinsey & Company, and Chief Guest Sanjiv Mehta, Executive Chairman of L Catterton India and former Chairman & CEO of Hindustan Unilever.

Professor Ashok Thampy, appointed Chairperson of the Centre and the Florintree Chair in Private Equity and Venture Capital at IIMB, will outline the Centre’s vision. “The Tony James Centre will be a catalytic force in shaping the future of PEVC in India and beyond,” he said.

The Centre is designed to serve as a hub for world-class research, industry engagement, and policy dialogue. It will host international experts, generate scholarship on evolving PEVC trends, and cultivate a new generation of ethical finance professionals.

First Published: Jul 31, 2025 3:19 PM IST

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