Shashwat Alok is an Associate Professor of Finance at the Indian School of Business (ISB). He joined ISB in 2013 after receiving his PhD in Finance from the Olin Business School, Washington University in St. Louis. He is currently the Research Director at the Digital Identity Research Initiative.

His primary research interests are in the areas of corporate finance. In particular, his research focuses on understanding the impact of the law, government policy, and institutions on firms and individual behaviour, with a greater focus on emerging markets. His recent work seeks to examine the role of alternative data and fintech in expanding financial inclusion, and the impact of climate change on firms and capital allocation.

Professor Alok is the recipient of multiple prestigious grants, and his work has been accepted at leading international conferences such as those hosted by the American Finance Association, the Asian Bureau of Finance and Economic Research, the European Finance Association, and the Financial Intermediation Research Society. His research has been published or accepted in top academic journals such as the Review of Financial Studies, Management Science, and the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis. Prof Alok's research has been cited by the Indian Economic Survey (2018-2019) and the Reserve Bank of India's Household Finance Committee Report (2017). His research has also featured in major Indian media outlets, including the Economic Times and the Times of India.

Before joining the PhD programme, he graduated among the top of his class in Computer Science and Engineering from the Manipal University. He was the recipient of the Hubert C. Moog Scholar for academic excellence while pursuing his PhD at the Washington University in St Louis.

Prasanna Tantri is an Associate Professor of Finance at the Indian School of Business (ISB) and Executive Director of the Centre for Analytical Finance (CAF). He previously served as an Independent Director and Chair of the Audit and CSR Committees on the Board of Power Finance Corporation Limited, Government of India.

His research focuses on banking, financial inclusion, and the political economy of finance, with publications in leading journals including the Review of Financial Studies, Review of Finance, Journal of Accounting and Economics, Journal of Accounting Research, Management Science, and Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis. He has presented his research at premier academic forums and has received several competitive research grants and teaching awards.

Prasanna’s work has been widely cited in policy and media, including The Economist, Bloomberg, Mint, and The Economic Times, and has been referenced in the Union Budget, the Economic Survey of India, and RBI reports. He has advised and presented his work to the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Finance, RBI, and several central and state government bodies. He also headed the group entrusted by the Government of Telangana with drafting the Telangana Vision 2047 document, contributing to the development of the state’s long-term vision and strategic roadmap. Over the years, he has also contributed to several high-level advisory and expert bodies, including the Technical Advisory Committee under DMEO, NITI Aayog, and expert groups constituted by the National Stock Exchange and SEBI. These engagements reflect his broader contribution to translating rigorous academic research into policy and regulatory practice.