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June 11, 2026
1530 hrs - 1730 hrs (IST)
Financial Acumen in the Boardroom
for Good Corporate Governance
Chairperson
Saraswat Bank
Managing Director
Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company Limited
Independent Director
Indian Clearing Corporation Limited
Senior Country Head
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute
Managing Partner
Accion
Independent Director on Multiple Boards, and
Professional Mentor & Advisor on Finance, Risk Management and Governance
In today's complex financial landscape, financial literacy has become a critical skill for board members and executives. Understanding the intricacies of financial management, key financial concepts and metrics is essential for effective governance and strategic planning.
This webinar will delve into the importance of financial literacy in boardrooms, exploring how board members can enhance their understanding of financial matters to drive better organisational outcomes.
Learn from experienced board members and financial experts who will share their insights, experiences, and strategies for improving financial literacy in boardrooms.
Role of financial literacy: For effective corporate governance
Financial Management: Future Trends and Developments; Implications in boardrooms
Establishing Strategies: For improved Financial Oversight and Accountability
Learnings from the past: Case Studies & Best practices
Financial Strategies: In times of crises
Financial Literacy: In Strategic Planning and Decision-Making
Financial Risk: Identification and Mitigation
Importance of Financial Forecasting: Managing Stakeholders Expectations
Strategic Partner
Institutional Partners
Knowledge Partners
Abhishek Agrawal is Managing Partner, Accion Digital Transformation Fund - ADTx, a global fund investing in emerging markets in financial services companies; and supporting them in digital transformation. Abhishek comes with extensive experience in investment, portfolio management, strategy and business planning. Abhishek had worked in various roles in the financial services sector across the globe, and now leads the fund as an investor. He is on several boards of financial services institutions and companies.
Abhishek is a Chartered Accountant, MBA in Finance and has a Ph.D. in municipal financial reforms.
Arati Porwal, is the Senior Country Head – India at CFA Institute, and is responsible for designing and implementing CFA Institute’s strategy in India along with managing its enterprise resourcing in the country. She joined CFA Institute in 2015 and led the Society Relations function for India and surrounding markets before taking over as the Country Head. Prior to that, she was the Senior Market Advisor at Enterprise Ireland, providing advisory services to Irish enterprises on market entry into India. Arati also led the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) in India for five years. Prior to joining CIMA, Arati also worked in various roles within the financial services and insurance industry for thirteen years. Arati holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Mumbai University and an MBA from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies. She is also a certified life and leadership coach.
Nilesh Shah is currently Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company Limited. He has worked in Leadership position with Axis Bank Group, ICICI Bank Group and Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund covering Investment Banking and Investment Management across Debt, Equity and Real Estate markets for Local and Global Investors over more than two and half decades. He is a Gold Medallist Chartered Accountant and a Merit ranked Cost Accountant. He was part of the team that received the Best Fund House of the Year Award at all the mutual funds where he worked viz. Kotak Mutual Fund, ICICI Prudential and Franklin Templeton. He is presently Chairman of Association of Mutual Fund in India and member of the Mutual Fund Advisory Committee constituted by SEBI. He has served in various committees of SEBI & Exchanges for Market Development. He has written extensively on Indian Economy and Markets in local and global publications. He has co-authored a book called A Direct Take on Financial Planning.
Sushmita Ghatak has over 31 years of professional experience and has consistently demonstrated the attainment of desired business and organisational outcomes and governance expertise across Group ICRA and Tata Steel.
She started her career at Tata Steel in 1993 and worked in the supply chain, sales, and change management functions. She joined Group ICRA in 2000 in the management consulting business, built the outsourcing business, and, from April 2010 onwards, was entrusted with business leadership and board positions across multiple group companies. As ED & COO (2010-14) and MD & CEO (2014-23), she had business, people, and P&L responsibilities at ICRA Analytics Ltd, a WoS of ICRA Ltd, the Indian affiliate of Moody's Investors Service.
She serves as an Independent Director on the Board of Anudip Foundation, a Section 25 non-profit limited company that creates livelihoods for underserved communities through skill development programmes.
Ms. Sushmita Ghatak is an MBA (IIM Calcutta) and Fulbright-Nehru-CII Fellow (Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University). She has ESG and Corporate Sustainability certifications from the CFA Institute, NYU Stern, and IICA. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors and a member of the National Association of Impact Leaders (NAIL), India.
CA Jayaprakash Rajangam is a seasoned Finance and Risk Management professional with over 18 years of experience, including significant global exposure. He has held leadership positions with BDO Global the world’s fifth largest accounting and consulting network-across India and the United Kingdom, becoming one of the youngest professionals to be promoted as a partner in India.
With expertise as both a consultant and interventionist, he has advised on cross-border transactions cumulatively exceeding USD 2 billion, guiding clients on mergers, acquisitions, restructuring, and financing strategies. He has also led consulting and outsourcing practices delivering Virtual CFO services, and continues to advise startups, emerging businesses, and matured organizations on strategic growth, risk management frameworks, and financial derivatives.
Mr. Jayaprakash has played a key role in shaping India-focused business strategies for multinational clients, ensuring smooth integration across borders. His academic contributions include serving as Visiting Faculty at SP Jain Global Business School (Australia), NMIMS (India).
Mr. Gautam Thakur is the Chairman of Saraswat Bank, India's largest Urban Cooperative Bank, and a distinguished leader with extensive experience spanning banking, regulation, entrepreneurship, and governance. He serves as a Member of the Advisory Group on Regulation (AGR) constituted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and was previously a Member of the RBI's Advisory Group to the Regulation Review Authority (RRA).
A respected voice in industry and public policy, he has also served as the former Vice President of the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Mr. Thakur is a Professor of Practice and Mentor at PTVA's Institute of Management and is empanelled as an Independent Director with the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA).
