• Ph.D. (Strategic Management), Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
• Visiting Doctoral Scholar, Cornell University, USA
• PGDM. Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
• B.E.(Hons) (Mech), National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli

Academic Positions

Visiting Doctoral Scholar, S.C.Johnson School of Business, Cornell University, USA

Awards

• Recipient of Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Scholarship in 2014-15 to be a full-time visiting doctoral scholar at the S.C. Johnson School of Business at Cornell University, USA
• Awarded the Strategic Management Society (SMS) scholarship that accompanied selection to the doctoral consortium at the 2013 Annual Strategic Management Society Conference.
• Submission selected at the 2013 ISB-Ivey Case Competition as one of the few cases chosen for publishing as an Ivey case
• Awarded 3rd Prize in ISB Case Chase Competition # 12 - 2012

Conferences, Seminars & Talks

• Venkataraman S. & Ray S. (2017). A Content Analysis of Sustainability Reporting to frame the Heterogeneity in Corporate Environment Sustainability Practices (19th International Conference of Environmentally Sustainable Development April 2017, Boston)
• Lecture on “Perspectives on Corporate Sustainability”, 2017 CEMS Block Seminar, IIM Calcutta
• Venkataraman S., Chaudhuri B. R. & Ray S. (2016) “Unpacking The Heterogeneity In Corporate Social Responsibility Practices: Exploring An Integrated Perspective” (CSR Conference, Sep 2016, Berlin)
• Guest lecture on “Cultural Values: Hofstede, GLOBE and Schwartz Models” - International Business Management course coordinated by Prof. Ramya Venkateswaran, IIM Calcutta
• Lecture on “Corporate Sustainability”, 2016 CEMS Block Seminar, IIM Calcutta
• Presentation on Corporate Sustainability to Senior executives of PSUs – 2014 Global Leadership Development Programme, IIM Calcutta coordinated by Prof. Sougata Ray
• Venkataraman S. & Balachandran S. (2013). Sustainability Orientation of Firms A Multi-Context Exploration of Patterns in Corporate Sustainability (SMS Annual Conference, Sep 2013, Atlanta)
• Venkataraman S. & Chakrabarti A. (2013). Multinational Corporations and Sustainability: A Preliminary Investigation of Corporate Sustainability Strategies in Multiple Contexts (SMS Special India Conference, Dec 2013, Chandigarh)
• Ray S., Balachandran S. & Venkataraman S. (2013). Does Choice of Competitive Strategy Influence Performance of Emerging Economy Firms? Evidences from India (SMS Annual Conference, Sep 2013, Atlanta)
• Chakrabarti A., Ray S., Venkataraman S. & Ghosh A. (2013). Fuelling the Firm Ownership and Performance Debate in Emerging Economies: Puzzling Evidences from India (SMS Special India Conference, Dec 2013, Chandigarh)
• Venkataraman S. & Das R (2012). Strategic Decision Making Process in an Evolving Social Media Environment. (Organization Science Conference, Feb 2012, Colorado)
• Conference Chair, Corporate Risk Management Congress, Mumbai, January 2011
• "Perspectives on Indian Equity Market": S&P Asia Outlook Seminar, Mumbai, August 2009
• "Microfinance Institutions -Cracking the Capital Markets in South Asia", ACCION Conference, New Delhi, April 2008
• "CariCRIS and Credit ratings in the Caribbean: Positive Strides": Presentation to the CARICOM Central Bank Governors Meeting, Guyana, May 2007
• "Lessons from MFI Rating business models"- IDB-CGAP Forum, Bolivia, Oct 2005
• "Leveraging International capital markets for Caribbean corporations" – Euromoney Conference, Barbados, April 2005
• "Credit Ratings in Microfinance" – Women’s World Banking Capital Market Workshop, Amsterdam, November 2004
• "Governance, Transparency & Accountability"- KfW Financial Sector Development Symposium : Berlin, November 2004
• "A Regional credit rating agency for the Caribbean"- RBTT Bank Investor Conference, Miami, September 2004
• "Inaugural address" - MBA Class of 2006, Rajagiri School of Management, Ernakulam, July 2004
• "Issues in the development of an active secondary market for debt in the Caribbean" – LatinFinance-Euromoney Conference, Port of Spain -May 2004
• "Credit Risk Management under Basle-II", University of West Indies Conference on Banking and Financial Markets, Port of Spain -April 2004
• "Credit Rating for MFIs - Rating agency perspectives"- CGAP Feedback Forum, Brussels, May 2003

Corporate / Public Sector Leadership

• Independent Director: The Caribbean Information & Credit Rating Services Ltd, T&T (2010 - present)
• Senior Director, CRISIL Ltd (2007 - 2010)
• CEO & Chief Rating Officer, Caribbean Information & Credit rating Services Ltd., T&T. (2004 – 2007)
• Director, CRISIL Ratings (2001 - 2004)
• Head, CRISIL Financial Sector Ratings (2000 - 2001)
• Head, CRISIL Advisory Services – Banking & Infrastructure (1995 - 2000)
• Group Leader, CRISIL Ratings (1992-1995)

Current Projects

Assessment of sustainability practices and evolution of sustainability policies at a leading Indian automotive firm (with Prof. Sougata Ray, IIM Calcutta)

Other Professional Appointments

• Independent Director: The Caribbean Information & Credit Rating Services Ltd (CariCRIS), T&T: (2010 to present)
• Co-Chairman, Banking & Finance Committee, Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry (2002-03 & 2003- 2004)
• Member, Expert sub-committee on Risk Management, Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry (2003-04)
• Member, Helpdesk Knowledge Map on MFI ratings constituted by the Consultative Group to Aid the Poorest (CGAP), World Bank (2004-2009)

Recent Consulting / Other Assignments

• Evaluation of effectiveness and sustainability of the national health programme of an United Nations agency. Project involved detailed assessment through unstructured interviews of beneficiaries, health administrators, medical practitioners and bureaucrats at village, district and state levels, spanning four Indian states – Gujarat, Karnataka, MP and Rajasthan. (With Prof. Sougata Ray, IIM Calcutta)
• Feasibility and options for Privatization of East African Development Bank: Establishing the desirability of privatization in an emerging economic environment, for a leading development bank in East Africa. Assignment carried out for African Development Bank covering Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
• Developing and Implementing Internal Credit Rating Systems for Indian banks: Developed the internal credit rating mechanism for several leading public and private sector commercial banks, covering large, medium and small borrowers. Streamlined the methods and process of their rating systems and developed soft-ware based credit risk evaluation models
• Study of financial system vulnerabilities in non-crisis affected Asian Countries: Sponsored by the Asian Development Bank, probed vulnerability and efficiency constraints in the Indian financial sector & system including banks, non-banks and Capital markets and made suggestions on remedial measures.
• Entry strategy and business plan formulation for a new private bank in India; Developed detailed business plan for a new bank launching operations in India including product-wise profitability and a product wise roll out plan
• Establishment of a regional credit rating agency in the Caribbean: Lead consultant and project director for start-up organisation design and operations stabilization of a credit rating agency to be established in Trinidad & Tobago, to cater to the entire Caribbean region comprising 19 countries
• Formulation of BOOT policy and concession agreement for privatization of minor ports by State Government in Western India: The first port privatisation policy to be instituted in India for privatisation of ports at the state level. Assignment involved extensive study of legal frameworks, and negotiation of commercial and legal principles with lenders, investors and the Government
• Negotiation of concession agreement for a Greenfield private port project: An exercise of successful engagement on behalf of a state government to negotiate concession agreement principles and bid evaluation
• Business restructuring of a reconstruction development bank: Prepared strategies for revival and restructutring of an East India based specialized reconstruction bank. Recommendations, presented to the then Union Finance Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, were accepted and subsequently implemented
• Restructuring of State Financial Corporations (SFCs): Diagnostic and restructuring studies for six SFCs in India, which included redesigning credit delivery systems; business systems & procedures; development of MIS; organizational restructuring and business diversification.
• Valuation for disinvestment of Government of India enterprises: Diagnostic analysis and suggested valuations study for divestment of Government shareholding in twelve Government of India owned enterprises (State Owned Enterprises) in diverse sectors such as mining, hotels, metals, gas etc..
• Benchmarking, evaluation and recommendations for enhancing efficiency of the tariff structure of the Tariff Authority for Major Ports, Minstry of Surface Transport, Govt. of India

Research Areas

• Corporate Sustainability
• Influence of culture on strategy
• Entrepreneurship & Intrapreneurship

Significant Publications

• Venkataraman S. & Ray S.(2017). “ESG indices and corporate sustainability research from a strategic perspective: A reflective appraisal and suggestions for improvement: Journal of Environmental Investing: Special Issue on "The State of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) data and metrics." 8(1), 74-91
• Venkataraman S. & Ray S. (2014 a). “Caribbean Information & Credit Rating Services Ltd. – A”. Case Study. Ivey Publishing
• Venkataraman S. & Ray S. (2014 b). “Caribbean Information & Credit Rating Services Ltd. – B”. Case Study. Ivey Publishing
• Venkataraman S. & Das R. (2014). Influence of Corporate Social Media in Strategic Decision Processes. In I. Lee (Ed.) Integrating Social Media into Business Practice, Applications, Management and Models. IGI Global, Pennsylvania
• Venkataraman S. & Das R. (2013). The influence of corporate social media in firm level strategic decision-making. International Journal of E-Business Research, 9(1), 33-55