People
Our Research Advisors
Dr. Naushad Forbes
Co-Chairman,
Forbes Marshall
Dr. Naushad Forbes
Co-Chairman, Forbes Marshall
Naushad Forbes is Co-Chairman of Forbes Marshall and past president CII. Naushad is a founding member of Nayanta University spearheaded by CII. He taught at Stanford University from 1987 to 2004 where he developed courses on Technology in Newly Industrializing Countries.
He is on the board of several educational institutions and public companies. His book, The Struggle and the Promise: Restoring India’s Potential, was published in 2022. Naushad received his Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD Degrees from Stanford.
Dr. Farhad Forbes
Co-Chairman,
Forbes Marshall
Dr. Farhad Forbes
Co-Chairman, Forbes Marshall
Farhad Forbes is Co-Chairman of Forbes Marshall and former global Chairman Family Business Network - International (FBN-I). He is a past Chairman of the CII National Committee on Affirmative Action and a past Chairman of CII western region.
He is a past member of various advisory councils at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. Farhad received his B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford and M.S. in Management from the Sloan Master’s Program at Stanford.
Janak Nabar
Chief Executive Officer,
CTIER
Janak Nabar
Chief Executive Officer, CTIER
Janak Nabar has been leading CTIER’s research initiatives. He has worked as an Economist and Investment Strategist in Singapore and the UNHCR in Serbia. He has served on various Government and Industry committees to inform innovation policy.
He is a trustee and on the governing council of various healthcare and education NGOs. Janak holds a BA in Mathematics from the University of Pune, an MA in Mathematics from Oxford and an MSc in Econometrics & Mathematical Economics from LSE.
Riah Forbes
Member,
Forbes Marshall Supervisory Board
Riah Forbes
Member, Forbes Marshall Supervisory Board
Riah Forbes works on digital initiatives, communication, and strategy for Forbes Marshall. She also works to remove barriers to success for leaders in the Indian social sector, particularly those from marginalised communities.
Her work experience includes time at Google, Endless Computers (a social enterprise building low-cost technology for emerging markets), and Omidyar Network. Riah holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a master's in Public Administration and International Development from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Dr. Sunil Mani
Former Director,
Centre for Development Studies
Dr. Sunil Mani
Former Director, Centre for Development Studies
Dr Sunil Mani is an Honorary Visiting Professor at the Centre for Development Studies (CDS), Thiruvananthapuram. He was Director and RBI Chair Professor at CDS, and head of graduate studies at the now UNU-MERIT, Maastricht.
His recent books include ‘Rise to Market Leadership, New Leading Firms from Emerging Countries’ (co-edited with Franco Malerba and Pamela Adams) published in 2017, and ‘India’s Economy and Society, Lateral Explorations’ (co-edited with Chidambaran Iyer) published in 2021. Dr Mani obtained his M. Phil and PhD in Economics from JNU.
Dr. Rakesh Basant
Former Prof of Economics,
IIM Ahmedabad
Dr. Rakesh Basant
Former Prof of Economics, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
Dr Rakesh Basant is a former Professor of Economics and JSW Professor of Innovation and Public Policy at IIM, Ahmedabad. He was a member of the Indian Prime Minister’s.
High-Level Committee (also known as Sachar Committee) that wrote a report on the Social, Economic and Educational Conditions of Muslims in India. His research interests include firm strategy, innovation, intellectual property rights, entrepreneurial business models, public policy and regulation. His book ‘The Black Box – Innovation and Public Policy in India’ was published in 2021.
Prof. Pankaj Chandra
Vice Chancellor,
Ahmedabad University
Prof. Pankaj Chandra
Vice Chancellor, Ahmedabad University
Professor Pankaj Chandra is the Vice Chancellor, Ahmedabad University. He has served as Director, IIM Bangalore, Professor of Operations and Technology Management, IIM Ahmedabad, and as faculty at McGill University. He was a member of the Government of India’s Yashpal Committee on Higher Education. He serves on the board of several firms and institutions.
His research interests include manufacturing, supply chains, technological capabilities, higher education, and hi-tech entrepreneurship. His book, ‘Building Universities that Matter’ was published in 2017. Professor Chandra holds a BTech from the Banaras Hindu University and a PhD from Wharton.