Mahendra Kumar Chouhan

Prof. Mahendra Kumar Chouhan: Board Advisor | Thought Leader |Professor | Author | Institution Builder

Prof. Mahendra Kumar Chouhan is a distinguished thought leader and institution builder with decades of impactful leadership in corporate governance, business ethics, leadership, and sustainability. As a strategist and board advisor, he is widely recognized for his commitment to business excellence and long-term value creation, particularly in the context of sustainable development in India and the Asia region.

He brings a unique blend of experience across three sectors—Business & Industry, Academia, and International Consulting—making him a sought-after expert and advisor across domains.

In the corporate sector, Prof. Chouhan has served as the Founding Chairman of Fino Payments Bank and continues to serve as an Independent Director on the boards of various listed and unlisted companies across diverse sectors, including financial services, housing and education finance, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, B2B marketplaces, and exhibitions.

In academia, he has held prestigious teaching and research roles. He served as Distinguished Professor – Executive Education at IIM Mumbai and currently teaches Business Ethics, Corporate Governance, and Sustainability at the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies. He has also been visiting faculty at IIT Bombay (SJMSOM) and Tilburg University, Netherlands, and is a regular guest faculty member at the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

In the field of international consulting, Prof. Chouhan worked for over six years with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – World Bank Group. He currently leads Mahendra & Ardneham Consulting (P) Ltd, a specialized board advisory firm focused on embedding sustainability into corporate strategy.

Prof. Chouhan is deeply involved in institution building and social impact initiatives. He is Chairman of the Mahendra & Young Knowledge Foundation, Vice Chairman of the Global Advisory Board at the Asian Centre for Corporate Governance & Sustainability, and elected Vice President of the IMC Chamber of Commerce & Industry for 2025–26. He is also a former President of the Bombay Management Association.

On the global stage, he serves as a member of the Global Council and Integrated Reporting & Connectivity Council (IFRS Foundation), the Council for Inclusive Capitalism (USA), and the Global Board of the International Institute of Governance and Leadership (Amsterdam).

He has contributed to national regulatory frameworks as a member of the SEBI Committee on Corporate Governance and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs Committee for the National Policy on Corporate Governance.

Prof. Chouhan holds a degree in science and an MBA with a specialization in finance. He is certified by the Global Corporate Governance Forum (IFC – World Bank Group) as a board trainer and has completed an executive program on corporate governance from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

An accomplished public speaker and frequent contributor at international forums, Prof. Chouhan also values holistic well-being—practicing yoga for spiritual grounding and engaging in tennis and golf for physical fitness.