Strategic Pillar
Research & Institutional Intelligence
Generating multidisciplinary insights, benchmarking studies, and institutional research to strengthen India's professional services ecosystem.
01. Research Philosophy
The Research pillar serves as the analytical backbone of CAFE by converting ecosystem challenges into structured insights, frameworks, and evidence-based recommendations.
02. Research Areas
Multidisciplinary focus domains.
Accounting & audit transformation
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Governance and compliance
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ESG & sustainability
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AI & technology in finance
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Risk management
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Professional services benchmarking
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Institutional capability studies
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03. Research Outputs
Structured insights & analysis.
04. Pillar Mentors
Experts guiding our research.
Siddharth Rastogi
Siddhartha Rastogi is a seasoned financial professional with over 24 years of experience, currently serving as the Principal Officer, Managing Director & Chief Operating Officer at leading Asset Management arm of a Leading full service Investment Bank. He is a visionary leader specializing in capital markets, fundraising, behavioural finance, and people management. Key highlights of his career and expertise: Thought Leadership & Author: He is a prominent voice in finance and life, with popular articles on social media and columns in magazines like Moneywise and TradeMaker. Siddhartha is the author of two books: "The 100X Formula" and "8 Minute Decision." Expert Speaker & Educator: A highly sought-after speaker, he frequently addresses top B-schools (including IIMs) and institutions like IIT Mumbai on leadership, finance, and innovation. He is also a founding faculty member at Masters' Union School of Business and a mentor at the Meghnad Desai Academy of Economics. Corporate Experience: Before the invesment bank, he held senior positions at HSBC (where he was the youngest branch head and made it the most profitable) and UTI Bank (where he pioneered India's first credit card receivables securitization). Social Impact:He is an honors graduate from Delhi University and a gold medalist from NMIMS. Beyond his professional life, he is deeply committed to social causes, serving on the advisory boards of several NGOs focused on education, empowerment for the differently-abled, and community development.
Ankit Shah
Dr. Ankit Shah is a qualified financial professional (Fellow Chartered Accountant and Company Secretary) and a prominent public commentator on foreign policy and security, with a focus on the Bhartiya Upmahadweep. He is the creator of the "Sanatan Economics Model" and runs a popular YouTube channel where he shares his projections on geopolitics and geoeconomics. Dr. Shah has gained significant attention for reportedly predicting several major global events, including the Doklam standoff, the removal of Article 370, the LAC standoff, and conflicts in Ukraine and Israel-Iran. An active speaker, he frequently addresses national and international forums, has authored several books on geopolitics, and has served as an Academic and Research Associate at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A).
Jinendra Khara
Jinendra Khara is an experienced international trade and investment professional with over two decades of work across government, industry, and global markets. He currently leads trade and investment initiatives within a local government in Queensland, Australia, where he works to attract global investment, create jobs, and strengthen regional supply chains by coordinating support across multiple government agencies. Earlier in his career, he served with the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), where he managed the Gujarat region in India and supported engagement across South Asia. He is also a Management Committee Member of the Australia India Business Council (Queensland), where he works to strengthen bilateral trade and investment. Khara is recognized for his collaborative approach, ability to build trusted relationships, and a focus on connecting long-term strategy with tangible economic outcomes.
05. Research Repository
Featured publications.
Professional Services Capability Index
Indian Governance Framework
ESG Assessment Model