India, Aug 4: FLAME University, Pune, has appointed Professor Raunaq S. Pungaliya as Dean of the FLAME School of Business and ENAM Professor of Finance. A financial economist and academic leader with a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Iowa, Professor Pungaliya brings global institutional experience and expertise at the intersection of corporate finance, asset management, and artificial intelligence.

In his new role, Professor Pungaliya will lead the FLAME School of Business, bringing his experience in finance, analytics, and artificial intelligence to further strengthen FLAME University's globally engaged approach to management education.

Professor Pungaliya joins FLAME University from the SKK Graduate School of Business  in Seoul, where he served as Vice Dean, Professor of Finance, and Director of the AI in Business Innovation Lab. During his tenure, he led the design and launch of several degree programs, including the Master of Science in Business Analytics, the Business Analytics MBA, and the AI MBA. He has also served as a Senior Visiting Scholar at the Reserve Bank of India's Center for Advanced Financial Research and Learning  and as an International Faculty Fellow at the MIT Sloan School of Management. His research has appeared in leading journals, including the Accounting Review, Management Science, and the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, and he is a recipient of over a dozen teaching awards.

Commenting on the appointment, Prof. Dishan Kamdar, Vice-Chancellor, FLAME University, said,

 “Professor Pungaliya's appointment marks an important addition to the academic leadership of FLAME University. His distinguished experience in building world-class academic programmes, advancing impactful research, and fostering collaborations across leading global institutions aligns strongly with our vision of delivering a rigorous, interdisciplinary, and globally relevant education. I am confident that his academic leadership, strategic perspective, and commitment to excellence will further strengthen the FLAME School of Business and enrich the learning experience of our students and faculty alike.”

Speaking on his appointment, Professor Raunaq S. Pungaliya said,

 “Great business schools are built at the intersection of rigor and relevance. As data and artificial intelligence reshape how companies lead, market, and create value, the leaders who matter will be the ones who can see the whole board. That is what excites me about FLAME. Its interdisciplinary foundation is built for exactly this moment, and my ambition is to grow a school whose graduates have the depth to master a field and the breadth to lead across all of them.”

Professor Pungaliya's appointment reflects FLAME University's continued commitment to interdisciplinary, globally engaged management education and its focus on preparing future business leaders for an evolving world.