Chairman, IIM Trichy

M Damodaran IAS (Retd)

Ex. Chairman, SEBI

M Damodaran has received a "Lifetime Achievement Award" for public governance from the Asian Center for corporate governance, Sustainability and Leadership. Shri TKA Nair Advisor to Prime Minister gave away the award.

A member of the premier Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Manipur- Tripura cadre, since 1971, M. Damodaran has held a number of important positions in both the Central and State Governments and in India’s Financial Sector, before demitting office as Chairman, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in 2008. After a career spanning several regulatory and developmental assignments in the state of Tripura, he was appointed as its Chief Secretary in 1992, the youngest ever in the country to hold such a position in the State Government. Thereafter, he worked as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Banking Division, for five years, dealing with Government’s ownership functions of Public Sector Banks and being its interface with Reserve Bank of India (RBI). In 2001, he was appointed the Chairman of Unit Trust of India (UTI) to rescue India’s largest and oldest investment institution which had collapsed. His restoring of UTI to health and strength is widely acknowledged as the most successful turnaround story in India’s Financial Sector. He was simultaneously given charge of Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI), another of India’s major financial institutions, which too was restructured by him in an innovative manner, pulling it back from the brink, transforming it to a bank, and merging it with another commercial bank. As Chairman SEBI, he brought improved practices to India’s securities market. During his tenure at SEBI, he was elected Chairman of 80 member Emerging Markets Committee of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).

He is widely acknowledged as one of India’s foremost champion of Corporate Governance and has won several awards for Leadership, Governance, Transformation and Public Service. His areas of expertise include Financial Management, Securities Markets, Corporate Governance, Public Administration and Leadership. He is presently an independent consultant and corporate advisor, coach and mentor and sits on the Boards of several reputed companies.

List of Awards won by Mr. M. Damodaran

•        Public Service Excellence Award (2009) by All India Management Association

•        Rotary Award for Professional Excellence (2008) by Rotary International District 3050

•        Corporate Excellence for Policy Change Agent of the Year (2006-07) by Economic Times

•        India Business Leaders Award (2006) for Outstanding Contribution to the Cause of Indian Business by CNBC

•        Centenarian Professional Excellence Award (2005)

•        Finance Man of the Year (2005) by Bombay Management Association

•        Excellence Award (2005) by The Malayalee Club

•        Finance Man of the Year (2004) by Bombay Management Association, Association of Leasing and Financial Service Companies of India, Association of Merchant Bankers of India, Association of Mutual Funds in India, Finance Industry Development Council, Indian Merchant’s Chambers and Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India.

•        National Award for Outstanding Contribution in the Field of Public Service (2004) by Priyadarshini Academy at their 20th Anniversary Global Awards Function

•        Vocational Excellence Award (2003-04) by Rotary District 3140

•        Golden Peacock Award for Leadership in Corporate Transformation (2003)