The vantage point we bring…

Alok Karkera | Founder & Principal Consultant

Alok founded ACAI to bring institutional rigour and strategic clarity to leadership and organisations navigating an increasingly complex world. A Chartered Accountant with over 26 years in banking and financial services, his career uniquely bridges global flows with inclusive grassroots finance.

• Executive Leadership: Former CFO of Prachay Capital, where he led capital raising, including three oversubscribed public debenture issues within seven months, and strengthened corporate governance through policy design. Over 20 years at Citi India, including 2006 to 2020 in the Corporate & Investment Bank, advising private and public sector clients across banks, NBFCs, aviation, oil and gas, fertilisers, power utilities, municipal corporations and policy institutions. At Axis Bank, he consolidated the bank's public sector undertaking (PSU) business in West and South India, and built and scaled an assessment-based lending business for rural and semi-urban India. Earlier experience includes ABN Amro.

• Full-Spectrum Expertise: Deep operational experience that spans high-value international cross-border corridors and ground-level Indian credit models.

• Policy & Thought Leadership: Selected as Joint Chairperson of the AI Finance Policy Forum at FIAKS, he is a five-time "FIAKS Maven" and a 2024 FIAKS Pathfinder Award recipient (CXO Professional). A frequent industry speaker and moderator, he recently participated alongside industry leaders at Elevate, the ICAI CFO Forum in Pune, held with ZEE Business. He is also an active coach and mentor to emerging finance leaders.