Dr. Vidhu Shekhar brings a unique blend of rich academic lineage and extensive industry experience to his role as Faculty at Bhavan's S P Jain Institute of Management & Research, Mumbai. He specializes in Financial Economics and Fintech. His illustrious academic background includes a Ph.D. from IIM Calcutta, an MBA from IIM Calcutta, and a B.Tech. from IIT Kharagpur, where he received several awards for building AI applications in optimal designing of aircraft wings. Post his MBA and before entering academia, Dr. Shekhar accrued valuable industry expertise across the cross-section of financial services, having worked with Multibillion-Dollar Hedge Funds and Indian/International Investment Banks, allowing him to adeptly navigate complex financial systems and landscapes. Dr. Shekhar has a deep research interest in the digital transformation of financial ecosystems, including integrating Blockchain Technology, Digital & Crypto Currencies, AI, and other technologies to enhance transactional efficiency and advance financial services. He is also an expert in financial and heterodox economics. Additionally, he advises several fintech startups and is a co-founder of a B2B SaaS Fintech firm.