Fintech: Concepts and Practice

Kiran Kumar K V is a seasoned finance professional, educator, and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience spanning banking, academia, and fintech research. He is the Founder CEO of The FinTech School (A nexus of Industry, Academia & Regulators of FinTech ecosystem) and Co-Founder of DeltaPe Technologies Private Limited (A web-based Payment & Lending platform for educational institutions).
His academic credentials include a Post-Graduate Diploma in Finance & Marketing, Masters Graduation in Commerce, and professional certifications including CFA (USA), CMA (India), and CAIIB. An accomplished author, Kiran previously published FinTech for Managers: A Handbook, which was widely accepted by readers across. His research area in PhD is Corporate Finance Behaviour and his research work has been published in ABDC-accredited journals, Scopus-indexed publications, and the CMA Research Bulletin.
An ex-banker and wealth manager, Kiran spent nearly 6 years at HSBC Retail Banking and Wealth Management, advancing to Associate Vice President - Premier. In his consulting practice, Kiran works as an External Audit Consultant for a US-based FinTech firm and serves numerous clients across USA, Singapore, and Japan. He extends his domain expertise to a number of startups and MSMEs, providing strategic guidance in technology solutions design for BFSI and wealth products, fintech strategy, startup finance, and HNI wealth advisory.
He has delivered FinTech & Financial Engineering courses as Guest Faculty at IIM Kozhikode, IIT Patna, and Masters' Union Gurugram, He holds Visiting Faculty positions at BITS Pilani (Hyderabad), TAPMI (Bangalore), Alliance University, NMIMS, We School & SIMS. He is also an Adjunct Faculty at Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon, Vidyashilp University, Ramaiah Institute of Management. He has mentored students of University of Chicago (UIC), Illinois, USA as part of a corporate mentoring program. His teaching portfolio encompasses FinTech, Financial Analytics, Financial Engineering, and AI in Finance, with proficiency in Excel, Python, PowerBI, Figma, R, and SPSS.

Dr. Vidhu Shekhar is a distinguished academic, fintech expert, and former investment banker specializing in blockchain, financial innovation, and strategic investments. With a career spanning academia and high-stakes finance, he brings a rare blend of theoretical depth and hands-on execution.
He holds a Ph.D. in Financial Economics from IIM Calcutta, an MBA from IIM Calcutta (2006), and a B.Tech (H) from IIT Kharagpur (2004). Before academia, he built a formidable career in financial services, working across global investment banks and multi-billion-dollar private equity and hedge funds, closing major M&A and investment deals.
Currently a Faculty of Finance & Economics at Bhavan’s SP Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR), Dr. Shekhar teaches Fintech, AI/ML, Blockchain, and Corporate Finance, earning top-tier feedback from MBA students, CXOs, and senior executives. His fintech courses are widely recognized for their real-world applicability and strategic depth. He has also co-led long-term executive programs in AI/ML, fintech, and blockchain, shaping the next generation of industry leaders.
His research spans Financial Economics, FinTech, and AI, with expertise in blockchain, complex systems, computational finance, and global financial economics. A proficient coder in R and Python, he actively integrates computational methods into financial and economic research. Beyond academia, he is a co-founder of generative AI firms in finance and actively engages in fintech and AI innovation projects.
A prolific writer, Dr. Shekhar has authored various academic publications, delivered talks at international conferences, and contributed expert analysis to leading media outlets. His previous book, Fintech for Managers: A Handbook, has been widely acclaimed as a practical guide for executives.
In Blockchain for Business Applications: From Cryptographic Principles to Business Integration, Dr. Shekhar distills his deep expertise to provide a clear, actionable roadmap for executives and enterprises looking to harness blockchain’s transformative power.