Rangarajan K. Sundaram

Rangarajan K. Sundaram

Joined Stern 1996

Leonard N. Stern School of Business
Kaufman Management Center
44 West Fourth Street,
New York, NY 10012

E-mail rks1@stern.nyu.edu
Personal website

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Biography

Raghu Sundaram is Senior Vice-Chancellor and Head of Global Strategy for New York University, and Dean Emeritus and the Edward I. Altman Professor of Credit and Debt Markets at New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business. He served as Dean of NYU Stern from January 1, 2018 through June 30, 2024; and as Vice Dean for MBA Programs and Online Learning from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2017.

Under Raghu’s deanship, Stern raised over $400 million, including the three largest scholarship gifts in NYU’s history; created/expanded signature accessibility initiatives, such as the undergraduate Breakthrough and Berkley Scholars Programs and the graduate Fertitta Military Veterans MBA Program; shattered past records for incoming class metrics and student career outcomes, in both the undergraduate college and the MBA; launched a number of successful initiatives at the intersection of business, technology, and entrepreneurship, including the Andre Koo Tech MBA, the Endless Frontier Labs, and the Khubani BS in Business, Technology, and Entrepreneurship; created new initiatives around leadership, financial history, sustainability, real estate, climate finance, purpose and flourishing, and other areas; expanded the School’s physical footprint to Washington, D.C., London and Shanghai, soon to be joined by an MBA jointly with NYUAD that will launch in January 2025; launched its first online degree program; and established the School’s first Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

Raghu’s academic work in finance spans a number of areas including agency problems, executive compensation, corporate finance, derivatives pricing, and credit risk and credit derivatives. He has also published extensively in mathematical economics, decision theory, and game theory. His research has appeared in leading academic journals in finance and economics, as well as in several practitioner-oriented journals. He is the author of two books: A First Course in Optimization Theory (Cambridge University Press, 1996) and Derivatives: Principles and Practice (McGraw-Hill, 2010).

Raghu has taught courses across Stern’s Undergraduate, MBA, PhD, and Executive Education programs. Of all the awards he has received over the years, he is most proud of being the inaugural recipient of Stern’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 2007. He has a long record of service to the School and the University, including two terms as chair of the University’s Faculty Senators Council (2013-15) and as a member of NYU’s Presidential Search Committee in both 2014 and 2023. He currently serves as a member of the Governing Council of Krea University and the Advisory Board of the Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University in Beijing, China.

Prior to joining NYU Stern in 1996, Raghu was on the faculty of the University of Rochester from 1988-96. He received a bachelor of arts degree in economics from the University of Madras, India, in 1982; an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, in 1984; and his MA and PhD in economics from Cornell University in 1987 and 1988, respectively.

Research Interests

  • Derivatives: equity, interest-rate, & credit-risk
  • Agency & executive compensation
  • Corporate finance
  • Other finance
  • Dynamic & stochastic games
  • Optimal learning & bandit problems
  • Other game theory, economics, & dynamic programming

Courses Taught

  • Derivatives Pricing
  • Risk-Management

Academic Background

Ph.D., Economics, 1988
Cornell University

M.A., Economics, 1987
Cornell University

M.B.A., Operations, 1984
Indian Institute of Management, Ahemedabad, India

B.A., Economics, 1982
University of Madras, India

Related News & Research

An open letter to US policymakers, signed by Dean Raghu Sundaram and more than 60 b-school deans and business leaders, underscoring the importance of international mobility to the global economy is highlighted

Dean Raghu Sundaram joins other deans in sharing recommended summer reads for future business majors; Professor Dolly Chugh's book, "The Person You Mean to Be," is highlighted

Dean Raghu Sundaram and Professor and Vice Dean of MBA programs JP Eggers highlight how Stern's focused Andre Koo Tech MBA and Fashion & Luxury MBA programs are meeting the evolving needs of students and employers

In a trend story on business education in 2019, Dean Raghu Sundaram explains why he believes the MBA degree will continue to thrive

Professor Paul Romer's fireside chat with Dean Raghu Sundaram is featured

In a feature story on NYU Stern, 10 Class of 2020 MBA students are profiled; Dean Raghu Sundaram highlights the growth in Stern Solutions projects; and Professor and Vice Dean of MBA Programs JP Eggers cites the School's strength in technology

In a feature profile, Dean Raghu Sundaram showcases Stern's reputation in finance, technology and engagement with the business community to prepare future leaders to lead a changing business world

Dean Raghu Sundaram highlights innovations at Stern, from new programs to live case studies to entrepreneurial initiatives

Dean Raghu Sundaram discusses the growing demand for talent with expertise in both technology and business, highlighting Stern's Andre Koo Tech MBA program

The appointment of ​Raghu Sundaram ​as Dean ​is featured

In an in-depth interview, Dean Raghu Sundaram shares his outlook on volatility and risk management in financial markets and the recent fraud at Punjab National Bank in India

In an interview, Dean Raghu Sundaram shares his views on financial risk management and volatility

The appointment of ​Raghu Sundaram ​as Dean ​is featured

The appointment of ​Raghu Sundaram ​as Dean ​is spotlighted

Professor Deepak Hegde and Vice Dean of MBA Programs Raghu Sundaram are quoted about the launch of Stern's new Creative Destruction Lab (CDL)

NYU Stern Announces the Establishment of the First Creative Destruction Lab in the U.S.

12 MBA students from Stern's ​Cl​ass of 2019 are profiled; Vice Dean Raghu Sundaram highlights​ the “Stern Solutions” ​experiential learning program​; Associate Dean of MBA Admissions Isser Gallogly stresses the importance of EQ

Cocktails & Conversation with Dean Peter Henry and Vice Dean Raghu Sundaram in Washington, D.C.

Vice Dean Raghu Sundaram is interviewed about Stern's new Executive MBA program in Washington, D.C.

NYU Stern Expands its Executive MBA Program to Washington, D.C.

Areas of Expertise

Economics

  • Game Theory

Finance

  • Asset Management
  • Corporate Finance
  • Credit/Debt Markets
  • Derivatives
  • Hedge Funds
  • International Finance
  • Securities Markets
  • Valuation
  • Volatility Market