Policy & Finance
Koundinya Swaminathen
Data Analytics, Policy Analysis, and Strategic Decision-Making Under Uncertainty
Master of Public Policy
Harris School of Public Policy
Corporate Finance Analyst
Performance Improvement Practice
Technical Proficiency
Regression Analysis & Panel Data
Financial Models & Automation
Executive Presentations
Workflow Automation
Data Analysis & Scripting
Statistical Computing
CFA
Chartered Financial Analyst
In Progress
Global gold standard in investment management
Career Trajectory
A track record of operating in high-stakes, process-critical environments where analytical rigor, stakeholder coordination, and decision-ready communication directly influenced outcomes.
Gurgaon, India
January 2024 - July 2024
Pressure-Testing Business Viability
20+
Engagements
Due Diligence
Focus Area
6
Months
Operating Model Analysis
Evaluated business viability across 20+ engagements by pressure-testing operating models, unit economics, and growth assumptions to identify key trade-offs and downside risks.
Industry Benchmarking
Conducted company and industry research to benchmark performance across peers and scenarios, synthesizing insights to support prioritization of strategic options.
Data Governance
Maintained rigorous data validation, documentation, and version-control standards to ensure reliability and audit-readiness of materials used in client engagements.
Chicago, Illinois
June 2025 - August 2025
Operational Excellence & Process Redesign
300-400
Active Cases
500+
Workflows Redesigned
150+
Stakeholders
Financial Reconciliation
Operated in a high-volume, process-critical environment, reconciling financial records of 300-400 active cases by validating documentation and investigating discrepancies.
Stakeholder Coordination
Worked directly with 150+ external stakeholders to clarify requirements, resolve data gaps, and maintain accurate information flow, reinforcing trust and timely resolution.
Cross-Functional Alignment
Coordinated inputs across 4 internal teams and 15+ stakeholders to support rollout of a new case-management system, strengthening data governance and operational visibility.
Leadership Architecture
Harris School of Public Policy
September 2025 - December 2025
Public Finance Association, Harris School
September 2025 - June 2026
Harris Community Action - Plan4Success
November 2024 - March 2025
Research Archive
Policy Memo
25%
Revenue Earmark Proposed
Evidence-based regulatory framework for online gambling that balances fiscal benefits with harm mitigation through behavioral safeguards and targeted revenue allocation.
Undergraduate Thesis
30
States Analyzed
State-level panel analysis examining drivers of digital payment adoption across India, identifying the urban income effect and the healthcare infrastructure paradox.
Data Storytelling
Urban Income Effect
Positive correlation between per capita urban income and digital payment adoption (R² = 0.84)
Healthcare Paradox
States with high PHC density show 23% lower digital payment adoption due to legacy systems
30
States
5
Years
Fixed Effects
Methodology
The Investment Thesis
"I chose to pursue a Master of Public Policy as a way to apply economic and financial reasoning in environments that are complex, imperfect, and human: where decisions have real consequences."
My background has consistently been about understanding complexity, bringing structure to ambiguity, and supporting thoughtful, long-horizon decision-making. These are the same instincts I am eager to apply in settings where analysis carries ownership, capital allocation decisions compound over time, and judgment truly matters.
Looking across my path, from economics and finance to corporate finance at Bain, public-sector operations, policy training, and venture strategy coursework, a clear pattern emerges: I've intentionally explored before committing, prioritizing the development of judgment over early specialization.