About Us | Pierag

Ethos

Purpose

Inspiring people to do things that inspire them

Ambition

Foster excellence today to enrich the possibilities of tomorrow

Vision

To be the market leader in serving global clients distinctively

Driving Impact

Our Core Team

Founders

Leaders

Abhishek Gupta

Founder and Managing Partner

Thomas (“Tom”) J. Raffa

Founder

Pierian Services Private Limited

Abhishek, describing himself as a visionary, combined his passion towards work with consistency and marked his two decades of professional journey as a leading expert in the offshoring industry - Global Assurance, Advisory services, and Business Controllership. Explicitly showcasing his passion towards his work, Abhishek has paved his way from serving Assurance clients in PwC, then being a Financial Controller with Fullerton (Temasek entity), followed by being a part of the core leadership team for EY Global Delivery Services and leading the Americas Assurance commercial practice and managing a team of 1600 professionals. Along with being an expert in diverse fields of Assurance and Advisory, Abhishek sits on the advisory board of various prestigious institutions complementing his traits as a compassionate leader and a great mentor, motivating others by stimulating their creative perspective and precision in thoughts. His mantra? It’s simple yet powerful: be passionate, love what you do, and approach challenges with a solution-oriented mindset; thereby driving the organization of 150+ professionals with the purpose of “Inspiring people to do things that inspire them.” With a curious mind, always eager to expand his knowledge horizon, talking about something interesting like a unique business plan, futuristic approaches, aspirations and much more, excites Abhishek a lot. Drawing engagement from the discussions and optimistic feedback from his loved ones, he finds peace in knowing that his approaches lead to positive outcomes. An ambitious and futuristic entrepreneur who enjoys producing events, shopping, and connecting with family and friends during weekends, our Founder is a perfect blend of productivity, innovation, and joy. Aligning his interests in event management to now managing an entire venture, Abhishek sums up his journey as enjoyable, accomplished, and with no regrets.

Professional Qualifications and Certifications:

Chartered Accountant
Bachelor of Commerce

Expertise:

Global Assurance (Audits) and Advisory
Building scalable solutions – GCCs, Offshoring
Private Client services
Business controllership
Growth Strategy
Margin improvement and Cost Optimization

Gaurav Khandelwal

Partner & Leader - Risk Advisory

Gaurav Popli

Partner - Business Risk Advisory

Sarika Gosain

Partner & Leader – ESG & Sustainability

Sanchit Gupta

Managing Director - Assurance

Manik Bansal

Leader - Accounting & Transaction Advisory

Dipesh Khushalani

Director - Technology Risk Advisory

Shubham Bindal

Director - Accounting Advisory

Amit Makwana

Director - Accounting Advisory

Gaurav is a Risk Advisory Practice Leader at Pierag Consulting, one of the fastest-growing firms in the advisory space. A Chartered Accountant by profession, he is a seasoned Governance, Risk, and Compliance professional with over 20 years of experience in consulting and industry. An ex-Big 4 leader, he is renowned for advising clients on managing risks and assisting large-scale organizations in implementing robust governance frameworks across sectors such as real estate, infrastructure, consumer products, beverages, hospitality, and healthcare. In his industry role, Gaurav was instrumental in driving the culture and implementing frameworks across governance, risk, and compliance. Under his leadership, Tata Realty won prestigious accolades, including the Risk and Compliance Awards at ICICI Lombard and the CNBC TV18 India Risk Management Awards. Earlier, in his leadership roles at Big 4, he led multiple risk-based internal audit engagements for diverse clients, including companies engaged in the operations and maintenance of roads, steel manufacturing across multiple locations, leading players in the Indian credit card market, and liquor manufacturers with several bottling units. He has also worked on enterprise risk management engagements, developing frameworks to effectively identify and address strategic and operational risks through structured monitoring and reporting mechanisms. For instance, he assisted a leading footwear company in re-assessing its ERM framework, prioritizing key risks, and co-developing a comprehensive mitigation plan. Gaurav has extensive experience in compliance program implementation, where he has been responsible for setting up compliance functions and reporting structures, ensuring comprehensive mapping of legal and regulatory requirements across functions, and strengthening ongoing compliance monitoring. Additionally, he successfully managed end-to-end IFC implementation for one of India’s leading healthcare brands, covering 24 hospitals across the country.

Key Expertise and Achievements

Risk-Based Internal Audits and Internal Controls Assurance
IFC/SOX Readiness, Implementation, and Compliance
Enterprise Risk Management Frameworks and Mitigation Planning
Business Process Reengineering and Regulatory Compliance
Large-scale IFC implementation in the healthcare industry (24 hospitals)
Award-winning governance and compliance leadership at Tata Realty.

Gaurav Popli is a Partner in the Risk Advisory practice at Pierag. With over 15 years of experience in Risk Advisory, SOX compliance, and Statutory Audit, he specializes in helping organizations go beyond risk management to build resilience and create lasting business value. His career is marked by a deep commitment to clients, having worked extensively with both US SEC-registered and privately held companies. An expert in global talent strategy, Gaurav excels at building and leading high-performing offshore teams, effectively extending support and expertise to US-based clients with efficiency and scale. Gaurav is the go-to expert for organizations aiming to strengthening their control environment. He is a recognized specialist in SOX readiness and compliance, material weakness remediation, and controls rationalization. He has assisted public companies and IPO-bound organizations through the critical process of building robust, yet agile, internal control frameworks. Gaurav has spearheaded numerous initiatives focused on improving operational efficiency and control effectiveness. His approach involves reassessing SOX scoping through targeted risk assessments, rationalizing controls to eliminate redundant activities and reduce testing efforts and aligning processes with automation. Prior to joining Pierag, Gaurav played a defining role with EY GDS in the Assurance practice, serving the US East region. As a Senior Manager, he was instrumental in leading complex listed engagements, first-year audits and startup engagements. Education & Qualifications: Gaurav is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, University of Delhi.

Carrying experience of over 15 years, Sanchit is a Business Strategist with credentials for setting up innovative and scalable business growth solutions. Having prior work experience with EY and investing 3 years in Houston, Texas on a large SEC filer client in the Oil & Gas sector as part of an international assignment gave Sanchit different perspectives and opportunities to work with professionals from diverse cultural backgrounds from across the globe. Sanchit brings a unique blend of his analytical, management and leadership skills to the table. Working with Pierag Consulting, he is the architect of the business and front lead operating models, firm-level policies, client-level and firm-level standard operating procedures, mobility planning, capacity planning, learning and development to enhance quality delivery, performance evaluation of the team, asset management, review of business performance, firm economics, identification, and Implementation of new technologies. Growing as a good time-manager coupled with a futuristic approach, Sanchit reflects upon his interests to fuel his curiosity with readings on economics, self-help, finance, and leadership. In moments of reflection, Our Director finds solace in the soothing melodies of meditational music in the open air, providing a tranquil escape from the demands of everyday life. Encountering every challenge that comes across through journaling, Sanchit approaches each decision with calculative precision, ensuring success at every turn.He maintains a solution-oriented mindset, an extra inclination towards technology, and goes by a belief that patience combined with smart work leads to triumph. But it’s not all about numbers and the strategy – Sanchit is also a symbol of prevalence and determination, having completed a challenging 10km marathon. And now, amidst the hustle and bustle of professional life, he has reignited his childhood passion for cycling, thus embracing the joy of movement while maintaining a healthy mindset. Outside the office, Our Director embraces life’s simple pleasures, enjoying leisurely walks on weekends, regularly practicing fitment routines, and exploring diverse cuisines. Having explored the fair part of the US, Europe, and India, he extends his desire to travel the world and engage in different cultures and food.

Professional Qualifications and Certifications:

Chartered Accountant
Certified Public Accountant (AICPA)
Company Secretary
Chief Financial Analyst
Bachelor of Commerce

Expertise:

Assurance (Statutory Audits)
Data Analytics
Client Sectors include Oil & Gas, Technology, Consumer Retail and E-Commerce

“What I enjoy most is helping clients make sense of complexity and building confidence in their decision-making,” For Manik Bansal, accounting advisory has always been about more than numbers—it’s about solving unique business problems, navigating change, and guiding clients through moments that truly matter. Over the course of 15+ years with Deloitte, EY, and now Pierag Consulting, he has worked with US SEC registrants and global issuers on everything from new standards implementation to complex transaction accounting and financial reporting compliance. At Pierag, Manik leads the Accounting Advisory practice, where he manages a portfolio of large-scale projects spanning revenue recognition, lease accounting, share-based payments, and business combinations under both US GAAP and IFRS. He is particularly proud of mentoring his team and instilling a culture of quality, collaboration, and continuous learning. “It’s not just about getting the accounting right—it’s about developing people who can carry that knowledge forward,” he notes. Earlier in his career at EY, Manik played a key role in setting up a subject matter expert team for non-recurring transaction accounting and worked closely with the firm’s National Professional Practice Group in New York on revenue, leases, and credit impairment. At Deloitte, he was part of the Global Centre of Excellence on IFRS reporting, gaining deep exposure to audits of foreign private issuers and PCAOB inspections. Along the way, he earned recognition for excellence in service delivery, including EY’s “Pinnacle” award, as well as “Extra-Miler” and “Best Trainer” honors. Beyond his professional achievements, colleagues know Manik as approachable and collaborative, someone who takes genuine pride in building high-performing teams. Outside of work, he values time with family and friends and enjoys exploring new perspectives that keep him grounded and energized. Expertise - Technical Accounting, SEC Reporting, Project Governance, Building High Performing Teams Industries- Technology, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas, Private Equity and Venture Capital Linked in profile link - Manik Bansal | LinkedIn Education – Chartered accountant, ACCA Diploma in IFRS

“What excites me most is combining traditional accounting expertise with technology to solve problems in new ways,” For Shubham Bindal, accounting advisory is about bridging deep technical rigor with forward-looking innovation. Over the course of 11+ years with Deloitte, EY, and now Pierag Consulting, he has advised U.S. SEC filers and private companies on audit readiness, financial reporting, technical accounting, and automation. At Pierag, Shubham serves as a Director in the Accounting Advisory practice, where he supports clients on complex accounting and reporting challenges while also expanding the practice’s service portfolio. He has successfully led multiple audit readiness engagements, helping companies navigate complex audit roadblocks, and continues to provide hands-on guidance across Business combination, revenue recognition, leases, share-based payments, and debt/equity classification. Earlier in his career at EY, Shubham was a subject matter expert on technical accounting topics and played a pivotal role in scaling specialized SME teams. He was also deeply involved in developing technical training materials and delivering workshops that strengthened firmwide capability. His contributions extended to automation initiatives, where he contributed to various tools. At Deloitte, he gained extensive PCAOB audit experience and was a member of the Global Centre of Excellence (GCoE) for IFRS reporting. His work there spanned consolidation, service concession arrangements, and IFRS conversion projects, with industry exposure ranging from oil & gas and power generation and distribution, technology, pharmaceuticals, and media. Throughout his career, Shubham has been recognized for excellence in both client service and innovation, earning accolades such as the prestigious “Emerging Intrapreneur Award,” “Exceptional Client Service,” “Best Trainer,” and “Move the Dot” award. He is also an active contributor to national-level accounting and audit boards, shaping professional practice guidance. Beyond the technical and professional sphere, Shubham is known for his curiosity and drive to explore how AI and automation can transform finance functions. Colleagues describe him as collaborative and approachable, someone who not only solves complex problems but also inspires teams to think differently. Outside of work, he finds energy in exploring new ideas, mentoring young professionals, and spending quality time with family and friends Expertise – Technical Accounting, Financial Reporting, Audit Readiness and Process Automation, Artificial Intelligence. Industries – Oil & Gas, Pharmaceutical, Power, Media, Not-for-profit. Linkedin profile link - Shubham Bindal | LinkedIn

“What I enjoy most is strengthening finance functions so they can deliver both accuracy and business insight,” For Amit Makwana, strong finance leadership is about more than closing the books—it’s about building resilient controllership functions and shaping forward-looking insights through FP&A. With over 15 years of experience across EY, PwC, CFGI, and Siegfried Group—most of it in the United States—he has supported US SEC filers and private companies with controllership, operational finance, and performance management. At Pierag Consulting, Amit is a Director in the Accounting Advisory practice. He currently leads multiple controllership and risk optimization projects, helps streamline close and reporting cycles, and manages teams driving improvements in forecasting, budgeting, and financial planning. His work often blends compliance with forward-looking analysis—helping finance leaders not just report the past, but anticipate the future. Before joining Pierag, Amit was a Senior Manager in CFGI’s Accounting & Advisory practice, where he served as revenue leader for a large SaaS public company. In that role, he managed period close tasks, quarterly and annual revenue disclosures, and provided technical expertise on revenue recognition. At Siegfried Group, he led teams assisting public and private companies with operational, reporting, and accounting needs—most notably guiding a private company through its first-year audit in just three months while drafting its inaugural accounting policies, financial statements, and footnotes. Earlier at EY, Amit served as account executive on audits of Fortune 500 companies, where he oversaw complex reporting areas and gained deep experience in governance, compliance, and large-scale transaction reviews. His industry exposure includes telecommunications, media and entertainment, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, biotechnology, and technology/SaaS. With expertise spanning controllership, FP&A, and financial reporting, Amit brings a balanced perspective to finance functions. Colleagues know him for his ability to optimize reporting processes, strengthen planning disciplines, and mentor teams to deliver with both precision and agility. Outside of work, Amit values connecting with people, exploring new ideas, and spending time with family and friends. Expertise - Technical and Operational Accounting, Financial Reporting, Financial Planning and Analysis. Industries- Telecommunications, Media & Entertainment, Pharmaceutical, Technology / SaaS. Linked in profile link - Amit Makwana | LinkedIn Education – M.B.A Finance & Accounting (USA) M.S. Accounting (USA) CPA, Massachusetts State