Karthik Balakrishnan is a leading researcher in accounting and teaches Financial Accounting and Financial Statement Analysis at the MBA and Executive MBA programs. He also teaches in the Executive Education and PhD Programs at Rice. He has received multiple awards for his teaching, including twice in 2021 and 2022 from the students at Rice. Prior to joining Rice, Karthik was at the London Business School where he taught financial accounting to the MBA, EMBA (London and Dubai), MiM and doctoral students. He is a recipient of the London Business School Excellence in Teaching Award in 2019. Prior to joining London Business School, Dr. Balakrishnan was at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

His research investigates the economic consequences of corporate disclosure, financial reporting and disclosure regulations. His recent research agenda focuses on financial reporting regulations in the banking sector. His research interests include accounting issues related to financial intermediaries and implications of accounting for the functioning of capital markets. He has a PhD from New York University and his work has been published in leading academic journals such as the Journal of Finance, Journal of Accounting and Economics, Journal of Accounting Research and The Accounting Review. He is regularly invited to give talks in leading academic institutions around the world and has been invited to present his research in highly selective conferences.