TFS Gulf 
- Hi, I’m Gaganpreet Puri, ESG & Risk Consulting Partner at Grant Thornton Bharat.
- When I started in the early 2000s, forensics wasn’t even mainstream. I used to worry if I’d find a job if things didn’t work out.
- Today, when professionals leave our firm, they’re often flooded with five to six job offers or more.
- India is now among the top 3-4 global hubs for forensic talent, powering complex investigations for companies worldwide.
Jumped into Forensics without even knowing what it was
I started my career in 2000 with KPMG as a statutory auditor.
But I couldn’t see myself doing statutory audits forever.
I attended a few job interviews and it was the interviewers who introduced me to forensic accounting.
I liked them so I jumped in…And never looked back.
Eventually, I worked my way up to Partner at KPMG, then moved to PwC for a forensic opportunity, followed by a role as Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal.
In August 2024, I joined Grant Thornton Bharat to lead the ESG and Risk Consulting team.
Simply put — we’re problem solvers.
The problems we solve can come from anywhere: fraud, cybercrime, data theft.
A lot of what we do is about rehabilitation and resurrection.
Helping companies, individuals, and institutions recover and move forward. That’s the core of Forensics.
Proactive risk management is slowly picking up
Clients today don’t always come to us after a disaster; many are reaching out proactively. They see the red flags and want to get ahead of the curve.
But still, for most companies, proactive risk management is not second nature yet.
We also represent clients before regulators
From listed companies to business promoters, we help clients navigate regulatory cases. That includes courtroom work, arbitration, and expert testimony.
Forensic professionals today are expected to deliver both on the ground and in front of a judge. It’s a completely different level of accountability.
Has Corporate fraud changed?
Yes.
What has changed is the scale, the sophistication, and the amount of money involved.
But human greed hasn’t changed.
We’ve handled massive cyber cases, phishing attacks, ransomware, and data leaks. But there are bigger, darker problems in:
- Financial reporting
- Stock market expectations
- Regulatory compliance
In the early days, if someone resigned after a fraud case closed. That was considered a win.
Today? That’s not enough.
9 out of 10 clients want legal action. Restitution. Accountability. Especially if they’re listed or have global obligations. They can’t just let things go.
There are two different worlds in Forensics today
1. Managed Services
This is the high-volume, process-led side AML compliance, email reviews, investigations, and other SOP-driven tasks.
Earlier, the US handled this work. Now, India does it and does it well.
Examples: Clients need to analyse 50 million emails in a month for a DOJ investigation. Previously, this was handled entirely in the US. But now India’s forensic centres of excellence handle backend work seamlessly.
Firms like the Big 4, TCS, Genpact, and many others have set up large operations to manage this work efficiently.
2. The Expert Market
This is where the real action is.
Expert-driven forensics is a deep, highly specialised field where experience, judgment, and insight matter.
This is where we deal with boardroom battles, regulatory investigations, and court cases.
The needle is moving toward high-value, expert-driven work.
Also read: India’s Digital Forensics sees 90,000 talent shortage
India is a major player
What’s interesting is that India itself is a major forensic market.
If you look purely at revenue, we may rank lower. In terms of workforce size, we’re probably the third or fourth largest in the world after the US and the UK.
We don’t just serve our market, we’re also the engine that feeds the world. India supplies forensic talent, methodology, and expertise to global firms.
And it’s not just about offshoring. Forensics in India has evolved into a centre of excellence, creating a world-class playground for professionals.
So what next?
If you look at forensic services purely as a commercialised, commoditised offering, there are too many players, all doing the same kind of work. To clients, one firm looks just like the other.
That’s what I call a red ocean: everyone fighting for market share.
For expert-driven work? That market is exploding.
It’s moving in an entirely different direction, and the demand is growing at an unprecedented rate.
In India, we’re seeing triple-digit growth in expert-led forensic services.
Also read: Forensic Auditors in India may soon need to be Chartered Accountants?
Forensic has global opportunities
I have worked in 30 countries and had a short stint in Singapore.
In 2024 alone, I took over 120 flights.
So, I can vouch that the opportunities are international. The scope extends beyond India, reaching across the globe.
If you’ve seen Netflix’s ‘Big Bad Billionaires’, those cases? I’ve worked on them.
But I still prefer working in India. Because, when it comes to forensic work, there’s no place more exciting than here.
What does it take to succeed in forensics today?
- Be exceptional at your work: What’s considered excellent in other fields is considered average here.
- Be efficient: It’s not about how many hours you work. It’s about how well you work.
- Take ownership: Don’t treat this as just a job. If you treat it like a profession, it will reward you in ways you can’t imagine.
