I’m 50+ years old and stepping into my 30^th year of understanding financial markets. It has been an exciting journey of learning so far and I am still enjoying my time unravelling the mysteries of markets through investment ideas. I have worked on both asset and liability side of the balance sheet during this period in different roles before getting into client servicing, first handling retail and then eventually graduating to private clients. Normally, people on the sales side never get into fund management but because of my basic grounding into balance sheet analysis very early in my career; I did grow into the role of CIO comfortably. During this journey, I have never stressed on the products that families choose to invest in, rather I focus on achieving reduced risk. I have often found attractive ideas in mundane plain vanilla debt products than complex structures involving multiple instruments.

Primarily, my work involves gathering information ahead of others. The whole process of zeroing on an investment idea is basically a disciplined approach of understanding facts, working on information in hand and then evaluating efficiently if the information and facts are adequate to facilitate decision-making. The process of decision-making thereon is usually a conservative, realistic and fact driven process unlike the perception of it being complex. Most outcomes are predictable and measurable even during the period of investment and there is no scope for guesswork.

In my 30 years of work life, I have had the opportunity to be exposed to every aspect of capital markets to appreciate and value the contribution of all the parts involved to deliver the final outcome. I have worked as a dealer, worked at the back office, on the derivative desk, as a research analyst, as an investment banker and also as a CIO. I have worked in focused groups and also handled leadership assignments. However, accountability and ownership have always been common to all previous assignments.

While I have worked with brands like Merrill Lynch, BNP Paribas and UTI, joining Mr. Premji, the then richest Indian, to set up his family Office, Azim Premji Investments in 2005, was certainly a high point in my career. In fact, that assignment gave me the courage to start on my own. Since setting up Das Capital I am working independently for few families. I have a small team to support our clients. Our business grows primarily through word of mouth and hence, a reference check from existing and old relationships would be the right way to evaluate someone like my firm or me.

I have graduated with Physics Honours and done my MBA in 1996. I was short-listed for Tata Administrative Services from my Institute. I have been a topper in school and MBA batch. I have played cricket at national level and today represent the Karnataka league for my club. I play squash and badminton regularly. I hail from Orissa, am married and have a son.