Prashant founded White Oak Capital Management in June 2017. He is the former CIO and lead portfolio manager of GS India Equity at Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) during March 2007 to March 2017, and also for the Global Emerging Markets (GEM) Equity during June 2013 to March 2017. As lead PM, he managed all mutual funds and separate accounts under these strategies.
Prashant began his professional investing career in 1998 at SSGA in Boston as senior portfolio officer of Enhanced International equity in the quant group. He joined GSAM in 2000 as a research analyst in US Growth Equity, and by 2004 he rose to become Senior Portfolio Manager and Co-Chair of the Investment Committee. Prashant returned to Mumbai in 2006 to start GSAM India business and served as the CIO and CEO/Co-CEO of their domestic Asset Management Company. In 2013, in addition to India he was also made the CIO and lead PM of GEM equity. He won several accolades as the CIO and Lead PM of GS India Equity. He and his fund won several awards including AAA rating from Citywire and Elite rating from Fund calibre among others.
Prashant has a BE in Mechanical Engineering from Mumbai University and an MBA in Finance from Vanderbilt University in the United States, where he received the Matt Wigginton Leadership Award for outstanding performance in Finance. He was awarded the CFA designation in 2001 and is a fellow of the Ananta Aspen Centre, India.
Ajith Punnakkal holds a bachelor's degree in Commerce from the University of Madras and also passed the intermediate examination of the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India. He has more than 30 (thirty) years of experience in investment operations, fund accounting, risk management, regulatory reporting, accounts, and client servicing. Prior to joining Ashoka White Oak, he worked with White Oak Capital Mumbai as head of operations. Before that, he was working with Edelweiss Financial Services as Vice President at their Prime Brokerage, Securities and fund services business advising Foreign Portfolio Investors on accessing Indian capital markets and on-boarding matters. Before that, he was working with IIFL Capital (Singapore), a regulated investment manager under the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), as the head of operations and client services at their Singapore office. Earlier, he handled various assignments based out of Dubai and Mauritius with Kotak Mahindra Group for their India-bound asset management business.
Fadrique Balmaseda holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Universidad Pontificia de Comillas (ICADE), Madrid, Spain and also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the same university. Also passed CFA levels I-III. He started his career at the Asset Management division at Goldman Sachs in London, in the Iberia Sales Team, where he was initially in charge of selling Goldman Sachs funds into Spain and Portugal (and managing client relationships) and later became an Equity Analyst in the Emerging Market Equities team, covering companies in Latin America & EMEA. From 2017-2022 he was a director of an investment advisory entity of Chronos, a global equity fund. In 2022 he joined White Oak as part of their Emerging markets equity team. Fadrique has over 10 years of experience in investment management.
More than 6 years of professional experience in investment related activities including equities research, advisory, portfolio evaluation, performance measurement and assessing various valuation methodologies. Prior to joining Ashoka White Oak, he worked with White Oak Capital in Mumbai for 4 years as Associate Vice President advising clients about the suitable products selection, risks and rewards associated with various products. He was also involved in performance measurement of different strategies and assessment of valuation methodologies. Prior to that, he was working with institutional research arms of Daiwa Capital and Prabhudas Lilladher. Prior to that, he started his career with IDFC First Bank at their treasury department. He has also spent about four years managing his own fund as an investor.
More than 5 years of professional experience in finance and accounts, compliance and risk related activities within White Oak Group. Prior to joining White Oak, she worked with Kamdar Desai & Patel, Chartered Accountants as an assistant article. Before that, she was working with Pravin R Rathi & Associates, Chartered Accountants as an assistant article.