Edelweiss AIF
AIFIME's View on Edelweiss AIF
AMC View
Edelweiss AIF has created a clear niche for itself, in two core segments - Pre-IPO and High Yield Funds. Their Pre-IPO funds have been amongst the largest & best-performers in their category. The High Yield Funds benefit from Edelweiss's group's strong core competency as a niche lender in the high-yield segment. For some of these specific fund categories, Edelweiss AIF is a strong AMC to consider investing in.
AMC Pedigree
Edelweiss Securities is part of the Edelweiss wealth management company. The strategic partner, Pacific Alliance Group (PAG), holds a ~65% stake in the entity bringing in best global practices, and leveraging their expertise, especially in private equity. Both home-grown Edelweiss and PAG, bring significant expertise to the table along with access to deals, promoters, and financial institutions making it a formidable and strong investment firm. This is further strengthened by their team and unique proposition for investors.
Team Pedigree
In it's niche strategies, Edelweiss has developed a strong investment team with the required credentials in the high-yield & Pre-IPO spaces. The firm (ESL) has a strong team in place with the fund advisory committee comprising senior management who are highly qualified, with a collective experience of more than 90 years in the financial services, asset and wealth management space.
Investment Philosophy
The investment philosophy is driven by the respective core niches - Pre-IPO & High-Yield. Within both of these niches, the investment philosophies being followed are relatively strong, to help identify suitable investments without an inordinate level of risk. The firm follows a disciplined investment approach across deal origination, evaluation, due diligence and investment decision-making and engages with third-party professionals for financial and tax diligence, legal diligence, and relevant channel checks on a need basis. They have also recently introduced long-short strategies to their product basket (we will wait for this strategy to mature to evaluate the value of its strategy).
AMC Background
Edelweiss Securities Ltd (ESL) is part of Edelweiss Wealth Management (of Edelweiss Financial Services Ltd). Pacific Alliance Group (PAG), the world's largest Asia-focussed private investments firm with >$38bn in AUM, as a strategic partner, Edelweiss stands to benefit significantly beyond their home-grown advantage. Edelweiss wealth management is a leading wealth manager in India with $20bn+ AUA. The expertise of Edelweiss in India and PAG's global best practices make it a formidable investment firm. Highly Respected Wealth Manager with Private Equity Expertise from PAG Edelweiss is a highly respected wealth management firm in India. Built on the foundation of a very strong team, Edelweiss is one of the few wealth managers in India with no bank parent, establishing their credentials with no ambiguity. PAG adds value by bringing in global best practices, leveraging its expertise, especially in private equity. Both home-grown Edelweiss and PAG, bring significant expertise to the table along with access to deals, promoters, and financial institutions making it a formidable and strong investments firm.Investment Philosphy
EDELWEISS CROSSOVER
Strategy- Investment Focus: IPOs | Attractive investment opportunity with structural growth characteristics
- Pre-IPO and Late Stage PE: Most attractive way to participate in high-quality IPOs | relatively less crowded space and significant liquidity discount provides for better risk-adjusted returns
- Thematic Bias: driven by structural Indian underpenetrated consumer growth | visible room for structural growth over at least 5+ years | consumer, consumer tech, financial services, niche technology leaders are focus areas
- Leadership Bias: capabilities as market leader | higher growth than the industry
- Fundamental Bias: profitable growth with low leverage | proven unit economics with capital-efficient business models
- PE Expertise: sourcing, diligence, negotiations
- Assessment of IPO readiness, and public market expertise
- Fund structure and mandate customized for Pre-IPO and Late-stage PE
Investment team
Ashish Agarwal | 3-star rated FM
Managing Partner | 24 yrs Experience | 4 yrs at current firm
Past Experience: Senior Investment Director (Navis Capital Partners)
Ashish Agrawal joined Edelweiss as a Managing Partner and Head - Private Equity for their AIF team since Nov 21. He has more than 25 years of experience and prior to edelweiss, He worked for 14 years in Navis Capital Partner, with his last position being the Senior Investment Director. His investing experience spans private equity and public equity funds; mid-market transactions in India, Europe, the US, and South East Asia and across sectors.
Subahoo Chordia | 4-star rated FM
Head - Real Estate Strategies | 24 yrs Experience | 18 yrs at current firm
Past Experience: Axis Bank, IDBI Bank
Subahoo Chordia spearheads the Edelweiss Infra Fund Business, bringing with him nearly two decades of extensive experience in the infrastructure sector. His expertise spans private fund management, asset management, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, and advisory services. Notably, he initiated the Infrastructure practice at Edelweiss in 2007. Before joining Edelweiss, Subahoo held key positions at Axis Bank and IDBI Bank, where he excelled in project finance, portfolio management, and investment banking.
