Alternative managers gaining ground: 70% of PMS capital now with non-institutional players, says Manish Bhandari

Time of India

2 days ago

Edited excerpts:
Kshitij Anand: I wanted to understand from you—the geopolitical environment is changing, and it's changing faster than we could have imagined. New tariff rules are coming in, and China is playing its own game. How do you think everything is shaping up at this point in time—good for India, bad for India?
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Kshitij Anand: And although there will be people at home who may not welcome or appreciate this India–China development—let's not get into that, as it's more political than financial—economically, we stand to benefit from the partnership?
Kshitij Anand: Now, let's talk about sectors. How do you view the sectoral landscape for the next few years? What could be the alpha generators of the future?
Kshitij Anand: We've seen new-age businesses gaining traction over the past few years. IPOs have slowed, but the SME space is booming—over 600 IPOs have been listed. Any new thematic businesses catching your eye?
Kshitij Anand: On PMS—the industry has evolved rapidly, especially post-COVID, with significant inflows. We're also seeing new strategies launched frequently. Is this good or bad for the industry?
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In an exclusive conversation with ETMarkets PMS Talk on the sidelines of the APMI conference in Mumbai, Manish Bhandari , CEO & Portfolio Manager at Vallum Capital, highlighted a transformative shift in India's portfolio management services (PMS) landscape.According to Bhandari, who is also a Board Member of the Association of Portfolio Managers in India (APMI), nearly 70% of institutional capital in the PMS space is now managed by players without traditional institutional backing—a sign that investors increasingly trust independent and boutique managers over large fund houses.He attributes this trend to the sector's growing openness, diversity of strategies, and the 'democratization' of money management, where talent and performance are beginning to outweigh brand name and legacy.Yes, absolutely—and that's the beauty of the geopolitical landscape—it changes so fast. When Trump came in, everyone thought we would have an edge because of our long-standing relationship, but that has not materialised in terms of outcomes, and a different scenario is now emerging.What's interesting and brewing today, in my view, is a new, very solid economic partnership that's taking shape. There has always been a relationship between India and Russia, but now, with China, everything seems quite positive, and we are making inroads to create a favourable sentiment.When such a large economic bloc comes together, strong markets open up for each other, and cooperation increases. While there is a structural headwind until the tariff issue between India and the USA is resolved, there is also a structural long-term dividend if this partnership materialises.Just this morning, we heard that the National Security Advisor flew to Russia—such visits are now frequent and widely publicised. Perhaps the frustration in America is partly due to this new economic bloc being built. I deliberately use the word 'economic bloc' because my focus is on economic progress and structural changes—not cultural aspects—which are secondary. My sense is that Russia has played a key role in bringing India and China closer.The human brain holds on to baggage for a long time, but as the narrative changes, that baggage will also change. I believe this shift is happening before our eyes, and it's in both governments' interests to make it work. I see progress daily. As it surfaces on the front pages of newspapers, public perception will also shift.Tariffs can change overnight—10%, 20%, 25%—so making a definitive prognosis would require being smarter than the US President's tweets, which I'm not, and I'm sure none of us are. To make a compelling investment bet, you need two things: a rising sector and reasonable valuations. A great story with stretched valuations doesn't work. Infrastructure spending seems to have picked up again after a difficult election year. Cement looks promising. Healthcare also remains evergreen. The US still has significant dependence on Indian healthcare, so despite any market pushback, Indian companies have strong growth potential.Not all of those 600 IPOs are new-age businesses. For me, 'new age' means traditional businesses enhanced by technology to grow faster and disrupt incumbents. These are scattered across small and midcaps, and need to be picked selectively. Auto ancillary is another 'old school' sector with new opportunities coming India's way. Currently, opportunities are dispersed across sectors—there's no single dominant theme like we saw in previous cycles.The expansion of the market is always good for the industry—there is no second thought about it. There are a lot of strategies emerging because it is quite a democratic system where anyone who aspires to manage external or third-party money can get in today. Otherwise, for decades, the only platform left was to get a job in a mutual fund, and launching your own mutual fund was next to impossible.So, it is quite a democratic expression of investing—different strategies, different ways of looking at the market—everything keeps competition at a reasonably high level, and everyone can learn from each other. I think it is exciting.Most of the growth has also come from EPFO capital and less from retail capital. But one thing I can tell you, which is very interesting, is that if you look at the PMS industry and landscape, and the advisory capital that has been built, 70% of the institutional capital is given to people who have a non-institutional background. They are not backed by large mutual fund-type institutions.This sets the context that people are giving money to individuals to manage—they are not just looking for institutions. So, individuals can make a remarkable difference.I see this trend coming up significantly, where institutional capital will look for PMS managers or alternative managers—something that has happened in other parts of the world as well.: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times)