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Tag: Mutual Fund

  • Wealth of Experience as Debasish Mohanty Joins The Wealth Company

    Wealth of Experience as Debasish Mohanty Joins The Wealth Company

    MUMBAI: They say knowledge compounds like interest and The Wealth Company just made a high-return hire. The Wealth Company has appointed Debasish Mohanty as Chief Strategy Officer for its Asset Management Arm, tapping into his 30-plus years of deep domain expertise in India’s mutual fund industry. Known among peers as a walking encyclopaedia of financial strategy, Mohanty’s arrival marks a pivotal chapter for the organisation as it aims to scale with innovation and insight.

    Mohanty’s illustrious career includes leadership roles at UTI AMC, where he served as president and national head of sales, while also overseeing policy research, business transformation, corporate communication, and marketing functions. His name is also familiar in policy circles, having played an active role on various AMFI committees including those on operations & compliance, ARN, and common platform.

    Currently serving as an independent director at LIC Pension Funds Ltd., regulated by PFRDA, Mohanty brings not just experience but a rare combination of academic rigour and practical strategy. A postgraduate and M.Phil in Economics from JNU, he also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in securities law, and wears many certified hats: CFP, CWM, and CAIIB. His executive education portfolio spans Kellogg School of Management, ISB Hyderabad, and IIM Ahmedabad.

    In his new role, Mohanty will steer growth, innovation, and long-term value creation at The Wealth Company’s asset management operations. “My focus will be on strategic initiatives that elevate the company’s position in the market,” he said, underscoring plans to work closely with leadership on risk mitigation, opportunity identification, and stakeholder returns.

    The Wealth Company MD & CEO Madhu Lunawat described Mohanty as “the encyclopedia of the mutual fund industry,” lauding his ability to operate seamlessly across public, private, and foreign fund categories.

    With this appointment, The Wealth Company signals its intention to play the long game backed by a strategist who knows the terrain better than most.

  • Mutual Fund vs PPF: Which One Should You Choose?

    Mutual Fund vs PPF: Which One Should You Choose?

    When it comes to investing funds in India, two of the most popular options are Mutual Funds and the Public Provident Fund (PPF). Both are widely used by individuals with different financial goals. While some investors prefer the safety of assured gains, others look for higher returns even if it means taking some risks. PPF and Mutual Funds offer benefits like tax savings, long-term wealth creation, and flexible investment options. However, they differ in key aspects, such as risk, returns, and duration. This article explains what PPF and Mutual Funds are, their differences, and which might suit your needs better.

    What is a Mutual Fund?

    A Mutual fund is a type of investment managed by professional fund managers at Asset Management Companies (AMCs). These funds collect capital from many investors and invest it in a variety of financial assets such as shares, bonds, and government securities. Mutual funds are available in different types, like equity funds, debt funds, and hybrid funds. Each type comes with its level of risk versus return potential, allowing investors to choose a fund that matches their financial goals and risk appetite.

    Since mutual funds are market-linked investments, they do not guarantee returns. However, with regular investments over a long period, especially through a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP), they have the potential to deliver appropriate returns. SIPs also make investing more disciplined and manageable. You can use a mutual fund SIP calculator to estimate how much your funds might grow over time based on your monthly investment and the expected rate of return.

    What is PPF?

    The Public Provident Fund (PPF) is a government-backed long-term savings scheme designed to encourage small savings while offering assured returns. It provides a fixed rate of interest, which is reviewed periodically by the central government. The interest earned on the investment is compounded annually and is tax-free, making PPF a popular choice among conservative investors seeking a safe and steady return.

    A PPF account comes with a mandatory lock-in period, making it ideal for long-term financial goals like retirement planning. Contributions made to a PPF account are also eligible for tax deductions under the Income Tax Act. For better planning, you can use a Public Provident Fund calculator to estimate the future value of your investment based on your annual contributions and the prevailing interest rate.

    Key Differences Between Mutual Fund and PPF

    Here are the key differences between mutual funds and a PPF:

    1. Risk: PPF is a low-risk investment since it is backed by the government and offers fixed returns. Mutual funds, on the other hand, involve market risk. Their value depends on how the stock and bond markets perform.

    2. Returns: PPF currently offers around 7–8% annual interest, which is reviewed quarterly by the government. Mutual Funds can offer higher returns—equity funds may give 10–15% annually—but these returns are not fixed and may vary depending on market performance.

    3. Investment Duration: PPF has a lock-in period of 15 years, making it suitable for long-term goals. You can extend it in blocks of 5 years after maturity. Mutual funds offer more flexibility. You can invest for a few months or several years, depending on your goals.

    4. Liquidity: PPF is less liquid due to its long lock-in. Partial withdrawals are allowed only after a certain year. Mutual funds offer high liquidity, as most types can be redeemed anytime, though tax and exit loads may apply.

    5. Tax Benefits: Both PPF and tax-saving mutual funds (ELSS) qualify for deductions under Section 80C. However, while PPF interest and maturity amount are tax-free, ELSS gains above ₹1 lakh annually are taxed at 10%.

    6. Diversification: PPF invests mainly in fixed-income instruments. Mutual funds offer greater portfolio diversification across various sectors and asset classes, which can reduce overall investment risk.

    What Should You Choose?

    Choosing between PPF and mutual funds depends on your financial goals and risk appetite. If you are a conservative investor looking for assured returns and long-term savings with tax benefits, PPF may be a great choice. It offers stability, safety, and tax-free returns. However, if you are willing to take some risk in exchange for the possibility of higher returns, mutual funds, especially equity funds, can be more rewarding over time. They also give you the flexibility to invest for short or long durations. Many investors choose a combination of both to balance risk and reward in their investment portfolio.

    Conclusion

    PPF and mutual funds are both useful investment options with different advantages. While PPF provides a safe and secure way to build a retirement corpus, mutual funds offer the opportunity for higher returns with market-linked growth. The choice depends on your risk profile, time horizon, and financial goals. Beginners and risk-averse investors may prefer PPF, while those with a higher risk tolerance and long-term goals can consider mutual funds. Ideally, diversifying across both options can help you build a balanced and well-performing investment portfolio for the future. 
     

  • AMFI launches brand-new campaign featuring Sachin Tendulkar & MS Dhoni

    AMFI launches brand-new campaign featuring Sachin Tendulkar & MS Dhoni

    Mumbai: The Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) launched its next leg of a mutual fund investor education campaign featuring two of the most popular and successful players in Indian cricket: master blaster Sachin Tendulkar and captain cool MS Dhoni.

    Conceptualised by Wunderman Thompson Mumbai, the new TVCs under the “Mutual Funds Sahi Hai” awareness campaign around the festive season encourage people to start investing in mutual funds through the monthly SIP route for their long-term financial goals, like their children’s future and retirement.

    On the launch of the new ad campaign, AMFI chairman A. Balasubramanian said, “India is a country of savers. However, not many invest in capital markets. We want people to realise that investing at least some portion of their savings in mutual funds will help them achieve their long-term financial goals. By investing in capital markets through mutual funds.”

    WT Mumbai managing partner Anurag Tandon commented, “AMFI and WT have been on a journey of consumer education. The ongoing campaign has generated phenomenal results in terms of awareness for the MF category with its simple and easy-to-understand messages. Furthermore, the campaign has managed to move the needle in terms of participation in the category. The new campaign aims to build on the successful principles with a sharper call to action of ‘getting onto the playing field’ and we have none other than the legendary duo of Sachin and MSD delivering the compelling message.”

    AMFI’s September data figures showed that SIP (systematic investment plan) numbers contributed approximately Rs 13,000 crore of investments in a month. AMFI hopes that this new campaign will encourage more people to start investing in mutual funds every month through SIPs.

  • ZFunds bolsters its leadership with two new appointments

    ZFunds bolsters its leadership with two new appointments

    Mumbai: Mutual fund distribution platform ZFunds on Monday announced two new leadership appointments as the company expands its footprints. While Yogesh Yadav joins as the chief technology officer (CTO), Tanvi Jadhav is the new head of products. 

    The appointments strategically enable the platform in the distribution of financial products in tier-2, 3 and 4 cities and rural India through its experts, ZFunds said in a statement.

    “We are pleased to welcome Yogesh and Tanvi on board. Their belief in new-age start-ups like ours despite their backgrounds with long-standing organisations is heartening,” commented ZFunds co-founder and CEO Manish Kothari. “At ZFunds, we are proud of our culture of meritocracy, customer-centricity, growth, and diversity. These attributes serve us right in our mission of making purchases of financial products and decision making Sahi (Right) and Asaan (Easy) in the 500 bottom-most districts of India.”

    Yadav has extensive experience in software engineering and joins ZFunds from ByPrice-Mexico where he worked as a CTO. Before ByPrice, he worked with the leading e-comm player in Latin America;  Linio. Beyond work, he utilises his experience in blockchain for an in-depth study of trends in cryptocurrency. He holds a B-tech from Delhi College of Engineering. “At ZFunds we have built tech products simple and easy. It allows people from lower-economic-rung to invest in Gold and Mutual Funds and thus help the Indian economy grow. I have had an offer from a global giant too but I chose to refute it,” said Yogesh Yadav, on joining ZFunds.

    Jadhav comes from a rich experience in the fintech industry, with past stints at InCred Financial Services, Paisabazaar, HealthKart and Kotak Mahindra Bank, where she played a crucial role in building digital products. She is a graduate of IIT Guwahati with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computing. “For me, the option of heading the products at ZFunds was more than merely a professional pursuit. Instead, I took it as an opportunity to participate in a financial reform of sorts for our society. I am looking forward to being part of the vibrant team and driving digital-first innovations,” stated Tanvi Jadhav.

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  • This Mother’s Day, brands tip their hats to motherhood in all its hues

    This Mother’s Day, brands tip their hats to motherhood in all its hues

    MUMBAI: Mere paas Ma hai. This iconic dialogue from a cult Bollywood movie pretty much sums up how sentimental and sappy Indians can get when it comes to their moms! Even more so today as the world, and the country passes through a seemingly endless, terrifying ordeal and when most of us may be far away from one’s loved ones due to the restrictions on physical proximity and travel. It is also at times such as these that even the most grown up amongst us crave the soothing balm of a mother’s touch.

    Mother’s Day is the perfect excuse to celebrate the people who will always love us the most in this world, no matter what.

    Here are a few Mother’s day campaigns that celebrate motherhood in all its forms and glory:

    Prega News

    With the evolving times, the relationship a mother shares with her children has also evolved. To celebrate and honour the symbol of love this Mother’s Day, Mankind Pharma’s pregnancy detection card brand Prega News has launched the #CoolHaiMeriMaa campaign. The campaign reiterates that a mother’s confidence in a child helps the child progress and succeed in life. The video campaign showcases a beautiful relationship between a mother and a son; it narrates a series of instances where the mother has stood by and supported her son at various junctures of his life, giving him life lessons that have helped him choose the right path. The video brings out fun and cheerful moments between the duo that they have experienced through their life, while growing  and evolving together.

    There is little doubt that most of our first life lessons about the value of money and savings have been learnt from our mothers. We have many times heard this idiom ‘A penny saved is a penny earned” and who can teach this best other than a Mother. Shining a light on this truth are not one but two campaigns from two well-known investment brands.

    Edelweiss Mutual Fund

    Edelweiss Mutual Fund launches a new investor education film which revolves around the idea that Life ho ya money, Mom ki Advice Zaroori hain. The film, conceptualised by The Fickle Formula, salutes the imperceptible role of a mother as a friend, advisor and confidante in shaping our value system and attitude towards money – be it our first savings in a piggy bank or our first lessons on budgeting. The film showcases through various real-life narrations how at every stage of life, our moms guide us to make informed decisions, save more money. Her guidance helps us learn and earn the life goals we aimed for.

    UTI Mutual Fund

    Developed by Hotstuff, the film has tried to communicate the message of how all small daily habits that our mothers inculcate in us since our childhood, which while we are young feel like an enforcement, can actually help one become a responsible and smart investor. The campaign pays tribute to a mother’s advice with an animated film and a song in the backdrop going – Sahi Baat Mummy Ne Kahi Thi. The simple but sweet message is sure to strike a chord with anyone who truly credits their success to their mother’s advice.

    Madame

    Women’s fashion brand Madame is honouring the contribution mothers play in every individual’s life with its new promo. The video showcases the unique bond between a mother and a child, and their everlasting impact. The emotional, supportive and always understanding nature of a mother is depicted very well through the ad film, and reminds us of the special place mothers hold in our lives and the ways in which they make our lives easy and beautiful, sometimes unbeknownst to us.

    Great Learning

    Even in today’s times, women are still seen as the primary caregivers, and often end up compromising on their professional dreams in a bid to focus on family’s needs. This Mother’s Day, edtech company Great Learning is helping women who have taken career breaks to reboot their professional journey. Under the second edition of the #HerFreshStart initiative, the company will offer a scholarship of up to 50 per cent to selected mothers who can enrol in a range of career-critical programs.

    Great Learning is inviting people to nominate mothers in their circle. The nominees can submit their form with a Statement of Purpose (SOP) with a brief introduction of their background and why they believe they deserve the scholarship. The nominations can be sent between May 6 and May 10 by visiting edtech firm’s social media channels – Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram with #HerFreshStart. Mothers can also self-nominate themselves.

    Nourish Organics

    A hamper to boost the health of the one who nourishes the whole family, is what Nourish Organics is focusing on. Ahead of Mother’s Day, the brand introduced a special Immunity Boosting Hamper in light of the current times. The specially curated gift hamper consists of products that offer a combination of health benefits, flavour and the much needed protection she needs – from Chia Turmeric Cookies, Ginger Oat Cookies to Amla Bars.

    Tring

    Celebrity engagement platform Tring is running a promotional Mother’s Day campaign for the week leading up to Mother’s Day, wherein they are encouraging their users to avail of a 15 per cent discount by using the code (MOM15). They can then use this code to book a personalised celebrity wish for their mother. What’s even better is that one lucky customer stands a chance to win Rs 1.5 lakh by simply recording and sharing a video of them surprising their mom while she reacts in awe to the celebrity wishing her.

    So what are you waiting for, go ahead and make your mom feel special!

  • Bloomberg|Quint’s The Mutual Fund Show marks one successful year of educating viewers on personal finance

    Bloomberg|Quint’s The Mutual Fund Show marks one successful year of educating viewers on personal finance

    MUMBAI: India’s premier business and financial news company, has recently announced the completion of one successful year of its highly popular series ‘The Mutual Fund Show’. The feature, streamed across multiple platforms to a wide user base, provides critical guidance to India’s new generation of investors contemplating the various forms of financial investment available in the market today. It also raises awareness among Indian consumers about the potential and promise of investing in mutual funds – acknowledged to be one of the safest and most rewarding ways to build wealth – by examining their concerns and helping users connect to experts with the right answers. The series has garnered over 5.5 million views across social media in the last one year.

    The program, run in the format of a talk show, features top fund managers and finance experts who leverage their expertise to analyze and provide in-depth insights into mutual funds from micro and macro perspectives. The show also provides a direct response to viewer queries, collecting questions from social media users to get their doubts cleared through direct responses from the invited guests. The show has so far dwelled on such topics as why mutual funds should be an integral part of one’s investment portfolio, the use of mutual funds to repay home loans, and how an investor should evaluate fund performance. The show also deals with the tax-saving benefits of investing into Equity Linked Savings Schemes (ELSS), and choosing between active and passive investing.

    The Mutual Fund Show has invited prominent company leaders of asset management companies and mutual funds like A. Balasubramanian (CEO, Aditya Birla Sun Life Asset Management), Kalpen Parekh (President, DSP BlackRock Mutual Fund), Aashish P Sommaiyaa (CEO, Motilal Oswal AMC), Milind Barve (MD, HDFC AMC), and Nilesh Shah (MD, Kotak Mahindra AMC) to offer expert advice to viewers. It has also featured prominent fund managers like S. Naren (Chief Investment Officer, ICICI Prudential AMC),  Mahesh Patil (Co-Chief Investment Officer, Aditya Birla Sun Life MF), Gautam Sinha Roy (Sr. Vice President – Fund Manager, Motilal Oswal Associates),  Taher Badshah (Chief Investment Officer – Equities, Invesco Mututal Fund)to name a few.

    Commenting on the 1-year anniversary of the The Mutual Fund Show, Menaka Doshi, Managing Editor Bloomberg|Quint, said, “The Mutual Fund Show is not the first show of its kind nor the last one. But what it does rather uniquely is to go beyond investment platitudes and bring to viewers useful, indepth and personalised information to aid investment strategies.”

    Also sharing his comments Niraj Shah, the Markets Editor and Anchor of the show, said, “The Mutual Fund Show aims to bring lessons of Mutual Fund investing in the simplest possible fashion. Its uniquely placed as an interactive learning platform, and strives to bring an all-round perspective for both new and experienced investors”.

    The Mutual Fund Show is one of the many shows available on Bloomberg|Quint, which has been disrupting news content delivery through its innovative and technology-driven approach. By creating India’s first digital business news streaming service, Bloomberg|Quint has captured the attention and imagination of India’s digital natives, who are hungry for the latest insights into the global business landscape, through the channel of their choice. Bloomberg|Quint delivers exclusive news coverage around mutual funds and several other relevant issues from the world of business across multiple social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo, WhatsApp, and YouTube. Its state-of-the-art newsroom, cutting-edge analysis, and in-depth coverage of pertinent business news have led to Bloomberg|Quint being rated as the most viewed business news brand on Facebook amongst new-age publishers, and the Business Website of the Year at the Digipub Awards 2017.

  • BBH India bags creative duties of DSP BlackRock Mutual Fund

    BBH India bags creative duties of DSP BlackRock Mutual Fund

    MUMBAI: BBH India has been appointed as creative partner by DSP BlackRock Mutual Fund. The agency won the business after a multi-agency pitch process which included the likes of Ogilvy, JWT, McCann, TBWA, Publicis and Saints & Warriors.

    On choosing BBH India, DSP BlackRock Mutual Fund executive vice president and marketing head Aditi Kothari said, “We believe that marketing can no longer remain a support function in the financial services world. It can truly bring differentiation and deliver business impact in the new world, if done the right way. BlackRock had recognised this last year and hence, brought in a strong focus to build the brand globally. Our pitch process was tough, since we knew that our new creative agency will play an important role in laying down the foundation of a strong communication strategy. We are confident of achieving our objectives with our new partner BBH India.”

    The agency will be in charge of developing the brand architecture and brand positioning for the company. It will also create engagement modules across traditional and new age platforms with focus on consumer as well as distributor.

    Commenting on the win, BBH CEO and managing partner Subhash Kamath, said, “In today‘s economic situation, proper investment planning is becoming crucial for everyone and we are looking forward to partnering DSP BlackRock in meeting these challenges.”

    DSP BlackRock Mutual Fund has investment products such as equity schemes, hybrid schemes, fixed income schemes, funds of funds schemes and fixed maturity plans for investors. BBH India manages a portfolio of diverse clients and brands that include Unilever, Marico, Diageo, Skoda, Red Bull, Acer, Movies Now and World Gold Council, among others.

    BBH head planning Sanjay Sharma added, “Financial services communication is a sea of sameness. Despite a challenging regulatory framework, we feel there is a definite opportunity to introduce new ideas, new conversations that capture people’s imagination, and make them see the category differently. We are delighted to partner DSP BlackRock.”