Our Team

GENERAL VED PRAKASH MALIK (RETD.)

M. Sc. (Defense Studies), Madras University

General Ved Prakash Malik (Retd.) has worked in the Indian Army as Chief of the Army Staff from October 1, 1997 to September 30, 2000. He had dual responsibility of being an advisor to the Government as well as commander of 1.2 million strong Indian Army to fulfil its national role and assigned missions. During the service at Indian Army, General Malik was bestowed with prestigious awards like Ati Vishishta Seva Medal (1986) and Param Vishita Seva Medal (1996). He has also received ‘Excellence in Leadership Award’ by Atur Foundation, ‘Pride of Nation Award’ by Doon Citizens Council and ‘Distinguished Fellowship’ by the Institute of Directors, New Delhi (1999). Since 2003, General Malik is also serving as an Independent Director/ Advisor of some of the other well-known multinational companies.

Mr. Sundeep Sikka

MBA - Finance, Pune University

Mr. Sundeep Sikka is the Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer of Nippon Life India Asset Management Limited (Formerly known as Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management Limited) (NAM India). Sundeep has held both Vice-Chairman and Chairman positions of the industrial body AMFI (Association of Mutual Funds in India). Sundeep joined NAM India in 2003, holding various leadership positions before being elevated in 2009, when he became one of the youngest CEOs of India. Possessing rich experience in the financial services sector, Sundeep went on to lead NAM India towards tremendous growth of assets and to emerge as one of the most trusted mutual fund houses in India. NAM India has an AUM of INR 2.77 trillion, catering to nearly 9 mn investors and has presence across 290 locations in India along with Singapore, Mauritius and Dubai. Sundeep has grown the company to an all-round brand that thrice won ‘Aon Best Employer’ in the last four years and was certified ‘Great Place to Work’ in 2018. He has not only been responsible for the growth of the company but also forging a relationship with Nippon Life, acquisition of Goldman Sachs Asset Management (India), and listing NAM India on stock exchanges.
Sundeep is an alumnus of Harvard Business School. He closely works with Regulatory Bodies i.e. RBI, SEBI and Ministry of Finance on matters related to asset management.

He has received several awards and recognitions such as:

• Commerce Graduate and MBA with majors in Finance from Pune University
• CEO of the Year (India) – Asia Asset Management Awards 2018
• Recognized as one of India’s Top 25 Hottest Young Executives by the magazine ‘Business Today’
• Part of Asia FM Power 50 list, as one of the most influential individuals across Asia ex Japan fund industry.

Sundeep Sikka – Represents (past as well as present) Asset Management Industry across:

• Association of Mutual Funds in India – Held both Vice-Chairman and Chairman positions of industrial body AMFI
• Reserve Bank of India – Member of Technical Advisory Committee on Money, Foreign Exchange & Government Securities Markets
• National Securities Depositary Limited – Member of Executive Committee
• Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
  • Member of Capital Markets Committee
  • Chair: Asset Management Sub-Group of FICCI’s Capital Markets Committee
  • Chair: Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Mutual Fund Summit 2019-20
• Speaker at various domestic and international forums and conferences.

MR. HIROKI YAMAUCHI

Mr. Hiroki Yamauchi (Associate Director) serves as General Manager, Global Asset Management Business Department at Nippon Life Insurance Company (NLI). In his over 20-year professional career with NLI, he has performed various roles, including corporate planning, marketing planning, and group annuity business. Also, he has worked for Nissay Asset Management in corporate / investment planning for 4 years. Besides the above, he has also spent his professional career with Nissay Deutsche Asset Management (Europe), where he held the position of Fund Manager for 3 years. In the most recent role, he has engaged in NLI’s Indian life insurance and asset management business as Head of Indian Business for 2 years (2020-2022).

Mr. Ashvin Parekh

(B.Com (Hons), FCA, AICWA, ACS, Exec MBA- INSEAD)

Mr. Ashvin Parekh, aged 67 years is a qualified Chartered Accountant and has set up the advisory service company – Ashvin Parekh Advisory Services LLP (APAS) in the areas of providing services to the Boards and the management of the financial services sector companies, in June 2013. Mr. Parekh retired as a Senior Partner from Ernst & Young in June 2013 and was with EY for 8 years. Earlier Mr. Parekh was the Executive Director of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India Pvt. Ltd. from July 2002 till June 2005. Mr. Parekh has also held senior positions in Arthur Anderson, Price Waterhouse Coopers, KPMG India, KPMG UK, KPMG Dubai and Hindustan Lever Ltd. Mr. Parekh has worked in the United Kingdom, Dubai, Australia, Germany and the US on Partner secondment programs for about 11 years outside of India. He is registered with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank as an expert in the financial services sector. He has worked on gamut of areas like business strategies, corporate planning, institutional strengthening and business transformation across industries including banking, insurance, pension and capital markets. He has been a member of several committees set up by the Ministry of Finance, RBI, IRDA and SEBI. He is also a member of industry bodies and associations namely CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM.

Mr. B. Sriram

M.Sc Physics, St Stephen's College, Delhi University; B.Sc (Hons) Physics, St Stephen's College, Delhi University; AIMA Diploma in Management, All India Management Association, New Delhi; Diploma in International Law & Diplomacy, The Indian Academy of International Law & Diplomacy, New Delhi; Certificated Associate of the Indian Institute of Banking & Finance (formerly known as The Indian Institute of Bankers), Mumbai.

Mr. B. Sriram has 37 years of experience in all areas of Banking and Finance. He joined State Bank of India as a Probationary Officer in December 1981 and has held various key assignments within the Bank and the Group in Credit and Risk, Retail, Operations, IT, Treasury, Investment Banking and International Operations.

Experience Overview:

- Managing Director & CEO, IDBI Bank Ltd. from June 30, 2018 to September 29, 2018.
- Managing Director, State Bank of India from July 2014 to June 2018.
- iii. Managing Director, State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur from March 2013 to July 2014.

MR. MINORU KIMURA

B.A. in Laws, Kyoto University, Kyoto

Mr. Minoru Kimura (Associate Director) serves as Managing Executive Officer, Head of Global Business at Nippon Life Insurance (Nippon). In his 32-year professional career with Nippon, he has engaged in corporate planning for more than 10 years. Also, he has worked for Nissay Asset Management in investment planning for 5 years from 2010 to 2015. Other than above, he has also spent his professional career with Nissay Deutsche Asset Management (Europe) and NLI Investments (Europe), where he carried the position of CEO for 4 years (2003 to 2007). He has engaged in Head of Asia Pacific at Nippon for 2 years (2018-2020) and Regional CEO for the Americas and Europe for 2 years (2020-2022).​

MR. TOMOHIRO YAO

LLB, Kyoto University and MBA, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Tomohiro Yao is Regional CEO for Asia Pacific and Head of India at Nippon Life Insurance Company. He is responsible for operations in the Asia Pacific.

Mr. Tomohiro Yao is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in the life insurance industry. He has extensive knowledge of Planning & Research and Global Business Planning at Nippon Life, Japan. In 2011 he assumed charges as Executive Assistant to the Chairman of Life Insurance Association, Japan for 2 years. Following which he was engaged in Nippon Life’s Global Business Planning, leading Nippon Life’s international M&A strategy. He was also responsible for driving Nippon Life’s overseas Insurance businesses including India, Mainland China as well as the United States of America.

MR. UPENDRA KUMAR SINHA

Mr. Sinha, a 1976 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre, during his 3 decades plus of experience has held several responsible government positions in India, including as Joint Secretary (Banking) and Joint Secretary (Capital Markets) in the Ministry of Finance; Chairman of the Working Group on Foreign Investment in India & Chairman of SEBI, to name a few. He has also been the Chairman & Managing Director of UTI Asset Management Company Limited and Chairman of the Association of Mutual Funds in India.
He has actively contributed to the financial sector reforms in the country and is credited with starting the micro pension movement in India. Under his leadership, SEBI introduced significant developmental changes in the areas of FPIs, AIFs, REITs, InvITs and Corporate Governance.