Sankaran Naren is a renowned Indian stock investor and fund manager. Has made a significant impact on the Indian stock market. He is currently the Chief Investment Officer (CIO) of ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Ltd (ICICI Prudential AMC). Naren has over 25 years of experience in the field of finance. Has been instrumental in developing ICICI Prudential AMC into one of India’s leading mutual fund companies.
Early Life and Education
Naren was born in Chennai in 1968 and completed his schooling in Chennai. He went on to pursue his Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Loyola College, Chennai. He then completed his post-graduation in Management from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta. After completing his MBA, he joined ICICI Prudential AMC in 1993 as a fixed income dealer.
Career
Naren’s career at ICICI Prudential AMC began in the fixed income division. Where he played a significant role in the development of the company’s fixed income products. In 1998, he promoted to Head of Fixed Income and managed some of the company’s flagship fixed income schemes. Such as ICICI Prudential Income Plan, ICICI Prudential Long Term Plan, and ICICI Prudential Gilt Fund.
In 2005, Naren appointed CIO of ICICI Prudential AMC. As CIO, he has been responsible for managing the company’s equity and fixed income funds. He has played a crucial role in the development of ICICI Prudential AMC’s equity funds. Which have consistently outperformed their benchmarks under his leadership. Some of the most popular equity funds managed by Naren include ICICI Prudential Value Discovery Fund, ICICI Prudential Focused Equity Fund, and ICICI Prudential Multi-Asset Fund.
Investment Philosophy
Naren known for his contrarian investment approach. Which involves identifying undervalued stocks and sectors that are out of favor with the market. He is a firm believer in value investing and focuses on identifying companies with strong fundamentals and attractive valuations. Naren also places a lot of emphasis on risk management and aims to build a well-diversified portfolio that can weather market volatility.
Under Naren’s leadership, ICICI Prudential AMC has been successful in identifying some of the best investment opportunities in the Indian market. For instance, the ICICI Prudential Value Discovery Fund has delivered an impressive annualized return of 20.9% . Since its inception in 2004, outperforming its benchmark by a wide margin. Similarly, the ICICI Prudential Focused Equity Fund has outperformed its benchmark by 4-5% since its inception in 2012.
Awards and Recognition
Naren’s expertise in the field of finance has earned him numerous awards and recognition. In 2018, he named the Best Fund Manager (Equity) at the Morningstar Fund Awards. He also recognized as the Best CIO (Equity) at the CNBC TV18 Mutual Fund Awards for four consecutive years (2015-2018). Naren also featured in Forbes India’s list of the Top 100 Wealth Managers in India.
Conclusion
Sankaran Naren is undoubtedly one of the most successful stock investors and fund managers in India. He has demonstrated a deep understanding of the Indian market and has consistently delivered strong returns for his investors. His contrary investment approach and emphasis on risk management have earned him a reputation as one of India’s most respected financial experts. Under his leadership, ICICI Prudential AMC has become one of India’s leading mutual fund companies and continues to deliver strong performance to its investors.
