- Appointment strengthens India investment leadership as the organisation targets USD 10 billion in AUM by 2027
- Hiring signals Lighthouse Canton's deepening commitment to India as a core growth market
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| Abhay Laijawala, MD & India CIO, Lighthouse Canton |
Reporting to Group CIO, Sunil Garg, Abhay will lead Lighthouse Canton's India investment strategy, overseeing asset allocation, and both discretionary and non-discretionary client portfolios, in addition to development of high-conviction, differentiated investment themes and ideas. The India Investment team, reporting to Abhay, is an integral part of Lighthouse Canton’s Global Investment team.
Speaking on the appointment, Shilpi Chowdhary, Group CEO, Lighthouse Canton, said, “India is central to Lighthouse Canton's next phase of growth, and we are committed to building a leading presence here. Capital formation is accelerating, investor sophistication is rising, and the regulatory environment continues to mature in ways that reward institutional-grade thinking. We are scaling with purpose, and that means investing in leadership that matches our ambition. Abhay brings exactly the depth of experience and conviction this moment calls for, and his appointment reflects how seriously we are investing in India for the long term.”
Sunil Garg, MD & Chief Investment Officer, Lighthouse Canton, said, "As one of the leading emerging markets, India is core to global asset allocation. The opportunity is well understood but capturing it requires someone who has seen the market through multiple cycles and knows how to build disciplined strategies around it. Abhay has spent over three decades doing that. He brings research depth, institutional credibility, and a clear-eyed view of how Indian investments fit within a global portfolio. Our India investment capability will be significantly stronger with him leading it."
Commenting on his new role, Abhay Laijawala, MD & Chief Investment Officer, India, Lighthouse Canton, said, “What drew me to Lighthouse Canton is its unique positioning as a genuinely integrated platform across public markets, alternatives, and cross-border capital flows, a combination very few organisations in this space can credibly offer. My core focus will be building a differentiated, high-conviction investment process that delivers optimal outcomes across market cycles. What also set the Lighthouse Canton apart is its extensive use of technology to elevate client experience in an environment of increasingly dynamic global markets, a depth of commitment I have simply not encountered at any organisation in my career to date.”
Abhay brings over 30 years of experience in Indian equities, with a career that spans the full arc of the market's evolution, from India's opening to foreign institutional investors (FIIs) post the 1991 reforms to its emergence as a $5 trillion equity market, where FIIs today hold approximately 15% ownership. A highly ranked analyst and strategist, he has been a prominent voice on Indian equity strategy, ESG investing, and commodity cycles, contributing regularly to industry forums and investor platforms.
Prior to joining Lighthouse Canton, Abhay served as Head of Offshore Investments at Canara Robeco Mutual Fund. Before that, he was Managing Director and Fund Manager at Avendus, where he led the firm's ESG strategy and large-cap equity offerings. He spent a decade at Deutsche Bank as Head of Equity Research, overseeing coverage of over 120 stocks and authoring the bank's India Equity Strategy. His previous stints also include JP Morgan, Citi Bank and HSBC.
The appointment is part of Lighthouse Canton's broader global expansion strategy, underpinned by a sustained build-out of its leadership team across core growth markets and new geographies. In India, the organisation has recently appointed Gurjeet Sohi, a nearly three-decade Deutsche Bank veteran, as Managing Director and Head of Wealth Management, and Muffazal Arsiwalla as Managing Director and Head of Capital Solutions and Advisory, signalling a push into higher-value advisory and UHNW coverage.
As part of its India expansion, Lighthouse Canton plans to grow its headcount from 220 to over 400 in the next two years, scale its India wealth and asset management business to USD 4 billion by 2027, and expand from six to 20 cities across the country, positioning India as a core growth engine within the organisation's broader target of USD 10 billion in AUM by 2027.
Beyond India, the organisation entered a strategic partnership with Taiwan-based investment firm Draco Evolution in April 2026, accelerating its push into North Asia's wealth corridor.
These moves follow on from Lighthouse Canton’s USD 40 million funding round in November 2025, led by Peak XV Partners with participation from Nextinfinity and Qatar Insurance Company, its first external fundraise in its decade-long history. The capital is being deployed to strengthen the balance sheet, expand alternative investment capabilities, and accelerate geographic growth.
Lighthouse Canton is an independent global investment institution enhancing cross-border capital flows between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Headquartered in Singapore with offices in Dubai, India, and London, it serves ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, founders, and institutional investors through an integrated platform spanning wealth management, asset management, and advisory and capital solutions.
Management business comprises strong internal product capabilities in hedge funds, private equity, traditional fundamental analysis, investing through multiple strategies in real estate private equity, private credit, venture capital, growth debt, public equities, and global macros.
Speaking on the appointment, Shilpi Chowdhary, Group CEO, Lighthouse Canton, said, “India is central to Lighthouse Canton's next phase of growth, and we are committed to building a leading presence here. Capital formation is accelerating, investor sophistication is rising, and the regulatory environment continues to mature in ways that reward institutional-grade thinking. We are scaling with purpose, and that means investing in leadership that matches our ambition. Abhay brings exactly the depth of experience and conviction this moment calls for, and his appointment reflects how seriously we are investing in India for the long term.”
Sunil Garg, MD & Chief Investment Officer, Lighthouse Canton, said, "As one of the leading emerging markets, India is core to global asset allocation. The opportunity is well understood but capturing it requires someone who has seen the market through multiple cycles and knows how to build disciplined strategies around it. Abhay has spent over three decades doing that. He brings research depth, institutional credibility, and a clear-eyed view of how Indian investments fit within a global portfolio. Our India investment capability will be significantly stronger with him leading it."
Commenting on his new role, Abhay Laijawala, MD & Chief Investment Officer, India, Lighthouse Canton, said, “What drew me to Lighthouse Canton is its unique positioning as a genuinely integrated platform across public markets, alternatives, and cross-border capital flows, a combination very few organisations in this space can credibly offer. My core focus will be building a differentiated, high-conviction investment process that delivers optimal outcomes across market cycles. What also set the Lighthouse Canton apart is its extensive use of technology to elevate client experience in an environment of increasingly dynamic global markets, a depth of commitment I have simply not encountered at any organisation in my career to date.”
Abhay brings over 30 years of experience in Indian equities, with a career that spans the full arc of the market's evolution, from India's opening to foreign institutional investors (FIIs) post the 1991 reforms to its emergence as a $5 trillion equity market, where FIIs today hold approximately 15% ownership. A highly ranked analyst and strategist, he has been a prominent voice on Indian equity strategy, ESG investing, and commodity cycles, contributing regularly to industry forums and investor platforms.
Prior to joining Lighthouse Canton, Abhay served as Head of Offshore Investments at Canara Robeco Mutual Fund. Before that, he was Managing Director and Fund Manager at Avendus, where he led the firm's ESG strategy and large-cap equity offerings. He spent a decade at Deutsche Bank as Head of Equity Research, overseeing coverage of over 120 stocks and authoring the bank's India Equity Strategy. His previous stints also include JP Morgan, Citi Bank and HSBC.
The appointment is part of Lighthouse Canton's broader global expansion strategy, underpinned by a sustained build-out of its leadership team across core growth markets and new geographies. In India, the organisation has recently appointed Gurjeet Sohi, a nearly three-decade Deutsche Bank veteran, as Managing Director and Head of Wealth Management, and Muffazal Arsiwalla as Managing Director and Head of Capital Solutions and Advisory, signalling a push into higher-value advisory and UHNW coverage.
As part of its India expansion, Lighthouse Canton plans to grow its headcount from 220 to over 400 in the next two years, scale its India wealth and asset management business to USD 4 billion by 2027, and expand from six to 20 cities across the country, positioning India as a core growth engine within the organisation's broader target of USD 10 billion in AUM by 2027.
Beyond India, the organisation entered a strategic partnership with Taiwan-based investment firm Draco Evolution in April 2026, accelerating its push into North Asia's wealth corridor.
These moves follow on from Lighthouse Canton’s USD 40 million funding round in November 2025, led by Peak XV Partners with participation from Nextinfinity and Qatar Insurance Company, its first external fundraise in its decade-long history. The capital is being deployed to strengthen the balance sheet, expand alternative investment capabilities, and accelerate geographic growth.
Lighthouse Canton is an independent global investment institution enhancing cross-border capital flows between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Headquartered in Singapore with offices in Dubai, India, and London, it serves ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, founders, and institutional investors through an integrated platform spanning wealth management, asset management, and advisory and capital solutions.
Management business comprises strong internal product capabilities in hedge funds, private equity, traditional fundamental analysis, investing through multiple strategies in real estate private equity, private credit, venture capital, growth debt, public equities, and global macros.
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