Individuals are keen to invest in mutual funds but there is this rampant confusion still prevailing on what exactly is a mutual fund and how does it work. Should one go for direct stocks or an equity mutual fund? The number of mutual funds out there compounds this confusion further.
That’s where I reached out to Rajeev Thakkar, the CIO and Director of PPFAS Mutual Fund, who was kind enough to share his views and provide answers to some of the “top of the mind” investor queries.
Rajeev Thakkar possesses close to 2 decades of experience in various segments of the Capital Markets such as investment banking, corporate finance, securities broking and managing clients’ investments in equities.
Rajeev has been associated with PPFAS Limited (the Sponsor of the AMC) since 2001. He was appointed the Fund Manager for the erstwhile flagship scheme of the Portfolio Management Service, titled “Cognito” in 2003.
He is a strong believer in the school of “value-investing” and is heavily influenced by Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger’s approach. Apart from his technical ability, what distinguishes him from many others is his ability to stand his ground and remain unflappable during difficult times.
He is a regular contributor to Mint newspaper and has also appeared on business channels such as Bloomberg India TV and ET Now.
He is a man of few words but his low-key demeanor often underplays the fact that he is a good listener, a team player and a razor-sharp thinker.
I was glad to talk to Rajeev and get his expert views on equity mutual funds.