Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 27 : Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board (Ontario Teachers'), a Canada-based pension fund with net assets of over C$242.5 billion (Rs 14.85 lakh crore), on Tuesday announced the opening of a new office in Mumbai, its first office in India.
Having a local team and office will support Ontario Teachers' in sourcing investments, nurturing long-term partnerships, and attracting strong local talent. The office is in the financial hub of the Bandra Kurla Complex and is Ontario Teachers' sixth global office and third, in the Asia-Pacific region, Ontario Teachers' said in a statement.
"India is an attractive investment destination and will be one of our growth markets over the next 5-10 years. It has a large, growing, and dynamic economy, with openness to foreign capital which makes it a strategically important market for us," said Jo Taylor, President and Chief Executive Officer.
The Mumbai office will target investments in India across all asset classes, including public and private equities, infrastructure, real estate, credit and venture and growth equity.
A founding team of approximately 10 team members will be based in Ontario Teachers' Mumbai office by the end of 2022, comprising a mix of local talent and transfers from its other offices. This presence is expected to scale further as Ontario Teachers' investment portfolio grows in the coming years.
Ben Chan, Executive Managing Director and Head of Asia-Pacific, manages all of Ontario Teachers' activities in the region including oversight of its Hong Kong, Singapore and Mumbai offices.
Deepak Dara has been appointed Senior Managing Director and Head of India and will take on this role in early 2023. As Head of India, Dara will be responsible for accelerating investment activities and enhancing portfolio management in India. He will report to Chan.
Dara joined Ontario Teachers' in 2020 as Chief of Staff to the Chief Investment Officer and has been instrumental in advancing many global and cross-asset class initiatives including the organization's five-year investment strategy, India strategy and ambition on climate action. Prior to joining Ontario Teachers' Dara was part of the leadership team of the Boston Consulting Group's principal investor and private equity practice.
"I am very excited to return home and to take on the role of Head of India. I look forward to working with our asset class teams and partners in the region and bringing our global expertise to bear in India. The last 12 months saw a marked growth in our investment activities in India, and I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to further build out our presence, networks and capabilities in the country," said Dara.
Keki Mistry, Vice Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited (HDFC Ltd.), one of India's leading financial services conglomerates, has agreed to be a Senior Advisor to Ontario Teachers'. Mistry has nearly four decades of senior leadership experience in the banking and financial services sectors.
The Mumbai office will serve to further enhance Ontario Teachers' existing capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region. Ontario Teachers' has more than 65 employees in the region and approximately $20 billion invested in Asia-Pacific across asset classes.
Ontario Teachers' Hong Kong office, established in 2013, will continue to focus on the north Asian geographies including Greater China, South Korea and Japan. The Singapore office, established in 2020, serves as the base for investments into Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.