Neo Group announces launch of Neo Mutual Fund; appoints Ashutosh Bhargava as CEO

Neo Wealth and Asset Management (Neo Group) on Friday announced the launch of Neo Mutual Fund, marking its entry into the mutual fund business and a significant milestone in its ambition to build a comprehensive financial services institution.

The launch extends Neo Group’s wealth and asset management capabilities to serve a wider spectrum of Indian investors, according to a press release.

Guided by its brand promise, ‘Built Around You’, Neo Mutual Fund will focus on developing investment solutions around investor needs, supported by rigorous research, disciplined investment processes and strong risk management, the release further said.


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The fund house brings together a team of around 10 experienced fund managers with decades of experience, who have collectively managed over Rs 2 lakh crore of assets in their previous roles, with expertise spanning equities, fixed income, commodities and asset allocation

The business will be led by Ashutosh Bhargava, Chief Executive Officer, and Sudeep Aggarwal, Chief Business Officer. Bhargava has over two decades of experience in investment research and fund management, and has managed diversified, quantitative, solution-oriented and asset allocation strategies.

"Investors today have more choices than ever, but more options do not necessarily translate into better investor outcomes. What matters is understanding the role each investment plays in a portfolio and managing it through a clear, consistent process,” said Ashutosh Bhargava, Chief Executive Officer, Neo Mutual Fund.

“At Neo Mutual Fund, our approach will be process-led, solutions-oriented and research-backed, grounded in an evidence-based investment framework and robust risk management. We want investors and distribution partners to understand what we invest in, why we invest in it and how we construct our portfolios across mandates. That clarity of our approach and endeavour to bring consistency in returns are central to our promise of 'Built Around You',” Bhargava further said.

Neo Mutual Fund plans to build a nationwide distribution network in partnership with mutual fund distributors, independent financial advisors, banks, national distributors and wealth managers, supported by technology-enabled servicing and transparent communication.

The firm said it will follow a multidisciplinary investment approach, drawing on a range of investment styles rather than anchoring to any particular approach, with investment decisions based on data and evidence and supported by technology-enabled processes.

In its initial phase, the fund house plans to launch schemes across liquid, arbitrage, diversified equity and multi-asset allocation categories, subject to regulatory approvals, and to set up a presence across more than 25 locations in India. It also said that there is no short term AUM target, and that its early focus will be on building investment capabilities, trust, credibility and distribution partnerships.

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“India's growing participation in financial markets presents an extraordinary opportunity. For Neo Group, this launch is an important step towards building a comprehensive financial services institution. Our ambition is to build a fund house that begins with the needs of investors and distribution partners, rather than simply creating products and taking them to market. We have invested in exceptional talent, institutional capabilities and disciplined processes to build this business for the long term,” said Hemant Daga, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Asset Management, Neo Group.

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