Journey of Building a Single Family Office In India ft Yash Poddar on The India Opportunity Show
After his family sold their stake in Ashirvaad Pipes, Yash took the mandate forward to set up their Single Family Office
Hello everyone, welcome to The India Opportunity Show where you get a front-row seat to people building India’s future. We talk about unlocking the potential of the country with founders, investors, creators, and successful leaders from different fields to bring you real-life stories and behind-the-scenes of what it takes to be at the forefront of building the India Story.
Episode 7, Season 2 of The India Opportunity Show is out now! You can watch it on YouTube or listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Joining us today is Yash Poddar — a new-age investor carrying forward a remarkable entrepreneurial legacy through his family office. His family built Ashirvad Pipes into a market leader, culminating in one of India's largest private business acquisitions. Now, Yash is carving his own path through his family office, thoughtfully investing across public markets, private equity, and emerging opportunities. His journey blends deep-rooted business values with a forward-looking vision for India's future. I'm excited to uncover his insights on building sustainable wealth, navigating new asset classes, and lessons from a legacy built on resilience and innovation.
Chapters
02:15 Starting the family office journey
04:30 Learning to build a family office before it was common
08:05 Early mistakes and lessons from setting up
10:36 Things to avoid in the first few years
12:28 Navigating 30–40% portfolio drawdowns
15:27 Family vs CIO-led capital allocation
17:30 Building conviction for high equity exposure
19:05 Diversifying beyond the family business
20:43 Capital stewardship as a next-gen responsibility
24:14 Exploring private markets alongside public
27:25 Managing deal flow and inbound opportunities
30:23 Impact of improving deal quality
32:30 Return benchmarks for private investments
34:45 Private vs public market decision-making
36:10 Evaluating fund managers effectively
40:32 Perspective on operator-turned-VCs
42:05 Global investment journey beyond India
47:52 Structuring family capital across geographies
51:15 In-house team vs outsourcing to MFOs
55:28 Building an institution for 200 years
58:16 Thoughts on raising external capital
58:56 Approach to direct stock picking in public markets
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Disclaimer: The content presented in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Viewers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.