ASK group arm aims to raise Rs 3,000 cr from AIF

Mumbai, Mar 18 (PTI) ASK Hedge Solutions on Monday said it is targeting to raise Rs 3,000 crore corpus from wealthy individuals and family offices in the next 18 months for its alternative investment fund.

The ASKAbsolute Return Fund is an open-ended category-III alternative investment fund (AIF), which will be seeking to raise the money from high networth individuals, ultra HNIs, family offices and corporate treasuries, the company’s chief executive officer Vaibhav Sanghavi told reporters here.

Over the past decade or so, the nascent long-short platform has delivered returns of 10-15 per cent from a compounded annual growth rate perspective, Sanghavi said.

He said the current fund will be targeted purely at domestic investors, but the next one of a similar strategy will open it for foreign investors as well.

The newly launched fund has already received commitments of Rs 50 crore, and the company is targeting to take it to Rs 1,000 crore in six months.

When asked about market regulator Sebi’s concerns on the valuations in certain pockets, Sanghavi said that this strategy does not involve exposure to the small and midcap stocks where the concerns lie.

Over 85 per cent of the fund’s bets will be focused on the derivative segment, which means it will be punting on top 185 stocks. The remaining 15 per cent will be bets in the cash segment, he said.

Typically, it will take a long position in the futures market and also have corresponding short positions which act as a hedge.

To a question on the upcoming elections and how the strategy will unfold for the fund, he said the fund will not take event-based calls.