< The 2014 All-India Research Team
Total Appearances: 4
Analyst Debut: 2011Kotak Securities strategist Sanjeev Prasad, 45, headlines this slate for a second year running. “Sanjeev is an institution,” declares one portfolio manager. He “is so well known and so highly respected, his colleagues have told me he is the reason they joined Kotak.” Prasad’s recent strategy is a story in two parts. In January, before India’s general elections, he recommended “aggressive overweight positions in domestic cyclical sectors,” he recalls. Specific companies in this group that he favored for their exposure to the potential for economic recovery include Pune-based motorcycle maker Bajaj Auto and car manufacturer Tata Motors of Mumbai. After polling concluded in May, he switched emphasis. “Stay invested in India,” he advises, “but in high-quality growth stocks for medium-term returns.” He cites as examples consumer goods providers such as alcohol and spirits distributor United Spirits of Bangalore; information technology services providers, including Bangalore’s Infosys; and pharmaceuticals players like Mumbai-based generics drugmaker Lupin. “Sanjeev knows the companies very well, is on top of his numbers and has strong industry contacts,” observes another admirer.