Anand Rathi Preferred Expands Wealth Management Operations Across India
Anand Rathi Preferred plans to add about 100 relationship managers and 40 to 50 account managers over the next 18 months, according to an interview published by Hubbis. Thomas Stephen, head of the wealth management division at Anand Rathi Share and Stock Brokers Limited, oversees an expansion strategy targeting 100 new relationship managers and 40 to 50 account managers. Launched in 2014, the firm structures its asset allocation model around individual client risk profiles, investment timelines, and liquidity requirements. Stephen, who has spent 21 years in the wealth management sector, manages a distribution business focused on regular portfolio reviews and personalized recommendations. The current workforce comprises approximately 115 relationship managers and 60 account managers. Over the long term, Stephen aims to scale the division to roughly 1,000 employees serving investors throughout India.
Training Graduates Before Client Assignment
Finding qualified talent remains an immediate operational hurdle for the firm. To address hiring needs, Anand Rathi Preferred recruits graduates directly from MBA colleges and places them in a multi-year training program.
Trainees spend two to three years studying wealth management and undergoing internal assessments without sales targets. New recruits interact with clients only under the direct supervision of senior relationship managers. Stephen partners with business skills providers and Indian academic institutions to deliver leadership training for senior staff members.
Stephen Expands Artificial Intelligence Use for Staff Decisions
Stephen plans to deploy artificial intelligence more extensively across internal analytics and operational processes to help staff reach decisions with greater speed and precision. Everyday client conversations will remain under human management. Growth initiatives target smaller urban centers outside major metropolitan areas. Stephen points to established operations in Vadodara, Kozhikode, and Dehradun as indicators of emerging wealth across Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. The firm’s product strategy excludes proprietary offerings in favor of an independent distribution model. Margin compression across the industry makes asset growth increasingly vital for business economics, though Stephen reports that established clients routinely entrust 90 to 95 percent—and occasionally all—of their wealth to the organization.
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