Last week, as I celebrated my 22nd anniversary at SBI Funds, our company was honored as the best place to work for the 4th consecutive time. This milestone is a testament to the incredible journey we’ve undertaken, transforming ourselves into a thriving organization with a successful culture.
Our promoters, SBI and Amundi, have always instilled confidence in the external world, but it is our success that has truly empowered our internal team. Through the highs and lows, our unwavering commitment to long-term vision has been the driving force behind our growth.
Despite experiencing losses in the initial years, the company’s focus was not on reducing expenses but on making significant investments in our talent pool, which has proven to be a forward-thinking strategy critical in shaping our future.
Our alignment of employee objectives with our investors and partners has created a win-win situation. We’ve always prioritized the long game over shortcuts, which has fostered a culture of trust and collaboration.
During a challenging period 15 years ago, we doubled down on talent through strategic intervention, and there has been no turning back since. Our successive CEOs, group chairmen, and board of directors have skillfully steered the company to its current success. Today, we are not only market leaders in India, but we also rank among the world’s top asset managers.
A few years ago, we asked our employees to revisit our vision and mission. The result was a more streamlined vision: “To be the most trusted and respected Asset Manager,” encompassing all our core principles. We also established the acronym STAKE, representing Service, Transparency, Accountability, Knowledge, and Ethics, to guide us in staying true to our beliefs.
As Brian Chesky, Co-Founder and CEO of Airbnb, once said, “Culture is simply a shared way of doing something with a passion.” This quote perfectly captures the essence of our company’s progress.
Having spent nearly 3/4 of my professional career at SBI Funds, I am more confident than ever in our ability to shape the financial future of India and share our success story with the world. We are not just a business; we are a service and a commitment to our clients.
As we continue on this incredible journey, I look forward to witnessing the growth, success, and confidence that our company will inspire in the years to come.
Srinivas Jain 