A Balasubramanian: A Journey from Melattur to Mumbai

Work is worship and the office is like a temple, the Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund and CEO believes. He says he spends around 85% of his time on work and the rest on social engagements. Classical music plays in his office at the beginning of the workday to spread positive vibration

- Kundan Kishore

A fund manager’s job is never easy, and if one must manage investments in debt, one must be extra cautious. It becomes very difficult when bond prices go up and down. The job becomes more challenging when you manage a fund house, not just one. As a fund manager, your primary focus is on the performance of the fund. However, when you are the head of a Mutual Fund house, you not only need to deliver on fund performance but also have to earn the trust of all stakeholders, including trustees, investors, fund managers, distributors, and all your employees, with paramount emphasis on business growth. Mutual fund industry veteran A. Balasubramanian checks all the boxes. In his present capacity, Balasubramanian spearheads the Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund as managing director and chief executive officer.

Science to Finance

Incidentally, the veteran had never planned a career in fund management. His entry into mutual funds was by chance. He was born in the village of Melattur, situated in Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu. There, he pursued his studies until the tenth standard before attending a nearby school for higher education.