The Market Reader

Seasoned investment banker Aisha De Sequeira says interest in India-listed companies will increase considerably if rules in the country are consistent with those in global markets.

- T. Surendar

Aisha de Sequeira, 49, is a Morgan Stanley veteran and has spent nearly half of her 25-year career at the American multinational investment bank in India; she is currently co-country head and heads its investment banking business. de Sequeira came to India in 2007. Incidentally, this was the time when her global office was representing Ford in its sale of Jaguar Land Rover to the Tatas. She faced turbulent times shortly afterwards, starting with the collapse of Lehman Brothers. But she ensured Morgan Stanley continued on its growth path. In 2017, under her leadership, Morgan Stanley topped the M&A advisory league table in the country, thanks to the $23-billion merger between Idea Cellular and Vodafone India; last year, her firm continued to be involved in some marquee deals such as the Blackstone-Essel Propack deal, even though the entire financial system was reeling under stress from delinquent loans. She spoke to Fortune India on what is likely to happen after the ongoing storm settles down. Edited excerpts:

You came here just before the Lehman crisis and have seen the turbulent Indian market in the last decade. By 2024-25, we are going to be a $5-trillion economy—a target set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. How do you see the road to reach there?