The Hindu Business Line : Funds World India to showcase opportunities for global players

COME November and the best and the brightest in the global funds industry will descend on India, courtesy an event that is expected to surpass all earlier shows of its kind. Not surprisingly, it will focus on the reforms that are soon expected to drive the domestic pensions market.

Buttressing the marketing spiel for the event, Funds World India, are a few standard factoids about the country: the growth recorded by the market in recent years, a stable political system, a large population with good savings habits and opportunities that sometimes rival China's.

That the Indian funds industry has opened its doors is the official line taken by the organisers, who also refer to the turbulence witnessed by Asian markets in recent times.

While local investment managers have been trying to identify the markets that will maximise their returns in future, emerging markets remain the flavour of the month, thanks to the opportunities they offer as well as the astute managers and investors they attract.

While growth recorded by funds has reached a certain level in the developed markets such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan, India still has a lot to offer to the fund management community.

The market here is expected to open up in a way that will excite many investment professionals, said Mr Naresh Pachisia, head of SKP Securities, a broking firm, and one of the participants. "Investors will be particularly interested in the recently adopted reforms."

Terrapinn, the outfit that is producing the show, has underlined the fact that over $1 billion has come into the Indian funds market in 2004. Funds World India will follow similar events held in 15 major centres in Europe, Australia and Asia.

It will, inter alia, dwell on reforms, technological developments and sectoral opportunities.

Further, various aspects related to distribution of investment products will be discussed - an exercise that will also analyse local offerings like funds, private equity, bonds and alternatives like exchange-traded funds. Changes in the insurance and pensions markets will also be considered.

The event will be followed up by a workshop handled by Mr S.R. Freeman, CEO of Emerging Market Capital, a US financial advisory and fund management outfit.

It will look at entry strategies for domestic and international companies, including fund managers planning to launch a competitive product in India.