Kotak Securities - a group company of Kotak Mahindra Bank - is planning to three more branches in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in addition to the existing 14 in both the states, according to Trivrikram Kamath, the Chief Financial Officer and head of operations and IT.
He was speaking to reporters here on Tuesday at a press meet on the occasion of the launching of StartNow, a countrywide campaign undertaken by the company 'to educate and empower retail investors in order to encourage them to enter the capital market." He said the company was at present having nine branches in AP and one more would be added and in Telangana two more to the existing five. The market share of the company in AP, as at the national level, was 2.9 per cent, he added.
He said the capital markets were on a roll right now after the assumption of power by the NDA Government at the Centre and therefore it was the right time to enter the market. "However, many investors are hesitant as their knowledge of the market is limited and therefore we have launched the campaign to educate them and encourage them. We want the investors to take informed decisions. Now, the technological tools are available for a common investor to access information with a simple cell phone and conduct business," he said.
He said the company had rolled out a TV campaign in eight languages in leading TV channels across the country on the campaign, supported by outdoor campaign in 15 cities including Visakhapatnam. The message also reaches the cinema audiences in 21 cities in the country and also via internet. "Good days have arrived in the share market - that is the message we are taking to the public," he said.
In the first quarter, the company could earn Rs 68 crores profit after tax and he expected it to be a good year. Krishna Rao, in charge of the southern branches, also spoke.