Fund Manager – SME, Pre-IPO & Small-Cap Investments

Location: Dubai & India

Experience: 15–20 Years
Industry: Investment Management / Private Markets / Capital Markets

About the Role

A leading independent, multi-strategy investment firm is seeking an experienced Fund Manager to lead investment activities across SME IPOs, Mainboard IPOs, pre-IPO opportunities and listed small-cap equities.

The role requires a combination of strong fundamental investment judgement, capital-markets relationships, commercial acumen and disciplined portfolio management. The successful candidate will be responsible for the complete investment lifecycle, from sourcing and due diligence through execution, portfolio monitoring and exit.

Key Responsibilities

• Source and build a proprietary pipeline of SME IPO, pre-IPO, IPO anchor and listed small-cap opportunities through relationships with merchant bankers, investment banks, brokers, promoters and industry advisers.
• Lead fundamental underwriting, financial modelling, valuation, scenario analysis and investment due diligence.
• Evaluate promoter quality, corporate governance, related-party transactions, financial quality, capital allocation and business scalability.
• Assess IPO structures, valuations, dilution, use of proceeds, lock-ins, liquidity, free float and post-listing supply.
• Conduct management meetings, plant visits, customer/supplier checks and independent industry research to validate investment theses.
• Prepare concise, investment-focused papers and recommendations for the Investment Committee, covering thesis, valuation, catalysts, downside risks, governance and exit triggers.
• Construct and actively manage a high-conviction portfolio across listed equities, SME securities, IPO anchors and pre-IPO investments.
• Determine position sizing and manage investments through changing market conditions, liquidity considerations and post-listing price discovery.
• Monitor portfolio companies against investment theses and take timely decisions to add, hold, trim or exit.
• Maintain strong relationships across India's capital-markets ecosystem and negotiate transaction terms, allocations and valuations where required.
• Work closely with compliance, operations, legal advisers, custodians and other stakeholders to ensure disciplined execution and regulatory compliance.
• Mentor analysts and promote a culture of intellectual honesty, accountability, speed and independent investment judgement.

Candidate Profile

• 15–20 years of relevant experience in public equities, investment banking, merchant banking, PMS/AIF/fund management, pre-IPO investing or institutional broking.
• Proven experience in SME IPOs, Mainboard IPOs, pre-IPO transactions, small-cap or emerging-company investing.
• Strong network across merchant bankers, investment banks, brokers, promoters and transaction advisers.
• Demonstrable track record of making accountable investment recommendations or managing capital.
• Strong understanding of governance risks, valuation discipline, financial analysis and downside protection.
• Advanced skills in financial modelling, accounting analysis, valuation and portfolio analytics.
• Strong commercial negotiation skills and the ability to make high-quality decisions under compressed timelines and imperfect information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present investment views clearly to senior stakeholders and investors.
• Willingness to travel extensively for management meetings, plant visits and market engagement.
• MBA (Finance), CFA, CA or equivalent qualification preferred.

What Success Looks Like

• Building a differentiated and repeatable pipeline of proprietary SME, mid-cap, pre-IPO and anchor opportunities.
• Delivering disciplined, risk-adjusted investment outcomes through rigorous underwriting and portfolio management.
• Developing strong and trusted relationships with key market participants.
• Demonstrating consistent valuation discipline, governance filtering and effective downside management.