Mumbai: Lighthouse Canton, a global investment institution managing over USD 5 billion in assets under management, has appointed Abhay Laijawala as Chief Investment Officer (CIO) for India, reinforcing the firm’s long-term commitment to India as a strategic growth market.
The appointment comes as Lighthouse Canton intensifies its India expansion plans, with ambitions to scale its India wealth and asset management business to USD 4 billion and achieve a global AUM target of USD 10 billion by 2027.
Reporting to Sunil Garg, Group CIO, Laijawala will lead the organisation’s India investment strategy, overseeing asset allocation, discretionary and non-discretionary client portfolios, and the development of differentiated investment themes. The India investment team under his leadership will remain closely integrated with Lighthouse Canton’s global investment platform.
Speaking on the appointment, Shilpi Chowdhary, Group CEO, Lighthouse Canton, said, “India is central to Lighthouse Canton’s next phase of growth, and we are committed to building a leading presence here. Capital formation is accelerating, investor sophistication is rising, and the regulatory environment continues to mature in ways that reward institutional-grade thinking. We are scaling with purpose, and that means investing in leadership that matches our ambition. Abhay brings exactly the depth of experience and conviction this moment calls for, and his appointment reflects how seriously we are investing in India for the long term.”
Sunil Garg, MD & Chief Investment Officer, Lighthouse Canton, added, “As one of the leading emerging markets, India is core to global asset allocation. The opportunity is well understood but capturing it requires someone who has seen the market through multiple cycles and knows how to build disciplined strategies around it. Abhay has spent over three decades doing that. He brings research depth, institutional credibility, and a clear-eyed view of how Indian investments fit within a global portfolio. Our India investment capability will be significantly stronger with him leading it.”
Commenting on his appointment, Abhay Laijawala, MD & Chief Investment Officer, India, Lighthouse Canton, said, “What drew me to Lighthouse Canton is its unique positioning as a genuinely integrated platform across public markets, alternatives, and cross-border capital flows, a combination very few organisations in this space can credibly offer. My core focus will be building a differentiated, high-conviction investment process that delivers optimal outcomes across market cycles. What also set the Lighthouse Canton apart is its extensive use of technology to elevate client experience in an environment of increasingly dynamic global markets, a depth of commitment I have simply not encountered at any organisation in my career to date.”
Laijawala brings more than three decades of experience in Indian equities and capital markets. Prior to joining Lighthouse Canton, he served as Head of Offshore Investments at Canara Robeco Mutual Fund. He has also held leadership positions at Avendus, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan, Citibank and HSBC.
At Deutsche Bank, Laijawala led equity research coverage across more than 120 stocks and authored the bank’s India Equity Strategy. He is also recognised for his expertise across ESG investing, equity strategy, and commodity cycles.
The appointment forms part of Lighthouse Canton’s broader global growth strategy, which includes expanding leadership teams across key markets. In India, the organisation recently appointed Gurjeet Sohi as Managing Director and Head of Wealth Management, alongside Muffazal Arsiwalla as Managing Director and Head of Capital Solutions and Advisory.
As part of its India expansion roadmap, Lighthouse Canton plans to increase its workforce from 220 to over 400 employees within two years and expand operations from six cities to 20 cities nationwide.
The firm has also been strengthening its global footprint. In April 2026, Lighthouse Canton entered into a strategic partnership with Taiwan-based investment firm Draco Evolution to accelerate expansion in North Asia’s wealth corridor.
The company’s recent growth initiatives follow a USD 40 million funding round completed in November 2025, led by Peak XV Partners with participation from Nextinfinity and Qatar Insurance Company.
Headquartered in Singapore, Lighthouse Canton operates across India, Dubai, and London, serving ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, founders, and institutional investors through integrated wealth management, asset management, and advisory solutions.
