Sushant Vaishnav: Redefining Real Estate Investment Banking Through Strategic Excellence & Client-Centric Leadership
Sushant Vaishnav
Founder
In a candid interview, Sushant Vaishnav delved into his professional journey, future aspirations, expansion strategies, and leadership methods.
Please provide a brief account of your professional background, experiences, and motivation for your daily routine.
I grew up in a small village in Rajasthan where my father was a banker which led us to extensively travel across various cities within the state. Later, I relocated to Mumbai for higher studies, obtaining a B.Tech in Tele- communication and an MBA in Finance from NMIMS University. I secured a campus placement and joined The Union Bank of India starting in the Investment Banking department. I worked there for around 2 years focusing on infrastructure and finance including real estate. I later joined Reliance Capital where I continued working in the same field for around 3 years.
Then I moved to IDBI Capital handling stressed assets during a challenging market period. After a short stint in Reliance Capital and Centrum Capital, I joined PNB housing finance, handling real estate, debt syndication, and investment banking for six years, overseeing four states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, and managed a portfolio of roughly Rs.8,000 crores.
It was in the post-COVID period I resigned from PNB Housing Finance and began my venture Siya Capital. It focuses on debt syndication and advisory in real estate helping clients raise funds for their projects. My daily motivation comes from meeting new people and gaining fresh perspectives. We closely work with our clients, understanding their requirements, and helping them secure funds. This approach drives the team to prosper and achieve client satisfaction.
As an investment banker, what recent strategies have you adopted to build and maintain long-term professional relationships with suppliers?
We have two sets of stakeholders i.e., the clients and the vendors. We always prioritize the client's needs, as they often seek solutions rather than specific services and we provide them free of cost. We aim to build long-term relationships by providing genuine assistance to our clients with profits as a secondary motive. We constantly adapt to the dynamic changing policies and guidelines to ensure our solutions comply with the same. This approach safeguards the institutions and the clients from future complications and leads to smooth transactions.
Traditionally, banks, NBFCs, and housing finance companies were the main lenders. Now, new instruments like AI-driven private traded funds are emerging in real estate. We explore these new methods and advise our clients on the method that benefits them the most and continuously adapt our strategies to align with the current policies.
Can you describe your leadership approach and the guidelines or methodologies you follow as a leader?
I believe leading by example is the most effective leadership approach. For instance, if I expect punctuality from my team, I must demonstrate it myself as my behaviour sets the standard for the team. Also, open communication with the team is vital, I engage with my team members in open discussions and guide them in understanding the challenges. I believe the team members must be entrusted with responsibilities, they must have the freedom to make decisions without interference. This approach fosters accountability and moulds better future leaders.
Leading by example is the most effective leadership approach
As an investment banker, what recent strategies have you adopted to build and maintain long-term professional relationships with suppliers?
We have two sets of stakeholders i.e., the clients and the vendors. We always prioritize the client's needs, as they often seek solutions rather than specific services and we provide them free of cost. We aim to build long-term relationships by providing genuine assistance to our clients with profits as a secondary motive. We constantly adapt to the dynamic changing policies and guidelines to ensure our solutions comply with the same. This approach safeguards the institutions and the clients from future complications and leads to smooth transactions.
Traditionally, banks, NBFCs, and housing finance companies were the main lenders. Now, new instruments like AI-driven private traded funds are emerging in real estate. We explore these new methods and advise our clients on the method that benefits them the most and continuously adapt our strategies to align with the current policies.
Can you describe your leadership approach and the guidelines or methodologies you follow as a leader?
I believe leading by example is the most effective leadership approach. For instance, if I expect punctuality from my team, I must demonstrate it myself as my behaviour sets the standard for the team. Also, open communication with the team is vital, I engage with my team members in open discussions and guide them in understanding the challenges. I believe the team members must be entrusted with responsibilities, they must have the freedom to make decisions without interference. This approach fosters accountability and moulds better future leaders.
My mentorship approach mainly focuses on providing insights and preparing them for future leadership roles. I encourage the team members to seek guidance and advice when needed. These are some of the guide lines I follow as a leader.
In your professional journey, which milestones have provided you with the greatest satisfaction, both personally and professionally?
I believe we achieved a significant milestone when we experienced 25-30 percent growth. But in my perspective, my biggest accom- plishment was when we successfully managed portfolios for various financial institutions. The key to our success is when both the clients and lenders are intent. Our clients are pleased with the funds we have helped them secure, and our lenders are satisfied with the outcomes. We ensure a smooth and stress-free process while balancing both client and lender satisfaction. Throughout our journey, we focus on maintaining high standards, constantly striving for continuous progress, and achieving the utmost client satisfaction. These are some of our achievements and future goals.
What is your envisioned roadmap for the next five years, and where do you see yourself heading in the future?
Currently, we are operating in Mumbai and Hyderabad, our next plan is to expand our scale by opening more branches in Delhi, Banglore, Chennai, Jaipur, Indore, and Goa. Over the next five years, we plan to establish additional branches across all major metropolitan areas and strategically important cities. In our growth strategy, we believe in nurturing leadership within the team, instead of hiring an external leader. We groom and promote the talent within our organization, this approach ensures the leaders are deeply rooted in integrity into our organizational ethos, contributing to more effective and seam-less operations as we expand.
Sushant Vaishanv, Founder, Siya Capital
Sushant Vaishnav is a seasoned veteran in the real estate investment industry. He is dedicated to developing his team members into future leaders by fostering their growth and providing them with the tools and guidance they need. Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of offering genuine assistance to clients, ensuring that their needs are met effectively, and fostering long-term, trust-based relation-ships.
In your professional journey, which milestones have provided you with the greatest satisfaction, both personally and professionally?
I believe we achieved a significant milestone when we experienced 25-30 percent growth. But in my perspective, my biggest accom- plishment was when we successfully managed portfolios for various financial institutions. The key to our success is when both the clients and lenders are intent. Our clients are pleased with the funds we have helped them secure, and our lenders are satisfied with the outcomes. We ensure a smooth and stress-free process while balancing both client and lender satisfaction. Throughout our journey, we focus on maintaining high standards, constantly striving for continuous progress, and achieving the utmost client satisfaction. These are some of our achievements and future goals.
What is your envisioned roadmap for the next five years, and where do you see yourself heading in the future?
Currently, we are operating in Mumbai and Hyderabad, our next plan is to expand our scale by opening more branches in Delhi, Banglore, Chennai, Jaipur, Indore, and Goa. Over the next five years, we plan to establish additional branches across all major metropolitan areas and strategically important cities. In our growth strategy, we believe in nurturing leadership within the team, instead of hiring an external leader. We groom and promote the talent within our organization, this approach ensures the leaders are deeply rooted in integrity into our organizational ethos, contributing to more effective and seam-less operations as we expand.
Sushant Vaishanv, Founder, Siya Capital
Sushant Vaishnav is a seasoned veteran in the real estate investment industry. He is dedicated to developing his team members into future leaders by fostering their growth and providing them with the tools and guidance they need. Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of offering genuine assistance to clients, ensuring that their needs are met effectively, and fostering long-term, trust-based relation-ships.