The Gen A Batch of 2024 began their journey on July 2, 2024, with a working lunch, where they had the opportunity to interact face-to-face with leading business executive Manisha Girotra, CEO of Moelis in India. Members had the opportunity to ask questions and hear from Manisha on her extensive career in investment banking, her remarkable successes throughout her career and now, with Moelis, the motivations and values that animate her work, and the learnings that she has gleaned along the way. 

Manisha Girotra is Chief Executive Officer of Moelis in India.  She was previously Chairperson and Country Head for UBS in India. With a career spanning 30 years with UBS in London, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Delhi and with Moelis, she has bootstrapped both these organisations in India, setting up the teams, obtaining necessary regulatory licenses, building the brand, the corporate governance and the business model. She was the youngest CEO of a global investment bank in India at the age of 32.

Manisha has advised over US$ 500 Bn of mergers and acquisitions and equity and debt fundraisings through her career.  Some of the landmark transactions include Vodafone US$ 12 Bn acquisition of Hutch’s telecom business, Bharti Airtel’s US$ 10 Bn acquisition of Zain Africa, US$ 65 Bn merger of HDFC-HDFC Bank, Birla Group’s US$ 6 Bn acquisition of Novelis. 

Manisha is on the Global Board of Naspers and Prosus, a US$ 200 Bn market cap technology investor, Ashok Leyland, Mindspace Business Parks REIT and Sona Comstar.  In addition, Manisha is on the Boards of Central Square Foundation and Neurology Foundation. Manisha is also a mentor for working women and aspiring working women at ‘Aspire For Her’ a start up wanting to put 1mm women into the workforce by 2025.  

Manisha represents the banking industry’s viewpoint on several panels of SEBI, CII, FICCI and other industry associations.  Her contributions have been widely recognised through industry accolades by being named as one of the ‘50 Women to Watch’ by The Wall Street Journal and being nominated in the ‘Top 50 Women in Business’ by Forbes & Fortune and being named ‘Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business in India’ by Business Today.

Manisha graduated in Economics from St Stephen's College, Delhi and was awarded the Dr. Manmohan Singh Gold Medal for academic excellence for her Master’s Degree from the Delhi School of Economics.