The asset management industry plays a pivotal role in India's financial services and overall economy. It fuels the growth of fintech, enhances investment opportunities, and broadens digital financial services, fostering innovation and economic expansion.

Notwithstanding its remarkable growth, the industry grapples with operational challenges, such as limited market penetration, a constrained investor base, distribution channel complexities, heightened regulatory oversight, increased compliance expenses, and a deficit of investor commitment and trust, among other issues.

BFSI & Fintech

Road ahead in the digital era

India's Best Financiers

With 43% of retail credit demand coming from 18-30 year age group, lenders need to set new benchmarks to cater to the needs of this cohort.

The Grant Thornton Bharat advantage

  • Customised growth strategies
  • Data-driven market insights
  • Specialised team of experts
  • Customised growth strategies
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    We offer customised approaches to enhance your assets under management (AUM) and accelerate client acquisition, promoting long-term customised growth strategies and sustainable growth.
  • Data-driven market insights
    Data-driven market insights
    Our analytical market insights based on data enable businesses to capitalise on emerging trends and swiftly seize competitive opportunities.
  • Specialised team of experts
    Specialised team of experts
    Our team comprises seasoned experts and leaders with a wealth of knowledge of regulatory affairs, processes, technology, and industry-specific matters.

Our solutions

  • Our solutions

    Governance services

    Our comprehensive governance solutions cover a wide range of services, including internal audits, process reviews, ICOFR/IFC development and assessments, SOX audits, SOP development, as well as specialised risk management reviews focused on ERM and model validation.

  • Our solutions

    Risk management

    We excel in delivering both quantitative and qualitative risk management solutions, along with governance solutions such as ERM and model validation reviews. Our customised solutions, coupled with unwavering professional support, are designed to enhance your success.

  • Our solutions

    Regulatory compliance

    Leveraging our expertise, strong relationships with regulatory bodies, and extensive experience in regulatory frameworks and guidelines, we assist your organisation in fostering a culture of compliance. Our services include compliance assessments, compliance testing, regulatory reporting reviews, compliance dashboarding, and regulatory remediation reviews.

  • Our solutions

    Tax and regulatory advisory and compliance

    Throughout the fund lifecycle, from conceptualisation to winding up, we provide a wide array of services to fund managers and funds, covering regulatory approvals, valuations, due diligence, and compliance.

  • Our solutions

    Fund accounting and investor reporting

    Our accounting experts assist funds in financial statement preparation, investor reports, audit support, capital call and distribution notices, partner's capital account statements, management fee calculations, NAV, incentive, and waterfall workings.

  • Our solutions

    Corporate intelligence

    In an increasingly regulated environment, our corporate intelligence (CI) / integrity due diligence (IDD) evaluates the integrity, market reputation, and performance track record of individuals, management groups, or corporate entities.

  • Our solutions

    Technology transformation

    Providing enterprise applications advisory solutions and technology strategy advisory services.

  • Our solutions

    Cyber security and IT risk

    Our expert team offers services including Security Audit Posture, IS Audit based on SEBI circulars and ISO 27001 Audit, Vulnerability Assessment, Penetration Testing, and SOC 2 Compliance.

  • Our solutions

    Prevention/investigation of front running and market abuse

    Conducting a forensic review of equity, derivative, and debt trades on 15+ fraud parameters, we identify potential cases of front running and insider trading within the investment function. For flagged cases, enhanced investigations are carried out.

Automating tax processes

Problem statement
Our client's tax processes were previously managed manually by a third-party professional. The manual intervention resulted in various observed errors, such as incorrect FIFO calculations, oversight of bonus shares, inaccuracies in corporate action effects, and mistakes in capital losses set-off. These errors led to significant annual tax costs ranging from INR 10 lakhs to over INR 1 crore.
Our solution
Through our automation tool, we significantly reduced manual intervention in tax processes, eliminating inadvertent errors. The automation tool generated reports efficiently, including computation of advance tax liability, preparation of annual income-tax computation, and allocation of gains, taxes, expenses, and other income at fund, class, and investor levels.
Impact
Our automation tool not only minimised manual errors but also ensured quick report generation with a single click. This not only led to error-free tax processes but also allowed the client to swiftly allocate income and losses to investors, enabling timely redemption of units for those exiting the fund.

Resolving treaty benefit claims for infrastructure fund

Problem statement
Our client, a closed-ended fund specialising in infrastructure investments, faced scrutiny in tax assessment due to a substantial refund claimed in the income return. The claim was based on the client asserting tax treaty benefits between India and the UK for dividend income earned from its investments.
Our solution
We assisted the client in drafting and filing comprehensive responses to the tax officer's inquiries, analysing the case's intricacies with the tax officer, aligning submissions with Indian tax regulations and the relevant tax treaty provisions between India and the UK, and substantiating the client's claims through applicable judicial precedents.
Impact
Our efforts resulted in a favourable outcome, earning the client's utmost satisfaction and the highest ratings.

RBI Master Directions on fraud risk management

The Board of Directors’ overall roles and responsibilities in fraud risk management, enhance internal control frameworks, and ensure compliance with principles of natural justice.

Risk barometer survey for fintech lending

The survey, in collaboration with Fintech Association for Consumer Empowerment (FACE), will assess the risk perception of various stakeholders, including customers in digital lending.

ECL AssessPro

ECL Model Maturity Assessment Tool from Grant Thornton Bharat

Meet our leaders

Vivek Iyer

Mumbai

+91 22 6626 2600

Akshay Garkel

Mumbai

+91 22 6626 2600

Ajith Thambi

Bengaluru

+91 80 4243 0700