Ashoka manager hires senior investor from Goldman Sachs

Indian equity specialist Hiren Dasani trades Goldman Sachs for Ashoka investment trust manager WhiteOak Capital.

WhiteOak Capital, which is known for running the Ashoka India Equity (AIE ) investment trust, has appointed Hiren Dasani as its chief investment officer (CIO) for emerging markets, effective 12 August 2025.

Dasani (pictured below) joins the firm from Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM), where he served as co-head of global emerging markets equity and as the lead portfolio manager for the India Equity Portfolio since 2017.

Dasani – who left GSAM in June  – had been with the company since January 2007. 

In his new role, the Indian equity specialist will become a named portfolio manager on both the £473m Ashoka India trust and Ashoka WhiteOak Emerging Markets (AWEM ), alongside company founder Prashant Khemka, Fadrique Balmaseda, and Loong Lim.

Khemka set up the firm in 2017 following a 17-year tenue a GSAM, where he most recently served as managing director and CIO for the American giant’s India and global emerging markets equity business.

‘We are delighted that Hiren has decided to join our high-calibre investment team in a leadership role at WhiteOak,’ Khemka said. ‘I have worked with Hiren for over 10 years at Goldman Sachs and have seen firsthand how he significantly contributed to alpha generation across the range of emerging markets strategies.’

Dasani added: ‘I am thrilled to team up with Prashant once again and join the seasoned investment team at WhiteOak. I am excited by the robust “performance first” investment culture that WhiteOak has built.’

WhiteOak Capital manages approximately $10bn in equity assets globally, with operations in India, Ireland, Mauritius and the UK.

Khemka told Citywire recently that it was ‘naïve and misleading’ to label Indian equities as expensive.