Ashok Raju is the Chief Operating Officer of VR Group, an alternative asset manager focused on distressed securities and special situations investments in emerging markets. Ashok joined VR Group in 2010 initially to create the firm’s client facing efforts before becoming the COO, where he now oversees operations, analytics, and business development. Ashok began his career in equity research at Deutsche Bank and spent time at a multi-family office where he covered hedge fund and public equity investments.

I really enjoyed my conversation with Ashok. He’s the first guest on the podcast to oversee both internal operations at VR and client relationships. This perspective is an interesting and common one for small-to-medium organizations, and his insights are valuable for anyone beginning client facing efforts or overseeing fund operations. Or both! . . . He’s also a wealth of information for younger professionals navigating their own careers in financial services, and I especially love his concept of “frientors.”