Grip expands business lines, Vaibhav Laddha becomes CEO of investment platform Grip Invest

Gurgaon-based multi-asset alternative investment platform Grip has announced a significant expansion into fund management and portfolio management distribution services.

The move will add to its existing suite of investment products, including corporate bonds and securitized debt instruments (SDIs), making them available for investors via a managed structure.

With this expansion, Grip will now operate three lines of business: its online investment platform, Grip Invest, and newly launched SEBI-regulated Alternative Investment Funds (AIF) and Portfolio Management Services (PMS) verticals.

New leadership

As part of this strategic expansion, Vaibhav Laddha has been promoted from Chief Business Officer to CEO of Grip Invest.

Vaibhav has been instrumental in driving growth initiatives, building strategic business partnerships, and enhancing distribution channels over the past two years.

Nikhil Aggarwal, the Founder of Grip, will assume the role of Group CEO and will work closely with Vaibhav while overseeing the expansion of Grip's business lines.

Nikhil will also continue to co-lead Electrifi Mobility, a platform for managing electric vehicles (EVs) throughout their lifecycle.

Leadership comments

"The fund management business is a horizontal expansion which leverages the incredible suite of investment options, especially SDIs, that we have been able to bring to market. Vaibhav has been associated with Grip since before we launched and intricately knows the business. I am fortunate to have a partner in him who not only has a deep strategic acumen but also has a complete alignment to our vision, and shares the same compass on taking the decisions that matter," said Nikhil Aggarwal.

“I am excited to lead Grip Invest into its next phase of exponential growth. Our investment products, especially the SDIs, coupled with our continuous innovation to bring an incredibly hassle-free investment experience for retail investors have made us a truly differentiated high-yield investment platform. We have witnessed a 15% month-on-month growth over the last 6 months with a growing market share and we are on track to double our business by the end of this financial year, said Laddha.

Grip's market presence

As a SEBI OBPP licensed online platform, Grip Invest claims to have enabled 26,000 investors to make over Rs 1,000 crore in investments through high-yield fixed-income products like corporate bonds and SDIs.

For May 2024, Grip Invest facilitated 12% of pan-India retail investments in this category and 80% of all investments in SDIs.