The Straits Times
Published on Aug 14, 2011
Moderate risk taker targets 20% returns
Servion Global V-P has portfolio managers to handle his investments
By Magdalen Ng
Servion Global Services regional director Rajesh Krishnan has been working with the company for 15 years.
But he had not intended to stay that long.
He said: 'When I joined in 1996, the main drive for me was to work in a start-up, gain experience and then venture out on my own.'
However, the engineering graduate grew passionate about his work that revolves around sales, and customer-centric solutions, and stayed on.
The 41-year-old Chennai native moved to Singapore in 2003, where he has been managing the operations across the Asia-Pacific region.
He is married to Revathy, a housewife. The have two sons, Aditya, 13, and Pranav, eight.
Q: Are you a spender or saver?
I'm not a hard-core splurger. My friends call me a 'value-for-money' person, so it really depends on whether I think the thing I'm spending on is important. I don't think twice about spending on my children's education.
I also don't buy cheap stuff because I believe in quality. But before I buy anything, I always do my research to see if there are any promotions, or maximise the rewards points on my card.
Q: How much do you charge to your credit cards every month?
I do not operate on a budget, but each month, I spend about $5,000, and pay it off promptly.
I have about five cards, and try to use the plastic for unplanned activities, so I can keep track of my expenses.
Planned spending, such as tuition fees or bills, I usually settle through cheques.
Q: What financial planning have you done for yourself?
I have a portfolio split rather evenly among equities, real estate and insurance. I do not have savings-based insurance. I believe that in case of any unfortunate events, my family will have some assurance.
As for the real investments, I leave the bulk of it to the specialists. I have engaged a handful of portfolio managers to do it.
I am a moderate risk taker, and set myself with target returns of 10 to 20 per cent.
Q: Moneywise, what were your growing-up years like?
I grew up in a close-knit family.
It was not really hand-to-mouth, but we never indulged in any luxuries. My father was a teacher and my mother was a housewife. They worked hard, and stretched beyond their abilities to make sure that my younger brother and I got the best education and exposure.
I could see and experience the struggle they went through, and I understood the value of money and investing in kids from them.
Now, whenever my two sons - who are learning the piano - are practising, either my wife or I sit in with them. It's not fair for them to be practising alone, so we are like their audience.
Q: How did you get interested in investing?
A lot of my friends and classmates were from the finance industry, and I was always fascinated by the stories they told me, and how they managed their finances.
Now, other than the money I put with my portfolio managers, I still dabble a little on my own, as a hobby. I spend about 30 minutes to an hour each day to 'manage' my shares.
Q: What property do you own?
I own a plot of land and a property that is rented out, in India. I am also looking to buy a sea-facing apartment in Singapore, but am waiting for the correct time.
Q: What's the most extravagant thing you have bought?
Gadgets are my weaknesses. The latest toy that I bought was a Canon 550D which, together with some lenses, cost me more than $2,000.
I'm interested in sports photography, so I'm trying to get into it, and I hope that buying this expensive camera will give me some motivation to work on my photography frequently.
Q: What's your retirement plan?
I never really thought much about my retirement until I met a group of retired uncles on the golf course. They play every week, and that is when I thought that I would want to have enough to live on and play golf, as well as a group of friends to spend time with.
Hopefully I can stop work by the time I'm 55 or 60. Right now, I'm still working on my investments, and will continue to save. It should be enough.
Q: Home is now....
A rented apartment in Costa Del Sol.
Q: I drive....
A bottle-green Nissan Sunny. I'm not a guy who is into fast cars, I just want something that will get me from point to point, and not give me trouble on the roads.
songyuan@sph.com.sg
---------------------------------------------
WORST AND BEST BETS
Q: What has been your best investment to date?
My best investments have been in a handful of blue-chip stocks in India.
I bought them eight to nine years ago, and they have almost tripled in value in the last decade. The best part about it is that I bought them on my own research.
Q: And your worst?
In the early days of my career, I always set aside some of my earnings in a separate bank account, and following some advice of my friends, dabbled in the equity markets.
While I was very excited by it, it was a baptism by fire into investing that remains, to date, my worst investment.
I never mixed equity trading with financial planning from then on.
Published on Aug 14, 2011
Moderate risk taker targets 20% returns
Servion Global V-P has portfolio managers to handle his investments
By Magdalen Ng
Servion Global Services regional director Rajesh Krishnan has been working with the company for 15 years.
But he had not intended to stay that long.
He said: 'When I joined in 1996, the main drive for me was to work in a start-up, gain experience and then venture out on my own.'
However, the engineering graduate grew passionate about his work that revolves around sales, and customer-centric solutions, and stayed on.
The 41-year-old Chennai native moved to Singapore in 2003, where he has been managing the operations across the Asia-Pacific region.
He is married to Revathy, a housewife. The have two sons, Aditya, 13, and Pranav, eight.
Q: Are you a spender or saver?
I'm not a hard-core splurger. My friends call me a 'value-for-money' person, so it really depends on whether I think the thing I'm spending on is important. I don't think twice about spending on my children's education.
I also don't buy cheap stuff because I believe in quality. But before I buy anything, I always do my research to see if there are any promotions, or maximise the rewards points on my card.
Q: How much do you charge to your credit cards every month?
I do not operate on a budget, but each month, I spend about $5,000, and pay it off promptly.
I have about five cards, and try to use the plastic for unplanned activities, so I can keep track of my expenses.
Planned spending, such as tuition fees or bills, I usually settle through cheques.
Q: What financial planning have you done for yourself?
I have a portfolio split rather evenly among equities, real estate and insurance. I do not have savings-based insurance. I believe that in case of any unfortunate events, my family will have some assurance.
As for the real investments, I leave the bulk of it to the specialists. I have engaged a handful of portfolio managers to do it.
I am a moderate risk taker, and set myself with target returns of 10 to 20 per cent.
Q: Moneywise, what were your growing-up years like?
I grew up in a close-knit family.
It was not really hand-to-mouth, but we never indulged in any luxuries. My father was a teacher and my mother was a housewife. They worked hard, and stretched beyond their abilities to make sure that my younger brother and I got the best education and exposure.
I could see and experience the struggle they went through, and I understood the value of money and investing in kids from them.
Now, whenever my two sons - who are learning the piano - are practising, either my wife or I sit in with them. It's not fair for them to be practising alone, so we are like their audience.
Q: How did you get interested in investing?
A lot of my friends and classmates were from the finance industry, and I was always fascinated by the stories they told me, and how they managed their finances.
Now, other than the money I put with my portfolio managers, I still dabble a little on my own, as a hobby. I spend about 30 minutes to an hour each day to 'manage' my shares.
Q: What property do you own?
I own a plot of land and a property that is rented out, in India. I am also looking to buy a sea-facing apartment in Singapore, but am waiting for the correct time.
Q: What's the most extravagant thing you have bought?
Gadgets are my weaknesses. The latest toy that I bought was a Canon 550D which, together with some lenses, cost me more than $2,000.
I'm interested in sports photography, so I'm trying to get into it, and I hope that buying this expensive camera will give me some motivation to work on my photography frequently.
Q: What's your retirement plan?
I never really thought much about my retirement until I met a group of retired uncles on the golf course. They play every week, and that is when I thought that I would want to have enough to live on and play golf, as well as a group of friends to spend time with.
Hopefully I can stop work by the time I'm 55 or 60. Right now, I'm still working on my investments, and will continue to save. It should be enough.
Q: Home is now....
A rented apartment in Costa Del Sol.
Q: I drive....
A bottle-green Nissan Sunny. I'm not a guy who is into fast cars, I just want something that will get me from point to point, and not give me trouble on the roads.
songyuan@sph.com.sg
---------------------------------------------
WORST AND BEST BETS
Q: What has been your best investment to date?
My best investments have been in a handful of blue-chip stocks in India.
I bought them eight to nine years ago, and they have almost tripled in value in the last decade. The best part about it is that I bought them on my own research.
Q: And your worst?
In the early days of my career, I always set aside some of my earnings in a separate bank account, and following some advice of my friends, dabbled in the equity markets.
While I was very excited by it, it was a baptism by fire into investing that remains, to date, my worst investment.
I never mixed equity trading with financial planning from then on.
