Our Investment Team and Directors | abrdn New India Investment Trust

James Thom

Senior Investment Director

James Thom is a Senior Investment Director on the Asian equities team, based in Singapore. He is responsible for both Asian and Indian equity strategies and is co-Manager of Asia Dragon Trust plc and Lead Manager of the India Fund Inc, as well as co-Manager of the abrdn New India Investment Trust. He is also co-Portfolio Manager of abrdn’s flagship Asia Pacific ex-Japan strategy. James joined the company in 2010 from Actis, an Emerging Markets Private Equity firm. He graduated with an MBA from INSEAD, an MA from Johns Hopkins University and a BSc from University College London.

Rita Tahilramani

Investment Director

Rita Tahilramani is an Investment Director on the Asian equities team, responsible for covering India consumer staples and consumers; India and Australia industrials; telecommunications across India, Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. She is also part of the India portfolio construction team. Rita joined the company in September 2023 from Invesco Asset Management (India) where she was responsible for covering India industrial and consumer sectors. Previously, she worked for Edelweiss and SBI Capital in research roles. Prior to research, she worked with Edelweiss Capital in the policy formulation and credit risk team. Before that, she was a Computer Engineer at BNP Paribas.

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Michael Hughes

Chairman

Appointed a Director on 7 September 2016, and Senior Independent Director on 23 September 2020, Michael became Chairman of the Company on 28 September 2022. He is an acting investment consultant to family offices and charities and was formerly a Director of T. Bailey Asset Management Limited. Michael was a Director of Baring Asset Management Limited from 1998, becoming Chief Investment Officer in 2000, until his retirement in 2007. Prior to this, Michael was Managing Director of Barclays Capital (previously BZW) and Chairman of the Board of pension trustees. Before ‘Big Bang’ Michael was a Partner at stockbrokers de Zoete and Bevan.

David Simpson

Senior Independent Director

Appointed a Director on 1 November 2021 and Senior Independent Director on 28 September 2022, David initially qualified as a solicitor before following a career in corporate finance, which included seven years with Barclays de Zoete Wedd and 15 years with KPMG, latterly as global head of mergers and acquisitions. David has worked with numerous major corporates, listed companies, private equity, charitable and public bodies. David is currently chairman both of Ecofin Global Utilities and Infrastructure Trust plc and of M&G Credit Income Investment Trust plc.

Andrew Robson

Audit Committee Chairman

Appointed a Director on 1 August 2022 and Audit Committee Chairman on 28 September 2022, Andrew initially qualified as a Chartered Accountant before a career in investment banking and as a finance director. Andrew is a non-executive director of BlackRock Energy and Resources Income Trust PLC and JP Morgan European Growth & Income PLC. Andrew was a director of Robert Fleming & Co Limited and SG Hambros and finance director at eFinancialGroup Limited and the National Gallery. Previously, Andrew was a non-executive director of Baillie Gifford China Growth Trust PLC, British Empire Securities & General Trust plc, JP Morgan Smaller Companies Investment Trust plc, Mobeus Income & Growth 4 PLC and Shires Income plc.

Rebecca Donaldson

Non-Executive Director

Rebecca Donaldson was appointed as a Director of the Company on 1 September 2020. She has led the development of global marketing, communications and investor relations solutions for a broad range of investment companies, most recently as Head of Channel Marketing, EMEA at BMO Global Asset Management, and previously with Fidelity Worldwide Investments, Dexion Capital plc (now Fidante Partners) and UBS Global Asset Management AG.

Irina Miklavchich

Director

Appointed a Director on 20 November 2024, Irina Miklavchich was formerly an Executive Director in Equities Trading at UBS Investment Bank and, prior to that, she was the Head of Emerging Markets Equities desk and Fund Manager of the Global Emerging Markets Fund at Columbia Threadneedle (EMEA) for over six years. Before that, she spent eight years at Goldman Sachs, initially as an equity research analyst with the Emerging Markets and Global Financials teams at Goldman Sachs Asset Management and latterly as a portfolio manager and research analyst with Goldman Sachs Principal Strategies. Irina has strong expertise in investing in Emerging Markets incorporating fundamental company analysis, portfolio construction and risk diversification across sectors and geographies, including in India.

Meet the team