Ambit Appoints Skanda Jayaraman as Co-Head of Investment Banking: A Strategic Leadership Move for India's M&A Landscape

Introduction

India's investment banking landscape is getting sharper, more specialised, and increasingly competitive. As the country's mergers, acquisitions, and capital markets activity accelerates across sectors, the advisory firms that will lead this next wave are those investing deliberately in deep, experienced leadership. Ambit Private Limited's latest appointment — bringing Skanda Jayaraman on board as Co-Head of Investment Banking — is precisely that kind of deliberate, forward-looking move. Combined with a concurrent strategic restructuring around equity capital markets, this development signals that Ambit is serious about capturing a larger share of India's evolving advisory market.

The Big Announcement

Ambit Private Limited has officially appointed Skanda Jayaraman as Co-Head of its Investment Banking business — a strategic leadership addition designed to deepen the firm's advisory capabilities and strengthen its positioning across key sectors of the Indian economy.

Jayaraman brings over 23 years of experience spanning investment banking, fintech leadership, and credit risk management across India and Singapore. His career includes founding Altflow Advisors in Bengaluru — where he built a data solutioning platform for the BFSI ecosystem and advised mid-market clients on capital raising strategies. He previously served as CEO of Qapita Marketplace in Singapore and as Managing Director and Head of Investment Banking at Spark Capital Advisors.

In his new role, Jayaraman will co-lead Ambit's Investment Banking business alongside Rahul Mody, the existing Head of Investment Banking — creating a dual-leadership structure designed to enable more focused, sector-led client engagement across the Indian economy.

In a concurrent strategic move, Vikas Khattar — who has been instrumental in building Ambit's capital markets franchise — will now direct his focus exclusively toward leading and scaling Ambit's Equity Capital Markets business alongside deepening Financial Sponsors Group coverage. This targeted restructuring positions ECM as a dedicated growth vertical within Ambit's broader advisory platform.

Ashok Wadhwa, Group CEO of Ambit Private Limited, described the appointment as an important step in driving the next phase of Ambit's growth journey — highlighting Jayaraman's entrepreneurial mindset, sectoral expertise, and execution track record as key assets for partnering with both emerging and established leaders across India's evolving market landscape.

What This Means for Your Brand

Leadership restructuring at investment banking firms carries direct implications for corporates, startups, private equity players, and financial sponsors operating in India's deal ecosystem.

1. Co-leadership structures in investment banking signal capacity expansion — not just talent addition. By creating a co-head model rather than a simple replacement or addition, Ambit is structurally doubling its senior advisory bandwidth. For clients across sectors — whether mid-market companies seeking capital raising support or large corporates evaluating M&A transactions — this translates into more dedicated, senior-level attention and faster deal execution.

2. Entrepreneurial and cross-border experience is increasingly valued in Indian investment banking. Jayaraman's profile is distinctive — he has operated as both a founder and a senior banker, with experience spanning India and Singapore. This combination brings an entrepreneur's pragmatism to traditional investment banking rigour, which is particularly valuable for advising India's growing cohort of new-age businesses and founder-led companies navigating complex capital and growth decisions.

3. The dedicated ECM focus signals Ambit's ambitions in India's public markets. Separating Vikas Khattar's ECM and FSG responsibilities into a dedicated leadership mandate reflects the growing importance of equity capital markets activity in India — IPOs, QIPs, block deals, and private equity-backed listings have all seen significant momentum. A dedicated ECM leader enables deeper client relationships and faster deal pipeline development in this high-growth segment.

The forward-looking perspective? With India's M&A and capital markets activity expected to remain robust through 2026 and beyond, Ambit's leadership investments position it to compete more aggressively with both domestic boutiques and global investment banks for mandates across sectors.

The Numbers Behind the News

India's investment banking market has witnessed sustained deal activity across sectors including technology, financial services, consumer, healthcare, and infrastructure. Cross-border transactions — particularly involving Singapore and Southeast Asian capital flows into India — have been a growing component of this activity, making Jayaraman's international experience directly relevant to Ambit's client needs.

The BFSI sector — where Jayaraman built Altflow Advisors' data solutioning platform — remains one of India's most active deal-making segments, with ongoing consolidation, fintech investment, and regulatory-driven restructuring creating continuous advisory mandates.

Ambit's decision to structure dedicated leadership across Investment Banking and ECM reflects a recognition that these are increasingly distinct businesses requiring specialised expertise, client networks, and execution capabilities — a maturation of the Indian advisory market that mirrors global investment banking models.

The brands.in Perspective

Ambit is making a clear statement with this restructuring — it is not content with being a capable mid-market advisory firm. The co-head model, the ECM separation, and the quality of talent being brought in all point toward a firm positioning itself for the top tier of Indian investment banking. Skanda Jayaraman's founder experience is particularly interesting — it means Ambit now has a Co-Head who understands what it feels like to build something from scratch, which is invaluable when advising India's next generation of entrepreneurial businesses seeking growth capital or exit strategies.

Key Takeaways for Marketers

• Co-leadership structures in advisory firms signal capacity expansion and deeper client service commitment
• Cross-border and entrepreneurial experience is becoming a key differentiator in Indian investment banking talent
• Dedicated ECM leadership reflects the growing importance of public markets activity in India's deal ecosystem
• Sector-focused advisory structures enable deeper expertise and faster execution for corporate clients
• India's M&A and capital markets momentum is driving significant leadership investment across advisory firms

FAQ Section

Q: What is Skanda Jayaraman's background and what does he bring to Ambit's investment banking practice? Jayaraman brings over 23 years of experience across investment banking, fintech, and credit risk in India and Singapore. His background includes founding Altflow Advisors, serving as CEO of Qapita Marketplace in Singapore, and leading investment banking at Spark Capital Advisors — giving him a rare combination of entrepreneurial, cross-border, and traditional advisory expertise.

Q: What is the significance of Vikas Khattar's dedicated ECM and FSG focus at Ambit? By dedicating Khattar's leadership exclusively to Equity Capital Markets and Financial Sponsors Group coverage, Ambit is treating ECM as a distinct, high-growth business vertical rather than a function within broader investment banking. This enables deeper client relationships, faster deal pipeline development, and more specialised execution in India's active public markets and private equity ecosystem.

Q: How does the co-leadership model benefit Ambit's investment banking clients? The co-head structure — with Jayaraman and Rahul Mody jointly leading investment banking — effectively doubles senior advisory bandwidth, enabling more sector-focused engagement and dedicated senior attention across a broader client base. For corporates, founders, and financial sponsors seeking advisory support, this translates into more responsive, specialised, and execution-oriented deal partnerships.

Closing

Ambit's leadership restructuring is a confident, well-architected move — one that reflects both the firm's growth ambitions and its understanding of where Indian investment banking is headed. As India's corporate and capital markets ecosystem continues to mature and internationalise, the advisory firms that invest in specialised, experienced leadership today will be the ones capturing the most significant mandates tomorrow.

As India's M&A and capital markets activity accelerates through 2026, which sectors do you think will generate the most significant deal activity — and which advisory firms are best positioned to lead?

Share your perspective below and join the conversation.

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