Current assignment – Mr. Harshendu Bindal is the President of Franklin Templeton Asset Management (India) Private Limited. In this capacity, he is responsible for building Franklin Templeton's retail and institutional business in India.

Summary of past experience – Mr. Bindal was Senior Director - CEEMEA for Franklin Templeton Investments and handled retail and institutional activities in the Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA) region. He had joined Franklin Templeton as Regional Sales Manager in Mumbai, India in 1997 from Birla Global Finance Ltd. In 2000, he relocated to Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. as General Manager - Middle East, with the responsibility for establishing the firm's presence in the Gulf & Eastern Mediterranean regions. He then took over an additional responsibility as the head of NRI - Product Development and for the Central & Eastern European region in 2003. In November 2004, Mr. Bindal successfully obtained a license under the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and then successfully built Franklin Templeton's retail business in various countries across the region. He was given the responsibility for the Africa region in 2006.

Academic/professional qualifications – Mr. Bindal is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and holds an engineering degree, as well as a master's degree in financial management (M.F.M.) from the University of Mumbai.

Personal details – Mr. Bindal loves to travel and is an avid reader. While he represented his college in volley-ball, his current sporting interests are golf and the occasional game of cricket. He lives in Mumbai with his wife and two sons aged 8 and 4.

Your take on the mutual fund business in a single sentence:
I strongly believe that lack of awareness is the biggest issue facing the industry. I look forward to the day where the average Indian investor recognizes mutual funds as the most efficient, transparent and cost effective vehicle and therefore the preferred option for all their investment needs.