First Global
First Global is a privately-held India-based investment management firm founded in 1993, offering portfolio management, global investing advisory, fixed income, wealth management, and trading services to high-net-worth individuals, NRIs, and retail investors using a proprietary AI-ML quant investment model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersMumbai, India
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What First Global does
First Global is a privately-held, India-based investment management and advisory firm founded in 1993 by Devina Mehra with Shankar Sharma as co-founder. The company offers portfolio management services (India PMS), global investing advisory and fund products, global fixed income products, wealth management, and broking and trading services, complemented by the FG-HUM Smallcase for retail investors. Its core technology is a proprietary "Human+ Machine InvestTech Model" that combines AI-ML quant strategies with human fund management experience, supported by the FG Exo Tech platform which powers systematic rebalancing for its smallcase offering. The firm claims a 32% CAGR over 20 years for its India PMS (Rs. 100 grown to Rs. 29,471) and reports funds under management of approximately ₹208.17 crore.
The firm serves three primary customer segments: high-net-worth individuals seeking global diversification, non-resident Indians (NRIs) and foreign citizens accessing global fixed income and equity products, and retail investors accessing professional strategies via the FG-HUM Smallcase. Revenue is generated through management fees (charged monthly on average daily AUM), performance fees subject to hurdle rates and high watermark, brokerage and statutory charges, and subscription fees on its smallcase and advisory products. Minimum investments range from Rs. 50 lakhs for India PMS to $50,000 for global fixed income products. Distribution is conducted via direct advisory sales for HNW and NRI clients, alongside digital self-serve channels (online trading platform and smallcase) for retail.
First Global operates through four legal entities — First Global Finance Pvt. Ltd., First Global Stockbroking Pvt. Ltd., First Global Securities Pvt. Ltd., and First Global AIF Trust — and is regulated across multiple jurisdictions including SEBI in India (stock broker INZ000210739, PMS INP000006697, research analyst INH000004635), FCA in the UK, SEC in the US, and CIMA in the Cayman Islands. The firm is led by Founder and CMD Devina Mehra and Vice Chairman Shankar Sharma, with Neeraj Khanna serving as CEO of the stockbroking entity. Headcount is reported at 251-500 employees with a head office in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, and the firm has received coverage from major global publications including the Wall Street Journal, Barron's, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, MarketWatch, Fortune, and Forbes.
First Global firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- First Global
- Legal name
- First Global Finance Pvt. Ltd.
- Website
- https://firstglobalsec.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- First Global is a privately-held India-based investment management firm founded in 1993, offering portfolio management, global investing advisory, fixed income, wealth management, and trading services to high-net-worth individuals, NRIs, and retail investors using a proprietary AI-ML quant investment model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
First Global industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Investment Management & Portfolio Management Services
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Open-End Investment Funds (525910), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Investment Banking and Securities Intermediation (523150)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Global/International & Emerging Markets Mutual Funds (FSAAAEAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- International/Ex-U.S. Developed Equity (Active) (FSAAAIAE), Execution-Only / Self-Directed Investing Platforms (FSAAAAAI)
Keywords
Where First Global is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mumbai
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
First Global business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Portfolio Management Services (PMS): First Global manages discretionary and non-discretionary portfolios for clients with minimum investment of Rs. 50 lakhs. Revenue is generated through a combination of management fees (charged monthly on average daily AUM) and performance fees based on returns exceeding hurdle rates with high watermark principle.
- Global Fixed Income Products: Advisory and fund products for non-resident Indians and foreign citizens starting at $50,000 minimum investment, generating fees through advisory charges and fund management.
- Stock Broking Services: Equity cash and derivatives trading, commodities trading, and foreign exchange services. Revenue generated through brokerage and statutory charges (assumed at 0.2% as per fee calculator).
- Smallcase (FG-HUM): Self-serve multi-cap stock basket product for smaller investors, providing curated stock lists with periodic rebalancing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | Monthly | India PMS - FG-IS50 and FG-IMAAP products |
| Subscription | Annual | Global Fixed Income Advisory and Fund |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | FG-HUM Smallcase |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
First Global product offering
Product offeringCore offering
First Global provides discretionary and non-discretionary Portfolio Management Services (India PMS and Global Investing), Global Fixed Income Advisory & Fund products for NRIs and foreign citizens, comprehensive Wealth Management, stock Broking and Trading services, and the FG-HUM Smallcase offering for retail investors. Investment decisions are driven by a proprietary Human+ Machine InvestTech Model that combines AI-ML Quant Strategies with 30+ years of fund management experience to construct risk-adjusted portfolios.
Product overview
First Global operates as a multi-product investment management firm offering an integrated platform of wealth solutions. The core offerings include India PMS (India Super 50 and Multi-Asset Allocation Portfolio with 32% CAGR over 20 years), Global Investing Advisory & Fund for international equity exposure, Global Fixed Income products starting at $50,000 for NRIs and foreign investors, and discretionary Wealth Management services. These are complemented by Broking & Trading services (equity, derivatives, commodities, FX) and the FG-HUM Smallcase for retail investors seeking a curated Indian equity basket. The firm differentiates through its Human+ Machine InvestTech Model, combining AI-ML Quant Strategies with fund management experience to reduce the role of luck and increase skill in investment outcomes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FG-HUM (First Global Human + Machine Model): A curated multi-cap stock basket smallcase offering for small and mid-size investors, featuring 25-30 stocks driven by FG Exo Tech with risk-adjusted returns.
Products and services
- India PMS (FG-IS50 and FG-IMAAP) Portfolio Management Services for Indian equities offering two schemes — FG-IS50 (India Super 50) and FG-IMAAP (India Multi-Asset Allocation Portfolio) — with a reported 32% CAGR track record over 20 years. Combines data-driven analysis with fund management experience to construct portfolios aligned with defined investment objectives and risk frameworks, available with a minimum investment of Rs. 50 lakhs per SEBI regulations.
- Global Investing Advisory & Fund Global equity investment advisory and fund products enabling international diversification across asset classes, countries, industries, and companies. First Global has practiced global investing for over 20 years, leveraging its proprietary Human+ Machine InvestTech Model to construct globally diversified portfolios for clients seeking exposure beyond India.
- Global Fixed Income Advisory & Fund Fixed income investment products targeting Non-Resident Indians and foreign citizens with a minimum investment starting at $50,000. Offers two variants — an advisory product and fixed income fund products — providing access to fixed income strategies that were previously available only to ultra-high-net-worth investors via private banks with $1 million minimums.
- Wealth Management Comprehensive wealth management services combining Big Data Science and Artificial Intelligence with 30+ years of investment experience. Built on four mantras including data-driven Tactical Asset Allocation, offering structured wealth management through disciplined processes and advanced analytics for risk-adjusted outcomes and long-term capital preservation.
- Broking and Trading Equity cash and derivatives trading, commodities trading, and foreign exchange services offered through First Global Stockbroking Pvt. Ltd. The service emphasizes value-based advisory over zero/low brokerage approaches, with a technology and innovation-driven investment style and online account opening.
- FG-HUM Smallcase A curated multi-cap stock basket of 25-30 stocks designed for small and mid-size investors, driven by the proprietary FG Exo Tech platform. Diversified across sectors, typically rebalanced every 3 months with a focus on risk-adjusted returns, and distributed via the smallcase platform. Not available to US customers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 32% CAGR over 20 years for India PMS; Rs. 100 grown to Rs. 29,471
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use First Global
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
First Global technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability2 records
Feature3 records
First Global partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
First Global competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- IIFL Wealth Management: Large Indian private wealth platform offering PMS, AIF, and global advisory products. Comparable on cross-border investing, multi-product structure, and HNI/NRI client segments, though at much larger scale.
- Geojit Financial Services: India-based investment services firm with PMS, broking, and NRI-focused global investing products, comparable on multi-product and NRI client focus.
- Motilal Oswal Wealth Management: Indian PMS and wealth management provider offering discretionary portfolio management to HNIs and NRIs, with a multi-decade track record and similar product breadth across PMS, broking, and global investing.
- Anand Rathi Wealth Management: Listed Indian wealth manager with PMS, AIF, and distribution capabilities serving HNI families; directly comparable on product mix, regulatory footprint, and HNI client focus.
- PhilipCapital (India): Multi-jurisdictional wealth and PMS provider with India operations serving HNI/NRI clients via discretionary portfolio management and global advisory, comparable regulatory breadth.
- ASK Wealth Advisors: Boutique Indian wealth and PMS firm focused on HNI/UHNI clients with discretionary and advisory mandates, comparable in scale, regulatory registration, and founder-led positioning.
- Sharekhan Wealth Management: Indian broking and wealth management firm offering PMS, trading, and advisory across HNI and retail; similar mid-market positioning with technology-driven advisory.
Broad incumbents
- Kotak Wealth Management: Bank-led wealth management arm offering PMS, advisory, and broking to UHNI and HNI clients; broader portfolio including lending and banking products, competing for the same NRI/HNI wallet.
- HDFC Securities: Bank-affiliated broker and PMS provider offering portfolio management and advisory to HNI/mass-affluent clients; broader scale and product portfolio but overlapping on PMS and broking.
Emerging players
- Zerodha (smallcase): India's largest discount broker and operator of the smallcase platform, which hosts First Global's FG-HUM offering. Represents the emerging self-serve, technology-first competitive threat in Indian wealth.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
First Global social profiles
Digital presenceFirst Global compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
First Global financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
First Global leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
First Global funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
First Global M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about First Global
What does First Global do?
First Global provides discretionary and non-discretionary Portfolio Management Services (India PMS and Global Investing), Global Fixed Income Advisory & Fund products for NRIs and foreign citizens, comprehensive Wealth Management, stock Broking and Trading services, and the FG-HUM Smallcase offering for retail investors. Investment decisions are driven by a proprietary Human+ Machine InvestTech Model that combines AI-ML Quant Strategies with 30+ years of fund management experience to construct risk-adjusted portfolios.
Is First Global a public or private company?
First Global is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was First Global founded?
First Global was founded in 1993. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is First Global based?
First Global is headquartered in Mumbai, India, in the Asia region.
How does First Global make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Portfolio Management Services (PMS) is the primary driver. The others are global Fixed Income Products, stock Broking Services and smallcase (FG-HUM).
Who are First Global's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are IIFL Wealth Management, Geojit Financial Services, Motilal Oswal Wealth Management, Anand Rathi Wealth Management, PhilipCapital (India), ASK Wealth Advisors and Sharekhan Wealth Management. Broad incumbents are Kotak Wealth Management and HDFC Securities. Zerodha (smallcase) is listed as an emerging player.
Does First Global have an API?
No public API is recorded for First Global.
What industry is First Global in?
First Global's product category is Investment Management & Portfolio Management Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAAEAK, Global/International & Emerging Markets Mutual Funds, with a secondary code of FSAAAIAE, International/Ex-U.S. Developed Equity (Active). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.