A few years ago, a young employee in the asset management firm DSP BlackRock Investment Managers met with an untimely demise and left behind a grief-stricken wife, the mother of his two children. Consequently, she became the beneficiary of a sizeable life insurance claim and some company compensation money. Prying relatives and other kin were quick to spot the opportunity and to offer to invest the money on her behalf. In her vulnerable state, she might have even signed away her inheritance, but the DSP BlackRock team intervened and guided her through a suitable investment plan, according to her particular risk tolerance level and future financial objectives.

This incident compelled Aditi Hemendra Kothari, the executive Vice President of the firm to introduce a platform that enables women to make their own financial decisions, which led to her setting up Winvestor.u00a0Winvestor is an investor education initiative to build awareness and confidence amongst women to make their own financial decisions. Also, Winvestor helps guide women to a financial advisor who can personally help them meet their financial goals.
“We also came across many incidents involving freshly divorced friends with a sizable alimony and some single friends who were earning a healthy income but did not have the confidence, interest or knowledge to make their own investment decisions. Further, they did not know where to find a credible financial advisor who would understand their concerns. Enough has also been read about women taken for a ride and their finances wiped out. This was the motivation behind Winvestor,” says Kothari.