Introduction: Why Your Choice of Investment Advisory Comes First Many investors kick off their journey by pondering product-related inquiries: “Which PMS is doing well right now?” “Which AIF or mutual fund should I pick?” “Which advisor my cohort uses?” Those questions assume the choice of advisor is a hygiene item. It is not. Every time you sign an investment advisory agreement, you are effectively hiring a CIO for your balance sheet. You are granting someone decision rights over your money: which investment opportunities to pursue, how much risk to take, how to invest in market cycles, how to invest in India or globally, and how to behave under stress. The more useful question is: “Who am I comfortable giving decision rights to, under what rules, and with which incentives?” This guide breaks that into five key criteria you can use if you are a salaried professional, a business owner with a private equity business, or a family office combining advisory with discretionary fund ma...