Sajid Ahmed joined Point72 as the Head of India and Head of APAC Technology in August 2025 to establish and lead the firm’s India office in Bengaluru, drawing on a career rooted in technology and global financial services. We sat down with Sajid to hear how his experiences have shaped his approach to leadership, what it takes to build something new, and why learning, trust and adaptability are central to creating something that lasts.
Let’s start with your current role. What are you responsible for at Point72?
I came on board to set up Point72’s India office, which in itself is a meaningful responsibility, while also helping build out global technology and operations capabilities for APAC from Bengaluru. The opportunity resonated immediately because of the greenfield nature of the mandate: building an India presence from the ground up and ensuring it was tightly connected to the firm’s global platform.
Because the firm initially envisioned India as a technology hub, my background as a technologist naturally shaped the early focus. Over time, that scope has expanded. Today, we have multiple global functions either established or in progress here, including technology, operations, finance, data services, and AI-related teams. The goal is to build towards something purposeful and ensure teams have real ownership and impact across the firm.
What does a typical day look like when you’re building something from scratch?
No two days look the same, especially at this stage. Mornings are very local and very hands-on, everything from office readiness to onboarding new hires and meeting candidates. When opening a new office, nothing is assumed. You quickly realize how many details need to be in place for people to simply do their jobs well.
As the day progresses, my focus shifts to the broader mandate with global technology initiatives, leadership discussions, and preparation for calls with the U.S. and other regions. Evenings are usually spent syncing with global teams on projects that cut across time zones.
It feels a lot like a startup environment: fast-moving, dynamic, and very collaborative.
You’ve had a long and varied career. What experiences prepared you most for this role?
Two things stand out. First, scale. Across my career, I’ve built and led large technology and operations organizations in global financial institutions. I spent over a decade at Goldman Sachs, where I grew from a technologist into a senior leader. Later, at Wells Fargo, I helped grow the India technology organization significantly during a period of rapid expansion, including through COVID. Hiring at scale, designing operating models, and developing leadership pipelines across geographies were core parts of those roles, and that experience translated directly into setting up Point72’s India office.
Second, adaptability. Many of my previous roles have required a level of comfort with uncertainty and change. That mindset has been critical now, in this role as well, particularly in navigating the realities of establishing a new presence and building trust without an existing institutional footprint. The learning curve has been steep, but it’s also been one of the most educational parts of the role.
ou describe Point72’s culture, especially as a leader joining from the outside?
What stood out immediately was how open and welcoming people were. Early on, I found myself being continuously connected to others. One conversation would lead to another, and before I knew it, I had spoken with 30 or 40 colleagues across the firm in just a few months.
It was striking how many of those people invested real time in helping me understand what the culture is, what works, and how to be successful here. I’ve spent more than 30 years in financial services, and I’ve found that kind of generosity is rarer than it should be. For someone joining from the outside, that kind of support makes an enormous difference. It says a lot about the DNA of the firm.
Leadership and talent development seem central to how you operate. How do you think about building and nurturing teams?
Leadership, to me, starts with people. You can always hire talent, but long-term success depends on growth, trust, and cultural alignment.
One very practical thing I tell people is that every quarter, you should be able to clearly articulate what you’ve learned or delivered. If you can’t, that’s a signal we need to course-correct together. Progress shouldn’t feel abstract.
I also believe strongly in investing time in people who are still building confidence or developing skills. High performers tend to find their way. Helping someone who’s earlier in their journey can change the entire dynamic of a team and is where some of the most meaningful leadership work happens.
What advice would you give to someone early in their career who hopes to move into leadership one day?
In your early years, focus on learning, not optimization. Find roles that teach and challenge you, even if they make you uncomfortable at first. The mistakes you make early tend to be inexpensive whereas mistakes made later can be more costly.
I also encourage people to take risks. Don’t be reckless, but don’t shy away from hard problems just because others say they’re difficult. If you fail, you learn. If you succeed, the upside is meaningful.
And finally, humility matters. The moment you think you’re the smartest person in the room, you stop growing. I’ve learned the most by listening—to peers, to juniors, and to people who see problems very differently than I do.
What makes Point72 an attractive place for talent in India?
Right now, it’s the combination of opportunity, exposure, and culture. What we’re building in Bengaluru is an office with genuine global responsibility. It’s not a massive offshore center. People here work directly with global leaders and on meaningful challenges that truly matter to the firm.
There’s also a startup‑like energy: very few layers, direct access to leadership, and a clear line of sight between effort and impact. That resonates strongly, especially with high‑caliber talent looking for more than just a job.
We’re also seeing the brand take shape organically. Candidates are reaching out to us, campuses are seeking us out, and referrals are increasing. That tells me we’re building something credible and compelling.
How do you unwind outside of work?
I’m an introvert by nature, though my colleagues are often surprised to hear that. Outside the office, I gravitate toward very hands-on hobbies. One of them is carpentry. I enjoy working with raw wood, sanding, finishing, and building furniture from scratch.
That interest really took off during the pandemic. Just before COVID, I had attended a workshop where they teach basic carpentry skills. Then lockdowns happened, and suddenly you couldn’t go anywhere or do much of anything. Getting materials was the hardest part — hardware stores were closed, nothing was easily available, and I had to be extremely resourceful. That period pulled me deep into the craft. With nothing else going on, I spent hours building, fixing, and experimenting, and it became a way to stay grounded during a very strange time.
I also enjoy home automation projects and, perhaps surprisingly, shopping, which my wife appreciates, because I’m genuinely happy to spend hours doing it with her.
If you weren’t doing this, what would you do instead?
I’d teach. Helping someone truly understand something — rather than just memorize it — is incredibly powerful. I was fortunate to have teachers who adapted to how I learned, and that left a lasting impression on me. If I ever step away from this career, that’s where I’d like to spend my time.