Karthik Sarma is an Indian-American businessman, the self-made billionaire Founder and Head of SRS Investment Management, a major private hedge fund specializing in highly concentrated, activist investments (often in publicly traded companies). His career is rooted in elite finance and a specialization in contrarian, event-driven equity strategies.

Sarma holds a B.S. and an M.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and an MBA from Princeton University. His career began in consulting at McKinsey & Company, providing the foundation for his analytical and strategic approach to investment. His philosophy centers on deep, fundamental research and aggressive shareholder activism to unlock value in public companies.

• SRS Investment Management (Founder & Head): The core private asset, a major hedge fund specializing in highly concentrated, activist equity investments.
• Investment Strategy: His success is built on contrarian, value-driven investment and executing strategic shareholder activism to drive corporate change.
• Major Investment: He holds a substantial 10 percent stake in Avis Budget Group (NASDAQ: CAR) (car rental).
• Academic Background: He holds an MBA from Princeton University and an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from IIT Madras.

Karthik Sarma founded SRS Investment Management in 2007 (with capital from Julian Robertson's Tiger Management). His strategic genius was his commitment to highly concentrated, long-term investments in public companies where he could exert influence and drive operational improvements. His most famous investment is his nearly 10 percent stake in Avis Budget Group (car rental), where he successfully argued for new strategic direction.

His structural contribution is tied to the successful application of activist investing to generate massive shareholder returns. His wealth is secured by the long-term, superior returns generated by his fund's concentrated equity strategies. He maintains a notably private profile, adhering to the discretion often favored by hedge fund managers, despite his public activism.

Karthik Sarma's social impact is structural, stemming from SRS Investment Management's role in providing capital and managerial pressure to corporations, driving governance and operational improvements (activism). His personal philanthropy supports various educational and community initiatives, often tied to STEM and engineering education.

His career is a testament to the profitability of disciplined quantitative analysis and shareholder activism in the high-stakes global investment arena.

Karthik Sarma maintains the professional, composed style of a financial executive. His attire is consistently bespoke, favoring dark, tailored suits. His aesthetic reflects stability and immense intellectual authority, typical of a leader in the secretive hedge fund sector.

Residing in New York City, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to investment strategy, financial discipline, and activist corporate governance.