Rooted in People,
Driven by Numbers

“Some of the best lessons come from stories - especially the ones that teach you to think differently, reflect, and find your own path.”

Chasing Characters, Not Convention

Growing up in Delhi, Rahul Grover’s childhood was filled with books and fictional heroes. Hailing from a business family, he had a natural love for numbers. So, it was assumed he would follow in his father’s footsteps but Rahul’s curiosity leaned in another direction.

Rahul’s formative years were marked by a fascination with complex fictional characters like Tony Stark, Gregory House, and Sherlock Holmes. “These characters were brilliant, self-destructive, and brutally honest. Something about that stayed with me.” This love for intricate character arcs shaped his introspective nature and desire to forge a distinct identity.

Rahul pursued commerce in school, then a degree in statistics from Delhi University, drawn by the promise of data analytics and actuarial sciences. But the cold theorems and theoretical constructs failed to excite him. The turning point came when he discovered CFA. “The CFA curriculum felt alive. It connected theory to how markets work. That clicked for me.”

First Steps and Fresh Starts

Despite the security of a family business, Rahul was determined to forge his own path. His professional journey began at MCube Financial, a boutique financial consulting firm. He aced the interview, thanks to his deep interest in the 2008 financial crisis and his ability to articulate its lessons. This tenure was a crash course in commercial real estate, learning the intricacies of property evaluation, cap rates, and market dynamics. But then, the pandemic struck. The company downsized, and Rahul was let go.

“At first, I was crushed. I would take long walks, thinking about my options — MBA, data science, even joining the family business.” A brief stint at his father’s factory reassured him that his true calling was finance. “I realized I’d never find fulfilment there. I’d rather spend 15 hours a day building a financial model.”

Growth with Oxane

With CFA level 2 underway, Rahul chose to utilize this time to upskill and relentlessly pursue his passion. Simultaneously, he began applying for jobs with renewed determination. A LinkedIn posting led him to Oxane. The company’s story — using technology to create order from chaos in finance — resonated deeply. “I was drawn to Oxane’s culture of moving fast, breaking new ground, and focusing on what matters most.”

Creating, Learning, Growing

Rahul joined Oxane in December 2020, stepping into a small team. Since the function was new, the work was unstructured, open-ended, and experimental — just the kind of playground Rahul thrived in. “There were no fixed processes. We got to build things from scratch. That early exposure was rare and valuable.”

From scaling up primary servicing to onboarding complex mandates, Rahul consistently found himself at the genesis of projects. One of his proudest moments came where he was tasked with creating a portfolio financing model from the ground up. “There was no reference, no template — just a legal agreement and a blank spreadsheet. I poured everything I had into it. To this day, that model is still used as a reference for new deals.”

Rahul later moved to Hyderabad to lead a major client onboarding. “It was a daunting but formative move as I had never lived outside Delhi. I missed my family and home-cooked food, but the work was rewarding. I built automation processes and critical financial models.” Once the project wrapped, he joined a new team in the direct lending business in Gurgaon.

Believing in his prowess in financial modelling and process building, his seniors recommended him to graduate to the managerial realm. As a Senior Associate, Rahul now manages a 17-member team. “Understanding people is harder than understanding numbers. I’m learning to be empathetic and responsible for others, not just for myself.”

Oxane’s culture of support and mentorship played a crucial role in Rahul’s growth. “Working with different managers taught me to adapt.” Leadership workshops also helped, but he believes most of his people skills came from observing and learning on the go. This support also extended to facilitating the purchase of his first house. “One of the reasons I’m so loyal to Oxane is that the company always has your back, even in your personal journey.”

Life Beyond Numbers

Outside of work, Rahul is a lover of stories in all forms — books, movies, music. Jazz and Rock are his go-to genres, with retro bands like Queen, Frank Sinatra, and The Beatles providing soundtrack to his weekends. A self-proclaimed cinephile, his favourite directors are Quentin Tarantino, David Fincher, or Joss Whedon.

Rahul also loves hanging out with his immediate and extended family. His elder sister, his confidante, is his sounding board when it comes to navigating the challenges of the corporate world.

The Evolution Continues

Rahul considers Oxane as a partner in his personal and professional growth. The company’s culture of openness and collaboration has shaped his journey. “At Oxane, you always know your place in the team. From learning how to build systems and to learning presentation skills, I have gained a lot from leaders across the organization”.

Rahul draws inspiration from his maternal uncle, a passionate worker himself, who taught him the value of hard work and the satisfaction of a job well done. “He used to say you sleep the best at night when you’ve given your all. I never understood it until I started working at Oxane, building models, and delivering on tight deadlines.”

Rahul sees his story evolving alongside Oxane’s. “When I joined, we both were young and hungry. Today, we’re scaling, delegating, optimizing. I’m still learning to juggle it all.”

As a young manager, Rahul wants to grow and leave a larger impact. “An eighteen-wheeler truck can achieve a lot more than a bicycle. If I want to do more, I need to build the team, trust others, and take that leap.” For him, the next chapter is about helping others grow, taking on new challenges, and always staying true to the love of numbers that started it all.