For most investors, stock exchanges are where wealth is created. Siddharth Balachandran chose to go one step deeper, he invested in the exchanges themselves.
The Dubai-based Malayali entrepreneur and investor, who is the Executive Chairman and CEO of Buimerc Corporation, is now among the most notable individual shareholders in India’s two leading stock exchanges — the National Stock Exchange of India and BSE.
As NSE moves closer to its long-awaited public listing, Siddharth’s holding has come into focus. According to DRHP-based data, he owns 93.15 lakh shares in NSE, representing about 0.38% stake. At an assumed value of ₹2,000 per share, this holding is worth around ₹1,863 crore, making him the fourth-largest individual shareholder in NSE.
His exposure to BSE is even larger. Siddharth holds 82.08 lakh shares in BSE, valued at around ₹3,600 crore based on recent market levels. He is regarded as the largest individual shareholder in BSE. Put together, his holdings in NSE and BSE are worth nearly ₹5,500 crore.
Not the only Malayali notable shareholder in NSE
Siddharth is not the only Malayali name in the NSE shareholder list. DRHP-based data also shows Kris Gopalakrishnan, co-founder of Infosys, holding 94.3 lakh shares in NSE, valued at around ₹1,886 crore. P.N.C. Menon, founder of Sobha, also appears among notable individual shareholders, with 21 lakh shares valued at about ₹420 crore, based on the ₹2,000 assumed price.
How Siddharth’s investment journey started
After his postgraduate studies, Siddharth worked with Dun & Bradstreet, where he handled banks and financial institutions in South India. That role exposed him to thousands of balance sheets and gave him a deeper understanding of why some businesses succeed while others fail.
He later moved to Dubai and built a business in the construction materials sector during the property boom of the mid-2000s. The liquidity created from his business journey eventually helped him build an investment platform.
Today, Buimerc Corporation is a Dubai International Financial Centre-based investment and operating holding company. The company describes its approach as disciplined and bottom-up, with a focus on long-term value creation, responsible investing, ESG principles and philanthropy. Its portfolio interests span financial services, private equity, venture capital and emerging sectors across markets including India, the UAE, Europe and the United States.
Why invest in stock exchanges?
The logic behind this investment is simple, but powerful. As India’s economy grows, more companies come to market, more individuals invest, more institutions trade, and the capital market itself deepens. Stock exchanges sit at the centre of this expansion.
For Siddharth, the investment is also an expression of faith in India’s long-term growth story. In an earlier interview that appeared in Dhanam Magazine, he had said that investing in Indian stock exchanges was a way of aligning himself with India’s progress. His belief has been that India’s growth, rising investor participation, stronger regulation and improving market infrastructure will create long-term value.
His BSE investment is his older bet, dating back to 2009, while his first investment in NSE investment was in 2014–15. Over the years, he has added to these positions with conviction.
The lesson for entrepreneurs and investors
Siddharth’s story is not just about the size of a holding. It is also about patience, conviction and the ability to identify structural opportunities before they become obvious.
Siddharth Balachandran will speak at the Dhanam Business Summit & Award Nite 2026, to be held on June 25 at Le Méridien, Kochi.
For more details: https://dhanambusinesssummit.com/