Gauravdewasi at 12:46, 31 March 2026

2026-03-31T12:46:33Z

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{{Short description|Indian investment banker (1969–2020)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Aisha de Sequeira
| image = Julia Maria Aisha De Sequeira died 2020.png
| image_size =
| caption = De Sequeira at the [[WEF]] in 2010
| birth_name = Julia Maria Aisha de Sequeira
| birth_date = {{birth date|1969|11|22|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Goa]], India
| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|12|10|1969|11|22|df=y}}
| death_place = [[New York City]], U.S.
| other_names =
| known_for = Mergers and Acquisitions in India
| education = {{ubl|
* [[Goa Engineering College]] ([[B.E.]])
* [[Yale School of Management]]
}}
| employer = [[Morgan Stanley]]
| occupation = Investment banker
| title =
| father = [[Erasmo de Sequeira]]
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Roy de Souza]]|2008}}
| children = 3
| relatives = {{ubl|
* [[Jack de Sequeira]] (grandfather)
* [[Fitz de Souza]]<br/>(father-in-law)}}
}}

'''Julia Maria Aisha de Sequeira'''<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Julia Maria Aisha De Sequeira|url=https://www.weforum.org/people/julia-maria-aisha-de-sequeira/|access-date=31 July 2021|website=World Economic Forum|language=en}}</ref> (22 November<ref>{{Cite web|date=5 December 2020|title=Aisha de Sequeira Memories Timeline|url=https://memories.net/timeline/aisha-desequeira-92397|access-date=31 July 2021|website=memories.net|language=en}}</ref> 1969 – 10 December 2020) was an Indian [[investment banker]]. She was the co-head of [[Morgan Stanley]] India from 2013 through 2020. In 2007, she became the founding head of [[investment banking]] for Morgan Stanley India, and continued in this position until her death in 2020.

She was ranked on [[Fortune India]]'s 50 Most Powerful Women from 2012 through 2020.

== Early life ==
De Sequeira was born and raised in [[Goa]], India. She studied at Our Lady of the Rosary High School and Dhempe College of Science & Arts,<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=11 December 2020|title=Tributes pour in for Goan achiever Aisha de Sequeira|url=http://www.navhindtimes.in/2020/12/12/goanews/tributes-pour-in-for-goan-achiever-aisha-de-sequeira/|access-date=31 July 2021|website=[[The Navhind Times]]|language=en-US}}</ref> then completed a [[Bachelor of Engineering]] in [[Electronics and Telecommunications]] at [[Goa Engineering College]]. She graduated from [[Yale School of Management]] with a [[Master's degree]] in public and private management in 1995.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2 August 2016|title=Aisha de Sequeira|url=https://www.mtholyoke.edu/stories/65205/aisha-de-sequeira|access-date=1 August 2021|website=[[Mount Holyoke College]]|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|date=9 December 2010|title=Alumni Stories: Aisha de Sequeira '95, Managing Director and Head of Investment Banking, India, Morgan Stanley|url=https://som.yale.edu/news/2010/12/alumni-stories-aisha-de-sequeira-95-managing-director-and-head-of-investment-banking-india-morgan-stanley|access-date=31 July 2021|website=Yale School of Management|language=en}}</ref> Her grandfather, [[Jack de Sequeira]], was president of the [[United Goans Party]]. Her father [[Erasmo de Sequeira]] was an [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha|MP]] from 1967 to 1977.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last1=Zachariah|first1=Reeba|last2=Kurian|first2=Boby|date=24 January 2012|title=Morgan Stanley tops India deal show|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/morgan-stanley-tops-india-deal-show/articleshow/11610511.cms|access-date=1 August 2021|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

== Career ==
De Sequeira first worked at [[Morgan Stanley]] in 1994, where she completed an [[internship]] while in business school.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Subramanian|first=Anusha|date=9 January 2011|title=They are playing her song|url=https://www.businesstoday.in/magazine/special/story/morgan-stanleys-aisha-de-sequeira-13897-2010-12-29|access-date=31 July 2021|website=[[Business Today (India)|Business Today]]|language=en}}</ref> She joined the firm full-time in [[New York City]] when she graduated the following year, becoming an associate in their [[Investment banking|Investment Banking]] group. A few months later, she moved to the [[Mergers and acquisitions|Mergers & Acquisitions]] (M&A) group, where she would continue until 2007.<ref name=":1" />

In 2007, Morgan Stanley ended its eight-year-old Indian [[joint venture]] with [[Nimesh Kampani]]'s [[JM Financial]] Group,<ref name=":2" /> and received a merchant banking license from the [[Securities and Exchange Board of India|SEBI]] for a wholly owned subsidiary. De Sequeira, then a Managing Director in New York City, was transferred to [[Mumbai]] to be the Head of Investment Banking at the new company.<ref>{{Cite web|date=10 October 2007|title=Morgan Stanley In India Receives Merchant Banking License and Announces Two Senior Appointments|url=https://www.morganstanley.com/press-releases/morgan-stanley-in-india-receives-merchant-banking-license-and-announces-two-senior-appointments_5623|access-date=1 August 2021|website=Morgan Stanley|language=en}}</ref> Three months after her transfer, the company was caught by the [[2008 financial crisis]]; while deals were scarce, De Sequeira's team was able to find contacts with potential clients. Hence, they were ready when the markets began to recover in 2009, and it was called the top firm in the capital markets in India after advising 17 deals in nine months.<ref name=":5" /> In 2011, Morgan Stanley topped three Indian banking deal league tables, with the [[Times Of India]] featuring de Sequeira as the head of ''Mergers and Acquisitions''. Morgan Stanley had nearly 30% of the market by value, advising on business deals worth $11.2bn.<ref name=":2" />

In 2013, de Sequeira became the co-head of Morgan Stanley India<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Krishnan|first=Revathi|date=11 December 2020|title=Aisha de Sequeira — 'daughter of Goa' & Morgan Stanley India co-head who idolised Steve Jobs|url=https://theprint.in/india/aisha-de-sequeira-daughter-of-goa-morgan-stanley-india-co-head-who-idolised-steve-jobs/565173/|website=[[ThePrint]]}}</ref> in addition to her Investment Banking position. She continued in both roles through December 2020.<ref>{{Cite news|date=13 January 2021|title=Morgan Stanley rejigs top deck in India, names Sanjay Shah as head|work=[[The Economic Times]]|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/morgan-stanley-rejigs-top-deck-in-india-names-sanjay-shah-as-head/articleshow/80239426.cms|access-date=1 August 2021}}</ref> Under De Sequeira's leadership, Morgan Stanley India maintained its status as a prominent M&A advisory firm, and became the top firm in the country again in 2017.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=Surendar|first=T.|date=22 September 2019|title=Aisha de Sequeira: The market reader|url=https://www.fortuneindia.com/investing/aisha-de-sequeirathe-market-reader/103583|access-date=1 August 2021|website=Fortune India|language=en}}</ref> The company advised over $70 billion of deals, such as the investments by [[Facebook, Inc.]] and [[Google]] into [[Jio]];<ref name=":3" /> [[Ford Motor Company|Ford Motor Company's]] sale of [[Jaguar Land Rover]] to [[Tata Group]], and the merger of [[Idea Cellular]] and [[Vodafone India]].<ref name=":4" />

De Sequeira was one of [[Fortune India]]'s 50 Most Powerful Women from 2012 through 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Aisha De Sequeira – Most Powerful Women in 2012|url=https://www.fortuneindia.com/mpw/aisha-de-sequeira?year=2012|access-date=1 August 2021|website=Fortune India|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> When the [[The Economic Times|Economic Times]] introduced their first women-only awards in 2019, the ET Prime Women Leadership Awards, De Sequeira served on the selection committee in 2019 and 2020.<ref>{{Cite news|date=5 March 2019|title=Awards for Female Entrepreneurs: ET Prime Women Leadership Awards jury shortlists finalists for their spirit of entrepreneurship, innovation, and excellence|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/media/et-prime-women-leadership-awards-jury-shortlists-finalists-for-their-spirit-of-entrepreneurship-innovation-and-excellence/articleshow/68264009.cms|access-date=1 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=19 February 2020|title=ETPWLA {{!}} ET Prime Women Leadership Awards 2020: Finalists shortlisted after intense debate at jury meet|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/et-prime-women-leadership-awards-2020-finalists-shortlisted-after-intense-debate-at-jury-meet/articleshow/74203311.cms|access-date=1 August 2021}}</ref> She was also a member of the [[Young Presidents' Organization]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=13 August 2019|title=How A Tech Entrepreneur Turned a Personal Crisis Into A War Against Cancer|url=https://www.ypo.org/2019/08/how-a-tech-entrepreneur-turned-a-personal-crisis-into-a-war-against-cancer|access-date=1 August 2021|website=Young Presidents' Organization}}</ref> [[Indra Nooyi]], also a Yale SOM alumna, was a friend and mentor.<ref name=":0" />

== Personal life ==
De Sequeira was a fluent speaker of [[Konkani language|Konkani]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Lall|first=Pavan|date=10 December 2020|title=Aisha de Sequeira: The banker with a smile|url=https://www.fortuneindia.com/obituary/aisha-de-sequeira-the-banker-with-a-smile/104936|access-date=31 July 2021|website=Fortune India|language=en}}</ref> She married entrepreneur [[Roy de Souza]], the founder of [[Zedo]], in 2008. They had three sons Erasmo, Nathan and Alexander.<ref>{{Cite web|date=13 December 2020|title=Remembering Banker Aisha De Sequeira who Put People First And Built Morgan Stanley in India|url=https://www.shethepeople.tv/home-top-video/aisha-de-sequeira-dies-morgan-stanley/|access-date=31 July 2021|website=[[SheThePeople]]|language=en-US}}</ref> Her father-in-law, [[Fitz de Souza]], a Kenyan lawyer-turned-politician, died in March 2020.<ref name=":02">{{cite web|last=Fernandes|first=Cyprian|date=29 March 2020|title=RIP Dr Fitzval de Souza|url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Review/RIP-Dr-Fitzval-de-Souza-/158757|access-date=19 October 2020|website=[[O Heraldo]]}}</ref> Her cousin, Jack Ajit Sukhija, through her paternal aunt Lily, serves as a councilor in the [[Corporation of the City of Panaji]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-03-16 |title=With 2-vote win in local polls, grandson of iconic Goan Jack de Sequeira makes a splash on electoral debut |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/with-2-vote-win-in-local-polls-grandson-of-iconic-goan-jack-de-sequeira-makes-a-splash-on-electoral-debut-10583872/ |access-date=2026-03-20 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

== Death ==
De Sequeira was diagnosed with [[Colorectal cancer|colon cancer]] in 2017. She died on 10 December 2020<ref name=":0" /> in New York City.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Ghosh|first1=Suvashree|last2=Kalesh|first2=Baiju|date=10 December 2020|title=Morgan Stanley Veteran, Top India Dealmaker Sequeira Dies at 51|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-11/morgan-stanley-veteran-top-india-dealmaker-sequeira-dies-at-51|website=[[Bloomberg News]]}}</ref> Her family received condolences on [[Twitter]] from the [[Chief Minister of Goa]] [[Pramod Sawant]]<ref name=":3" /> and former Chief Minister [[Digambar Kamat]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gupta|first=Yashi|date=11 December 2020|title=Morgan Stanley India co-head Aisha de Sequeira passes away after long battle with cancer|url=https://www.cnbctv18.com/india/morgan-stanley-india-co-head-aisha-de-sequeira-passes-away-after-long-battle-with-cancer-7704121.htm|access-date=1 August 2021|website=[[CNBC TV18]]|language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==

* [https://www.rediff.com/business/report/its-never-about-a-one-off-deal-mantra-over-a-meal/20190825.htm 'It's never about a one-off deal': mantras from Morgan Stanley's India boss (2019)]
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:de Sequeira, Aisha}}
[[Category:Morgan Stanley employees]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Goa]]
[[Category:Yale School of Management alumni]]
[[Category:Indian investment bankers]]
[[Category:Indian expatriates in the United States]]
[[Category:Deaths from colorectal cancer in New York (state)]]

Aisha de Sequeira - Revision history

Gauravdewasi at 12:46, 31 March 2026