Ashwinder R. Singh’s entrepreneurial journey didn’t begin in a boardroom or with media headlines. It began quietly — with a conviction that clarity isn’t just a trait, it’s a way of life.

From the earliest days of his career, Ashwinder was never defined by corporate designations but by a relentless question: “What impact am I creating?” This pursuit of purpose shaped a remarkable trajectory across leadership, entrepreneurship, authorship, and advocacy in India’s real estate and financial sectors.

From Banking to Building

Ashwinder’s formative years were rooted in banking, where he held senior leadership roles at Citibank, Deutsche Bank, and ICICI. He was part of the founding team for Fullerton Singapore’s wealth management business in India, gaining a panoramic view of capital, customers, and markets. But even at the height of institutional finance, the builder in him was growing restless.

That instinct to build led to the co-founding of IndiaHomes — India’s first major PropTech startup, which went on to raise over $25 million. At a time when real estate and technology were still uneasy allies, IndiaHomes blazed a trail by blending deep customer engagement with digital efficiency. It wasn’t just a startup; it became a school of real estate, launching the careers of hundreds of professionals, channel partners, and entrepreneurs across the country.

Leading by Doing

Ashwinder next took the helm at JLL Residential India as CEO, scaling the business across geographies, strengthening internal systems, and building market trust. His belief in data-backed insights, combined with human-centric leadership, helped shape a culture of excellence within one of the world’s most respected real estate firms.

But once again, the entrepreneurial fire called. Ashwinder co-founded ANAROCK and served as its first CEO, where he built one of India’s most respected real estate services companies from scratch. It was not an easy journey — but deeply fulfilling. As he puts it, “Building from scratch, earning trust brick by brick, and leading a team that believed in doing real estate differently — that was the real reward.”

Scaling Vision at Scale

Post-ANAROCK, he joined Bajaj Housing Finance as Group Head and Key Management Personnel (KMP), overseeing nationwide operations for home loans and developer funding. This role gave him unparalleled visibility into India’s residential development ecosystem — from capital markets to consumer aspirations.

That macro view found its expression in the next chapter — Bhartiya Urban, where Ashwinder served as CEO. There, he helped transform a 150-acre integrated township into a vibrant ecosystem — seamlessly blending homes, offices, retail, and public spaces, and directly managing over 15 million sq. ft. of residential development.

The Entrepreneurial Chapter 2.0

Today, Ashwinder is Vice Chairman & CEO of BCD Group — not as a conventional hire, but as a strategic partner and entrepreneur. In under a year, the group has announced a pipeline of over 200 acres, including a 70-acre flagship township that has been successfully launched. The scale is ambitious, but the intent remains rooted in fundamentals: build what India needs, do it right, and do it sustainably.

Beyond the Boardroom

His leadership extends to policy and industry bodies, serving as Chairman of the CII Real Estate Committee (North) and Advisor to NAR-India. He has chaired real estate delegations to the UAE and Singapore and shared panels with Cabinet Ministers like Hardeep Singh Puri and Nitin Gadkari to shape policy discourse around housing, infrastructure, and urbanisation.

But Ashwinder’s story doesn’t end at balance sheets. He is a nationally acclaimed author, with two bestselling books — Master Residential Real Estate and Master Commercial Real Estate — one of which was even featured on Shark Tank India and recognized as the Best Business and Money Book of the Year. His newsletter OpenHouse is widely read across the real estate community for its blend of market insights, leadership lessons, and human storytelling.

Entrepreneurship with Awareness

Perhaps the most unique part of Ashwinder’s story is his inner journey. A Self-thought vocalist, he has released four cover songs with Saregama, using music as a way to stay grounded and inspired. His approach to entrepreneurship isn’t built on hustle culture but on conscious leadership.

As he often says, “In a world full of noise, the one who can hear his own voice is the true entrepreneur.”

That voice, he says, is a gift from his father — a war hero and martyr — whose life and sacrifice taught him that true leadership is quiet, grounded, and purpose-driven.

Today, Ashwinder R. Singh isn’t just building businesses. He’s building legacies — one square foot at a time, one leader at a time.

This article was first published in Startup Story Media on June 28, 2025.