Draft:Gaurav Kapadia

Gaurav Kapadia (born 1981 ) is an American investor, entrepreneur, and civic leader. He is the founder and CEO of XN, an investment firm in New York City started in 2018. He previously co-founded Soroban Capital Partners, where he was a co-managing partner, and served as a partner at TPG-Axon Capital. Kapadia is also known for civic engagement and involvement in public policy, education, and the arts.

Early life and education
Gaurav Kapadia was raised in the Queens borough of New York City. His parents immigrated to America from India on a visa program for immigrants in specialized professions. His mother, Chhaya Kapadia, worked in finance technology and held high-ranking positions at Citibank, NASDAQ, and Kaiser Permanente before becoming a jewelry designer. She is the chief executive of Maya Jewels, a jewelry company in New York. Kapadia’s father was a financial and management consultant in New York.

Kapadia has spoken publicly about how his upbringing shaped his values and work, particularly his interest in increasing opportunity.

Hunter College High School
When he was 11 years old, Gaurav Kapadia's fifth grade teacher encouraged him to take the admissions test to Hunter College High School. After being accepted, Kapadia attended Hunter, which he credits for changing his life and setting up future opportunities.

Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Kapadia attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania from 1999 to 2003. He graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in economics.

Boston Consulting Group
After Penn, Kapadia joined the Boston Consulting Group as a strategy consultant.

TPG-Axon Capital
When he was 23 years old, Kapadia met Dinakar Singh, who founded TPG-Axon. Kapadia joined TPG-Axon Capital in 2004, where he eventually became partner. In 2007, he moved from New York to London to build out the multi-billion dollar investment firm’s European presence.

Soroban Capital
With Eric W. Mandelblatt and Scott Friendman, Kapadia founded New York based Soroban Capital in 2010. Notably, the fund’s assets under management increased from $130 million to $11 billion by 2017.

XN
In 2018, Kapadia left Soroban to found the investment firm XN in New York City as a family office. Kapadia is the CEO of XN.

In 2020, the fund raised $1 billion and became one of the largest new funds during the covid-19 pandemic. After starting to trade outside capital, XN returned 46% in its first five months.

Civic engagement and advocacy
Kapadia has spoken publicly about his interest in creating opportunities for others. In a 2022 podcast interview with Patrick O’Shaughnessy for Invest Like the Best, Kapadia discussed the link between his roles and his interest in the American dream:

In one generation, I've had the luxury of being me. There's so much to unpack from that, but, to me, it's essentially the American dream.…I view a lot of my role both at XN [and] outside of XN as to help other people fulfill the American dream. And that means reducing barriers, increasing opportunity.

Kapadia serves on several boards of several nonprofit organizations and foundations:
 * Mellon Foundation, a grant maker that supports a number of higher education and artistic endeavors
 * The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City
 * The Trust For Governors Island, a nonprofit organization that aims “to realize the full potential of Governors Island for the inspiration and enjoyment of all New Yorkers, demonstrating a bold vision for public space”
 * Uncommon Schools, a nonprofit organization offering free education to low-income families in cities
 * The Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown University Law Center

Personal life
Kapadia married Sonia Kapadia (born Jain) in 2007. The couple met while attending the University of Pennsylvania in 1999. She is the Deputy Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Equal Justice Initiative. They live in Tribeca with their three children.