Yagna Agarwal

CA and CFA combining a decade of finance training with hands-on commodity trade across Africa. Runs a six-country West African export business with on-ground operations in Kano (Nigeria) and Conakry (Guinea), sources maize for buyers in Dar es Salaam, and independently designs, backtests and trades systematic strategies on Indian index derivatives. Now seeking a commodity analyst seat with a Nigeria-based fund.

Founder at Aquentus Capital (2026 – Present)

Systematic / quant trading venture

• Founded a systematic trading venture offering managed-account strategies to family offices and UHNIs; trades run in clients’ own brokerage accounts.
• Design, backtest and stress-test index-derivative strategies (NIFTY / BANKNIFTY) in Python; execute through broker trading APIs.
• Structured profit-share fee models with hurdle rates for separately managed accounts.

Executive Director at Hayden Trading Pvt Ltd (2021-02 – Present)

Global export house — textiles, commodities & general goods

• Oversee manufacturing and trading across six African markets (Nigeria, Angola, Mali, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Guinea); company ranks among the largest fabric brands in West Africa.
• Source maize regionally and manage inland logistics and delivery to buyers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
• Direct warehouses, offices and local registrations; hire and manage on-ground sales teams in Kano and Conakry, including Indian staff on multi-year Africa contracts.
• Invest in Indian equities across pre-IPO and listed rounds alongside the operating business.

M&A Intern at Global M&A Partners (2018-07 – 2018-12)

• Prepared information memorandum, marketing materials and valuation model for a potential acquisition of a warehousing and collateral-management business.
• Created teaser and sale presentation for a significant arm of a leading tours-and-travel company; worked on fundraising and M&A for consumer and retail startups.

Articled Assistant at EY (2017-03 – 2018-03)

• Audited clients including DE Shaw, Indiabulls Real Estate, Sofitel Hotels, Transocean Drilling Services and Nagarjuna Construction Company.
• Built a shared client-data workspace saving 100+ man-hours per client; spotlight award for handling post-demonetization risk; supported the data-analytics team taking audit analytics to market.

Chartered Accountant (CA) – Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (2015 – 2021)

CFA Program – CFA Institute (2017 – 2022)

Master of Commerce – Osmania University (2018 – 2020)

Bachelor of Commerce – Osmania University (2015 – 2018)

International Baccalaureate Diploma in Higher Level: Mathematics, Physics, Economics (2013 – 2015)