Neil Datta

Neil Datta is a veteran institutional allocator and the Founder of NKD Advisory, where he advises ultra-high-net-worth families on strategic capital formation and portfolio construction. Neil helps families navigate the complex transition from traditional investing to impact-aware strategies, ensuring that capital deployment aligns with multigenerational values without sacrificing financial performance. His expertise spans the full spectrum of private markets, including private credit, infrastructure, and venture capital, identifying opportunities where economic value and sustainable impact intersect.

Prior to founding NKD, Neil spent nearly two decades in senior leadership roles at major multi-asset platforms, including Forbes Family Trust/Optima Asset Management and Arden Asset Management. Collectively, he helped oversee billions in assets for some of the world’s most sophisticated institutional investors, gaining a unique vantage point on how Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors have evolved from niche constraints into critical drivers of alpha. He has successfully guided institutional clients through multiple market cycles by prioritizing investments in transparent, well-governed, and forward-looking assets.

Neil is a recognized voice in the financial industry and a regular contributor to financial media, appearing on Bloomberg TV, The Wall Street Journal, and Reuters to discuss market trends and asset allocation. He is also the former Co-Founder of Meritas, a venture-backed fintech platform dedicated to democratizing access to alternative investment strategies, and a frequent speaker at major industry forums, including iConnections, the Milken Institute, and Abu Dhabi Finance Week.