About Us

Rigel Mercantile Limited (“Rigel”) is an asset management firm registered with the Ontario Securities Commission as a Commodity Trading Manager (“CTM”). We specialize in constructing systematic alternative risk premium strategies that cull returns using momentum, value, carry, liquidity, and volatility factors across a broad array of asset classes such as commodities, currencies, fixed income, and equities. Our other main areas of expertise are global-macro research, thematic investing, portfolio management, asset management, derivative products, systematic trading strategies, and programming.

Abhay A. Abhyankar — Founder, CEO, Portfolio Manager

After graduating from a Civil Engineering program while I grew indifferent toward my chosen field of study I fell in love with ‘engineering’.  In search of a field to apply my engineering skills I landed in the world of Global-Macro/Multi-Strategy Hedge Funds. Shortly after completing my MBA in 2008, I started out, at the very depths of the Global Financial Crisis, as an Analyst for an alternative investment firm called Niagara Capital Partners Ltd. (“Niagara”). I spent the next seven+ years, at Niagara, grinding my way up to the position of Head of Analysis & Research, Assistant Portfolio Manager, and VP – Investment Strategies.

During my time at Niagara I was mentored by Mr. David Rothberg and Mr. Michael Grant, the co-founders of Niagara. While David helped me understand risk management, Michael helped me understand the nitty-gritty  of operations.

I have also had the great privilege of learning from, one of the great investors of our times, Mr. Albert D. Friedberg of the Friedberg Mercantile Group. Albert was one of the first board of governors of the Toronto Futures Exchange, and served as its Chairman from March 1985 to June 1988. Over the years he has been kind enough to have coloured my understanding of global-macro investing  and to this day continues to be my global-macro teacher. Albert is a seed investor, and partner.

I founded Rigel with the intention of developing and managing derivatives-based systematic, alpha-generating,  strategies by applying 1) my profound interest in global financial markets, 2) my knowledge, and understanding, of several alpha generating strategies, and 3) my programming skills.