The Big Shot Trader

Does Kerpal have what it takes to get ahead in the high-pressure world of finance? Young, naive and drawn in by the excitement and the money, can he keep up without losing who he really is? 

Kerpal has just landed a job working as a trader at an investment bank. He's about to crash land into a seat where the pressure and expectations are sky high and the tolerance for naivety and mistakes is close to zero. Follow his journey as he fumbles through work, love and family all whilst trying to discover what it takes to be a big dog. 

The Big Shot Trader is a fast-paced comedy with real insight into the world of finance and the sacrifices, risks and moral choices that those in the industry make in order to survive, thrive and get paid.

About the Author

MITESH G. DESAI studied Economics at the University of Warwick and went on to work for some of the largest financial institutions between 2006 and 2012. First as an intern at Goldman Sachs and then as a trader at JP Morgan and Royal Bank of Canada. Much of the inspiration for the novel came from experiences around this time and the people he met in the industry.

Following finance, he worked as a teacher at The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School in North West London, teaching Economics. Whilst teaching he started helping his family’s pharmacy business. The E-commerce business that he founded at the time is now one of the largest online pharmacies in the UK and has been awarded the “Independent Pharmacy of the Year” award (in 2021 and 2023) for commitment to sustainability, charity and the size of the retail business.