Professional Experience:
• Consultant, May 2024 - Present: Providing consultancy services to institutions on microfinance business and risk management, policy and process frameworks. Fundraising from alternate investment funds and HNIs for companies and NGOs.
• Senior management positions (AVP & above), 2019-April 2024: at leading public listed NBFC-MFI companies (Fusion, Muthoot), focusing on business expansion, microcredit, microinsurance, and allied rural products penetration across different states in India. Travelled extensively across south India for survey, market expansion and building and supporting team of 300+ branches.
Gained insights into the diverse geography, demography, livelihood opportunities and constraints, and skill levels of local communities across different states in India.
• Director of Operations, 2016-2020: at Finsigma Inclusive Services Pvt Ltd, a Business Correspondent company focused on financial inclusion products, tie up with banks and NBFCs.
Being a start-up company, learned the skill of fund raising, guiding and mentoring team members and building relationships with banks, funders, and other stakeholders for effective scaling up and challenges associated with start-up enterprises.
• General Manager, 2011 – 2016: Associated with MFIN, a self-regulatory organization (SRO) for the microfinance industry, in the capacity of General Manager. Onboarded member institutions, facilitated RBI compliances, policy and vigilance strengthening, and risk management for the microfinance sector, particularly during the Andhra Pradesh crisis.
Coordinated with microfinance institutions, NGOs, RBI, NABARD, government, and other stakeholders, and facilitated the transformation of MFIs into SFBs and bank-MFI business correspondent partnerships.
Developed performance metrics, reporting mechanisms, and MIS dashboards, incorporating efficient internal and external controls and checklists for diverse stakeholders' engagement and reporting.
Built strong liaising relationships with development agencies, bankers, investors, state associations, regulators, RBI, and both state and central government authorities.
Learned that challenges effectively addressed can create opportunities for both individual institutions and the sector.
• Project Implementations, 2005-2010: Served in leading developmental institutions such as DHAN Foundation and Hand in Hand International, implementing and coordinating watershed and tank-fed agriculture projects, Farmers Producer Organizations, and financial inclusion through women-led district-level federations.
Facilitated bank linkages for micro and small enterprises in rural areas. Gained extensive hands-on experience in implementing various integrated social developmental themes and interventions and assessing their measurable impacts.
Learned that development is most effective when it takes a collective and integrated approach, rather than a piecemeal one, to achieve a desirable and measurable impact. Furthermore, the element of empathy for the underprivileged is more crucial than mere intelligent design of development projects to succeed.