Q1. Could you start by providing a brief overview of your professional background, with a particular focus on your expertise in fintech product management, cash management solutions, API banking, and digital payments?

Over the years, I have led teams of product managers in developing and launching new technologies, primarily focusing on products related to API banking, e-payments, e-collections, Wallets, PPIs, Cards, and more.

Starting from scratch, I have conducted research and gathered insights to create long-term product roadmaps. I partnered with technology teams to develop new functionalities and oversaw the end-to-end implementation of solutions for global clients and large-scale customer acquisitions.

Q2. As fintech and transaction banking continue to evolve rapidly in India, what are the key factors that distinguish successful players in the corporate payments and CMS space today?

In my view, leaders in corporate payments and cash management solutions (CMS) today are those who combine deep ERP integration, automated reconciliation, strong compliance, advanced liquidity solutions, and robust ecosystem partnerships. Solutions are increasingly tailored to specific industry verticals, with a special focus on ERP plugins and seamless integrations for both banks and fintechs.

Q3. How are AI and automation technologies transforming cash management solutions, bulk payments, and transaction processing for corporate clients?

Key areas of ongoing innovation include:

• Fraud detection and anomaly spotting—flagging duplicate transactions, unusual timings, or suspicious counterparties in real time.
• AI-driven reconciliation that maps payments to invoices using narration, virtual accounts, UPI handles, and fuzzy matching.
• Conversational AI that enables treasury teams to query balances, approve transactions, or trigger payouts via chat or voice interfaces.
• However, full reliance on automation or AI will take more time to materialize.

Q4. From your experience, what aspects of digital payments, APIs, or CMS have been most appreciated by clients, and what has changed significantly in their expectations over the past few years?

APIs are no longer just technical jargon; they are strategic levers that unlock new business models, such as instant dealer credit or real-time refunds.

Finance teams increasingly expect payments to be so seamlessly integrated into their ERPs and applications that they no longer feel like a separate banking service. Treasurers now demand dashboards that not only display balances but also forecast risks, liquidity gaps, or FX impacts. What truly delights clients today is not mere reporting, but intelligent nudges and forward-looking insights that empower them to act proactively.

Q5. Looking ahead, how do you see digital wallets, API banking, and embedded finance impacting transaction efficiency and corporate banking adoption in India?

There is enormous potential in this space—currently, only about 5% of the market has been tapped, leaving 95% of opportunities yet to be explored.

For emerging businesses, automated payments and reconciliation are now essential components of their business models. Most new product offerings are designed with integrated, automated payment collection mechanisms to enhance efficiency and scalability.

Digitization has previously seen limited penetration in tier 2 and 3 cities, but this is changing rapidly due to the advent of affordable ERPs, generational shifts in business leadership, and evolving customer demographics. 

Q6. What emerging trends or technological innovations do you believe will shape the next 2–3 years of corporate banking and fintech, and what risks should companies be preparing for?

Banks/Fintech are already conducting studies on AI models and their usage to check if enhances current product offerings via AI driven features to generate usp in products. 

Focus on circumventing the customers via comprehensive product offering in all domain will be the key to customer stickiness. 

Since all these efforts and capex doesn't translate directly into increased ebidta, Very cautious spending should be done. 

Q7. If you were an investor looking at companies in the fintech, digital payments, and corporate banking space, what critical question would you pose to their senior management?

What is their growth and ecosystem strategy?

Can they provide details about their technology and API moat, especially their use of AI and unique value proposition features?

How defensible is their position against competitors?

How are they leveraging transaction and cash-flow data to generate predictive insights, create cross-sell opportunities, or develop new revenue streams?