Q1. Could you start by giving us a brief overview of your professional background, particularly focusing on your expertise in the industry?

I’ve spent over two decades working at the intersection of lending, insurance, and digital platforms, with a strong focus on building businesses that strike a balance between growth and risk discipline. A significant part of my journey was with Bajaj Finance and Bajaj Finserv, where I helped establish and scale multiple verticals, including consumer loans, SME lending, unsecured loans, mobile and lifestyle financing, and insurance cross-selling. These were businesses I took from concept stage to profitability, often building the technology backbone, distribution networks, and risk frameworks from scratch.

I’ve always been passionate about using technology to build smarter lending models — whether it was setting up digital marketplaces, creating data-led cross-sell strategies, or embedding credit into broader consumption journeys. Today, at Dotpe, I’m leading efforts to build a digital-first lending and insurance platform that partners with multiple lenders, and I’m working on shaping its NBFC vision for the future.

What has been consistent throughout my career is a focus on sustainable growth: businesses that are not only scalable but also built on strong foundations of risk management, compliance, and customer trust.

Q2. How do you see technologies like AI, ML, and blockchain shaping the future of lending and risk?

These technologies are already changing the way lending works. AI and machine learning are making underwriting smarter — lenders are no longer limited to traditional data points. We’re seeing wider use of alternative data, including utility bills, consumption patterns, and even behavioral trends, to assess creditworthiness more accurately, especially for new-to-credit segments. Fraud detection is becoming sharper as ML models adapt in real time. On the collections side, AI is helping personalise strategies, which can make a real difference in recovery rates.

Blockchain is still in its early stages when it comes to lending, but it offers interesting possibilities, especially in areas such as asset-backed lending, supply chain finance, and cross-border transactions. Smart contracts could eventually help automate repayments and collateral management, reducing the need for manual intervention and risk.

Q3. What are the key factors driving customer choice today in financial services — speed, pricing, convenience, or trust?

All of the above, and customers no longer see them as trade-offs. Speed and convenience are now basic hygiene, especially for smaller-ticket loans or digital credit formats. For larger or secured loans, interest rates and cost transparency become more important. But in today’s crowded and digital-heavy market, trust is what really sets lenders apart. Customers are looking for fair terms, ethical practices, and data security. That’s what builds loyalty, not just the first transaction.

Q4. Have you seen a shift in credit appetite among younger borrowers or first-time users?

Definitely. Younger borrowers are more comfortable with small-ticket, short-term credit — BNPL, micro loans, credit lines linked to digital wallets or UPI. Many are coming into formal credit for the first time through these channels. However, this segment is also more vulnerable to income volatility or macroeconomic shocks, so lenders must be thoughtful in how they balance growth with risk.

Q5. Is Buy Now, Pay Later reshaping expectations across customer segments?

It absolutely is. BNPL has raised the bar in terms of ease of onboarding, checkout financing, and flexible repayment. It has led customers to expect similar simplicity across other credit products. At the same time, regulators are rightly stepping in to ensure responsible lending and transparency in this space. For BNPL to be sustainable, underwriting discipline and clear customer communication will be key.

Q6. How is the dynamic between fintechs, traditional lenders, and regulators reshaping the credit landscape?

It has evolved from being competitive to collaborative in many ways. Fintechs are driving innovation — faster journeys, embedded credit, and smarter use of data. Traditional lenders bring capital strength, compliance expertise, and experience in risk management. Increasingly, we’re seeing co-lending, FLDG models, and embedded finance partnerships becoming the norm. Regulators are striving to strike a balance between innovation and stability, ensuring customer protection while allowing the ecosystem to evolve in a responsible manner.

Q7. As an investor, what would you want to understand most from leadership teams in this space?

The core question is:

How are you balancing your growth ambitions with risk controls and compliance, especially given the regulatory changes and customer segments you’re targeting?

And to go deeper:

• How resilient is your credit model in a downturn?
• How much of your book is new-to-credit or thin-file, and how do you manage that risk?
• Is your tech stack a real differentiator, or can it be easily replicated?
• What’s your approach to collections and customer trust in unsecured lending?