V.R. Govindarajan, Perfios – India’s Transformational Leader 2019

Each stage requires different reaction/decision making process. However, a common trait is the adherence to the basic value system (that cannot be compromised under any circumstance) and the core belief and commitment to provide value to all stakeholders.

Interview: V.R Govindarajan (Govi), Founder, Perfios

WCRC India’s Transformational Leaders 2019

A project or an accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career?

I believe in the “Create Wealth and Distribute Wealth” dictum. In the ventures that I have co-founded, there is significant part of the enterprise owned by employees (through Employee Stock Options  – ESOP). As a result, when the ventures succeed, the employees also score big. So, not only they get to do the most exciting work, but also benefit financially too while doing such exciting work! Hopefully, some of these employees will turn out to be entrepreneurs following the same dictum!

How do you integrate corporate philanthropy or corporate social responsibility as a part of your business strategies?

As a tech driven product company, it is natural to align our CSR initiatives with education, research, incubation etc. While serving the larger global cause of education, potentially, these activities can also help in getting right set of our next generation employees!

What has been your driving force or philosophy in life?

At each stage of one’s (professional/personal) life, there are certain set out goals and duties. The primary objective is to perform activities that will help in achieving these goals

What are the other philanthropic works you are involved in?

Working with a few Trusts/organization in primary education enablement for under- privileged children.

How do you define success and how do you measure up to your own definition?

At each stage of your journey, the definition of success changes. However, at each stage, as long we meet out set out goals and objectives and in the process delight all the stakeholders, I would consider that as success.

Talk me about a recent project or solution to a problem that you have made better, faster, smarter or less expensive?

The tech platform and the solutions we have built at Perfios makes the entire credit decisioning process faster, cheaper, and smarter for both our customers and their customers. Things that takes/used to take a few days/weeks can potentially be done in almost real time using our analytics platform leading to value for all stakeholders

In your opinion what is the most significant aspect of leadership?

Ability to convince, motivate and lead a team to align with your stated goals and vision and getting them executed

Your perception of an empowered society. How far your industry has / can contribute for the same?

The ability of individuals, group of individuals and the collective society (made of those groups) to suggest, practice and influence others in a confident way about their viewpoints and practices. In the financial services space that we play, financial inclusion is a key attribute all of us work on – ability to enable even the bottom of the pyramid to have access to all financial instruments and thus ensuring that they also eventually reach the main stream of the society, completely empowered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PERSONAL GRID

One thing you wish to change and one thing you wish to retain about your industry?

The financial services industry that we work with is still slow to adopt latest technologies – takes a long time to change the existing processes and deploy latest and greatest technologies that could add significant value to all stakeholders. Would be wonderful if financial institutions are more agile to deploy latest tech/solutions.

Would like to continue to have reasonable amount of regulation and compliance in this industry – we deal with common man’s hard earned money and there needs to be reasonable safeguards to ensure that there are no mishaps/misuse.

One thing you have to let go off as an entrepreneur/leader?

Interest to be always hands-on and be an individual contributor. As a leader, need to learn to delegate, empower and decentralize actions for better scalability

Whom do you owe your success to?

The team. The team that refines and translates the vision into action and execution

Best thing about your job?

Hiring , working and interacting with smarter people than me

A message from you to all the future entrepreneurs/leaders?

As an entrepreneur, one needs to be passionate about the chosen goals/vision and sustain it throughout the journey. The moment passion goes away, everything else will go down.