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What is it like to lead Funding Societies | Modalku’s Product team in Southeast Asia’s largest SME Digital Financing platform?
1. How long have you been with the company?
I’ve been at Funding Societies | Modalku for close to 4 years.
2. What is your professional background?
I have 16 years of experience as a Product leader in India and Southeast Asia’s largest Fintech Startups. I was Senior VP of Product at Lendingkart, and VP of Product at PayU India prior to Funding Societies.
3. What are the 2 most important skills required in your daily work?
I believe that the two most critical skills required in my daily work are ingenuity and problem solving. Ingenuity refers to the ability to approach tasks and challenges in a creative and unconventional manner, often by thinking outside the box and coming up with innovative solutions that may not have been considered before.
Similarly, problem solving involves the ability to identify complex issues and break them down into smaller, more manageable parts. It requires analytical thinking, logical reasoning, and the ability to consider multiple perspectives to develop effective solutions.
In the dynamic and rapidly changing environment of a Fintech company, being able to think creatively and critically is essential to success. Whether it’s developing new product features, identifying market opportunities, or solving technical challenges, ingenuity and problem solving skills are critical for staying ahead of the curve and delivering value to customers.
4. What do you like most about your team?
What I like most about my team is its commitment to intellectual honesty. I think George Orwell puts it best, “Intellectual honesty is the courage to seek the truth even if it means abandoning one’s cherished beliefs”. At Funding Societies | Modalku, whether we’re tackling complex challenges or making strategic decisions, our commitment to intellectual honesty allows us to approach every situation with clarity and objectivity. It’s a quality that I deeply appreciate in my team, and one that I believe will continue to drive our success in the future.
Nihit and the Product team
5. 3 words to describe your leadership style
Adaptive, Authentic and Accountable
6. How are you different inside and outside of work?
I think I am quite the same at both places: Rooted, caring for people around me, and thoughtful.
Taking some much needed time away from the office, Nihit is ready for an adventure with his bike and helmet in tow!
7. What do you look forward to at work the most?
I look forward to solving hard problems and working with some of the best minds out there.
8. How would you describe your time here so far in 3 words?
Exciting, Challenging, and Gratifying
9. What do you love about Funding Societies’ work culture?
Funding Societies is a great place to work because of our unique and engaging work culture. The company has a no-politics culture that is built on trust and respect. This means that employees are encouraged to work together and collaborate, and expected to be open and honest with each other, no matter their position in the company. This creates a positive environment where everyone is empowered to make decisions that will help us achieve our goals, which helps foster a sense of ownership and responsibility.
The company also has an outsized focus on impact, which encourages employees to strive for excellence in our work so that the company can reach its goals. All of us know that our individual efforts contribute to the success of the organisation as a whole.
Lastly, we are driven by a hunger to do more. Everyone is motivated to push the boundaries of what’s possible, to make an impact and create something meaningful for the company, customers and society at large.
10. What’s your favourite piece of career advice?
My favourite career advice is to think creatively and embrace an experimental mindset in a world where there are no playbooks. With the pace of change so rapid, the role you will do in 5 years’ time may not exist yet. Therefore, it’s important to focus on developing your unique skills and strengths and experiment with different opportunities and roles. By adopting this approach, you can stay adaptable and agile in the face of changing circumstances, learn from failures, and build a strong network of mentors and collaborators.
11. How would you explain what you do to a 5 year old?
It’s like being the boss of a really cool piggy bank. You have to decide what goes into the piggy bank, how people can put money into it, and how they can take money out. You also have to make sure the piggy bank is safe and secure, so no one can steal the money. You work with a team of people to make sure the piggy bank is always getting better, and that people like using it. It’s a really important job because lots of people use piggy banks to save their money and buy things they want.
12. Use 3 emojis to represent what you do at Funding Societies.
💪🧠❤️
13. Describe a typical work day for you, from the time you wake up to the time you go to bed.
As a Chief Product Officer at Funding Societies, my typical work week involves strategic planning and thought leadership activities. One of my main responsibilities is to track the progress of cross-functional strategic initiatives, ensuring that they are aligned with the company’s goals and objectives. This requires a deep understanding of the industry landscape and emerging trends, as well as the ability to think creatively and develop innovative solutions.
In addition, I work closely with my team leaders to ensure that our extended organisation is aligned with company goals, and that everyone is working towards the same vision. As a leader, I provide guidance and mentorship to my team members, helping them to develop their skills and reach their full potential.
To ensure that our products meet the highest standards of quality and user experience, I collaborate closely with our engineering and design teams, bringing a strategic perspective to product development.
I spend a lot of my time analysing data, reviewing market trends, and gathering customer feedback to identify areas for improvement, and collaborate with cross-functional teams like Sales, Engineering, Data, and Risk to drive innovation and growth.
14. What is one most important career lesson you would pass down to your team or the next batch of leaders?
One of the most important career lessons I would pass down to my team or the next batch of leaders is encapsulated in a quote from Wayne Gretzky: “Skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” Aim for exponential bets, and don’t play small!
Like what you read about our team? If you’re interested in a FinTech career with us, check out our careers page below!
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