Women’s Day Special | Leading With Conviction In Risk & Responsible Growth

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, The Free Press Journal presents an exclusive conversation that moves beyond celebration to focus on substance — leadership, risk management, and responsible growth in India’s evolving financial ecosystem.

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Manoj Yadav, Business Editor (Digital), speaks with Ms Irem Sayeed, Chief Risk Officer at UGRO Capital, about navigating risk in a fast-growing DataTech lending institution, balancing innovation with governance, and the role of women leadership in shaping the future of MSME financing.

With over two decades of experience across institutions such as Care Health Insurance, Poonawalla Fincorp, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and GE Capital, Ms Sayeed shares insights on building sustainable growth, fostering accountability, and driving inclusive credit expansion across India’s small business ecosystem.

As the Chief Risk Officer of UGRO Capital, what does leadership mean to you as a woman in the financial services industry with over two decades of experience?

Leadership, to me, is about conviction anchored in data and guided by integrity. In financial services, especially in risk management, every decision carries long-term implications. Leadership therefore means having the courage to take a stance — including the courage to say “no” when necessary — and standing firmly by decisions that protect the organisation’s sustainability.

As a woman in this industry, I have never viewed leadership through the lens of gender. Instead, I have focused on competence, clarity of thought, and consistency in delivery. Over time, credibility compounds. When your intent is transparent and your work speaks for itself, leadership becomes less about position and more about influence.

It also means enabling teams — creating an environment where people feel accountable, empowered, and aligned with the organisation’s purpose.

Risk management has traditionally been male-dominated. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

Risk and credit functions are often seen as rigorous, hierarchical, and numbers-driven spaces. Early in my career, one of the biggest challenges was ensuring that my perspective was heard with equal seriousness.

I realised quickly that preparation is the strongest equaliser. When you come to the table thoroughly prepared, armed with data, scenario analysis, and clarity of implications, conversations shift from perception to performance. Strong analysis commands attention.

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Consistency also plays a crucial role. Over time, when decisions you support prove resilient through cycles, resistance transforms into trust and respect. In risk management, credibility is built not through words but through outcomes.

How do you balance innovation in DataTech lending with responsible risk governance?

At UGRO, innovation and governance are complementary forces. Technology allows us to analyse large datasets, assess borrower behaviour, and build more objective and inclusive underwriting models. However, innovation must operate within clearly defined governance frameworks.

We adopt a calibrated approach. New credit models are piloted in controlled environments. We ensure sufficient data depth before scaling. Stress-testing and monitoring mechanisms are embedded from the start.

Growth in lending cannot be pursued at the expense of asset quality. Responsible expansion requires disciplined experimentation, continuous monitoring, and the willingness to recalibrate when needed. Risk management, in this context, becomes an enabler of sustainable innovation rather than a constraint.

How has your diverse experience shaped your approach at UGRO?

Having worked across insurance, retail lending, banking, and global financial institutions, I have experienced different risk cultures and governance frameworks. Each institution offered unique lessons.

Insurance strengthened my understanding of underwriting discipline and long-term liabilities. Banking emphasised structured governance and regulatory rigour. Retail finance highlighted the importance of agility and customer-centric design.

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At UGRO, I integrate these perspectives — combining structured governance with agile product thinking. My approach aligns risk, growth, and profitability rather than treating them as competing objectives. Sustainable institutions are built when these three pillars move in harmony.

Do women-led MSMEs present unique risk or growth characteristics?

Our experience suggests that women-led MSMEs often demonstrate disciplined financial behaviour and strong repayment track records. The larger issue is not capability — it is access to formal credit.

Traditional underwriting models sometimes fail to capture the full potential of such businesses. By leveraging data-driven assessment tools and alternative data sources, we can build objective credit profiles that reduce bias and expand inclusion.

When access barriers are addressed through thoughtful underwriting, women entrepreneurs can scale responsibly and contribute meaningfully to economic growth.

How does sector-focused underwriting improve risk assessment?

UGRO’s strategy of focusing on eight priority sectors enables deeper expertise and sharper risk calibration. Sector-focused underwriting allows us to understand industry-specific cash flow cycles, demand patterns, regulatory influences, and stress triggers.

With this knowledge, we design customised scorecards and monitoring frameworks. The result is improved predictive accuracy, reduced uncertainty, and better capital allocation.

Depth of understanding reduces blind spots. When underwriting is specialised rather than generic, risk becomes more measurable and manageable.

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What has been your most defining leadership lesson?

One of my most defining lessons has been to get comfortable with discomfort.

In risk management, you will inevitably face moments where difficult decisions must be made — tightening credit norms, declining proposals, or challenging ambitious growth projections. These moments test conviction.

If decisions are anchored in data, ethics, and long-term vision, they withstand scrutiny. Leadership is not about avoiding discomfort; it is about navigating it with clarity and composure.

How is UGRO leveraging data to minimise credit risk?

We leverage DataTech platforms to analyse borrower cash flows, transaction behaviour, sector dynamics, and repayment patterns. Our credit scorecards are built on empirical data rather than assumptions.

Continuous monitoring tools allow us to detect early warning signals and proactively manage portfolio risk. Data-driven underwriting enables us to serve underserved MSMEs while maintaining asset quality and capital efficiency.

The integration of analytics with human judgment ensures that decisions remain balanced — technologically advanced yet contextually informed.

Your message to young women aspiring for careers in risk and finance?

Invest deeply in subject knowledge. Risk management demands analytical rigour and clarity of thought. Build technical expertise and stay curious about evolving financial models.

Do not shy away from complex or high-responsibility roles. Growth happens when you step into challenging assignments. Confidence grows from preparation and performance.

Most importantly, have the courage to articulate what is right. Integrity and conviction are your strongest professional assets.

What role do diversity and women leadership play in UGRO’s vision?

Diversity is a strategic strength. In risk management, diverse perspectives reduce blind spots and enhance decision-making quality. Different lived experiences lead to broader risk identification and more balanced judgment.

At UGRO, inclusion is embedded in our long-term vision. As we aim to become one of India’s largest small business financing institutions, sustainable growth depends on balanced thinking, responsible risk-taking, and inclusive leadership.

Women leadership contributes not just representation, but perspective — strengthening governance, enhancing accountability, and reinforcing long-term resilience.

On International Women’s Day, this conversation highlights that true leadership in finance is defined not by designation or gender, but by conviction, credibility, and the courage to drive responsible growth.

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