Director - AI and Financial Inclusion Lab

The Director - AI and Financial Inclusion Lab will be responsible for building a world class AI research and applied innovation program focused on financial services, financial inclusion, and responsible AI in lending. The role involves working closely with academic researchers, technology teams, and business leaders to develop practical AI solutions that enhance credit risk management, fraud detection, operational efficiency and customer experience.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership–

AI & Financial Inclusion

• Establish and lead the AI & Financial Inclusion Lab as a strategic innovation hub in collaboration with academic institutes focused on leveraging Artificial Intelligence to address key financial services challenges.
• Define and execute the AI innovation strategy and research roadmap aligned with the organization’s long-term business objectives and financial inclusion mission.
• The lab will focus on developing Artificial Intelligence solutions that improve credit access, strengthen risk management, detect fraud, and enhance customer experience for millions of underserved customers.

Research and Innovation- Road Map

• Define the research and innovation roadmap for AI in financial services.
• Lead the development of advanced AI and machine learning models for credit scoring, fraud detection, customer analytics, and risk management.
• Promote the adoption of responsible, ethical, and explainable AI frameworks aligned with regulatory and governance standards.
• Drive innovation to identify next-generation AI applications that expand financial access for underserved populations.

Academic Ecosystem Development

• Build and lead strategic partnerships with leading academic institutions
• Identify collaborative research opportunities with faculty members, doctoral researchers, and innovation labs.
• Oversee joint research initiatives and ensure alignment with organizational priorities and practical applications.

Industry Integration

• Work closely with MFL technology teams to integrate AI models into operational systems
• Identify high impact use cases across lending, risk management and customer engagement

Team Building and Leadership

• Build internship and research fellowship programs
• Mentor students and researchers working on financial technology problems

KEY INTERACTIONS

Internal Stakeholders

• Senior Leadership / Executive Management
• Technology / IT Team
• Data Science & Analytics Team
• Product Development Team
• Risk & Compliance
• Finance Department
• People & Culture
• Operations Team

External Stakeholders

• Technology Partners / AI Companies
• Academic Institutions & Research Centers
• NGOs & Development Organizations
• Investors / Donors / Funding Agencies
• Startups & FinTech Companies
• Beneficiaries / End Users (unbanked and underbanked populations)

KEY SKILLS & BEHAVIOURAL ATTRIBUTES

• Strong ability to bridge academic research and industry application
• Passion for building technology that enables financial inclusion
• Leadership capability to build and inspire high performing teams
• Ability to work with senior leadership and academic partners
• People Skills – Emotional Intelligence and Resilience
• Behavioral Attributes- Driven and in alignment with our Purpose “Transforming the life of the common man by improving their financial well-being” and anchored by our core value of integrity, collaboration, and excellence.

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE

• PhD or Masters in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science or related field from a reputed institution.
• 12 to 18 years of experience in Artificial Intelligence or data science
• Experience applying AI in financial services, fintech or large-scale data environments
• Proven experience leading research or innovation teams
• Experience in gold loans, secured lending, or high-risk customer segments will be a strong advantage

Minimum bachelor’s degree in commerce, Economics, Engineering, or equivalent. MBA or Postgraduate degree in Management, Finance, Banking, or related discipline from a reputed institution, would be preferred.

Locations: Mumbai /Trivandrum/Bengaluru