Building on Bold: Girish Kousgi, MD & CEO, PNB Housing Finance In every great career, there are moments that define a leader's tenure. For Kousgi, one of the most daring moves was shifting the company's focus from the super-prime market to affordable housing.

In the high-stakes world of housing finance, the role of a CEO is both dynamic and challenging. Few embody this reality better than Girish Kousgi, managing director and CEO of PNB Housing Finance. Since stepping into this pivotal role, Kousgi has steered the organization through a transformational phase, balancing calculated risks, strategic shifts and a strong emphasis on human capital. So, what is it like to helm one of India's leading housing finance companies? For Kousgi, the journey is all about learning, evolving and driving innovation through a balanced leadership approach.

Kousgi's tenure as CEO has been marked by a clear realization; every challenge is an opportunity in disguise. He explains, "As the MD & CEO of PNB Housing Finance, I have come to realize that creating an environment where challenges lead to opportunities helps in bringing about innovation, efficiencies and growth for the organization." This focus on a growth mindset has allowed the company to not only weather challenges but also emerge stronger with each step.

Interestingly, Kousgi has found that leading by example, whether in terms of fostering work-life balance or building strong internal relationships, is a core element of leadership. He notes, "It has also reinforced the importance of leading by example — whether in terms of encouraging work-life balance or nurturing strong relationships within my peers and teams."

The 'People-First' Leadership Style

In a world obsessed with metrics and KPIs, Kousgi has a refreshing take on leadership; it's all about the people. His management style can be encapsulated by one simple yet profound belief, "You manage people; people manage the business." This sentiment underscores the idea that a company's greatest assets are its employees.

Kousgi has cultivated a collaborative and supportive work environment, where team members feel empowered to contribute and grow. He emphasizes, "I also prioritize quality work over long hours, ensuring that our employees can maintain a healthy balance between their professional and personal lives." This philosophy not only boosts productivity but fosters creativity, loyalty and job satisfaction — all of which are essential for long-term organizational success.

In every great career, there are moments that define a leader's tenure. For Kousgi, one of the most daring moves was shifting the company's focus from the super-prime market to affordable housing. He reflects, "One of the boldest decisions we made was shifting our focus from the super prime market to the affordable and emerging housing segments." This strategic move wasn't just a short-term gamble; it was a long-term vision to tap into a high-growth sector. The bet is already paying off, with the company positioning itself as a leader in the affordable housing finance space. As Kousgi puts it, "It is a calculated risk, and will yield significant results in terms of growth and market relevance." Only time will tell how far this move will take PNB Housing Finance, but the early signs are promising.

Under Kousgi's Leadership: A Period of Significant Growth

Numbers rarely lie, and the numbers under Girish Kousgi's leadership tell a compelling story of growth and transformation. "In the last two years, we've seen significant progress across multiple fronts," he shares with a touch of pride. The company's retail loan book has surged to INR 65,000 crore, and net profit has risen by a remarkable 25 per cent year-on-year as of Q1 FY25.

But perhaps even more significant is the improvement in asset quality. The company's Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) have shrunk from 3.76 per cent to 1.35 per cent — a reflection of strategic focus on high-yielding segments and improved credit quality. Kousgi humbly attributes this success to collective efforts: "These outcomes reflect our strategic focus on high-yielding segments. Our affordable loan book has expanded to INR 2,500 crore, and we aim to double this by the end of FY25. While these numbers are encouraging, they truly represent the collective effort of our organization."

What lies ahead for PNB Housing Finance? The company, under Kousgi's leadership, has already laid out an ambitious roadmap for growth. "We've set an ambitious target of growing our retail loan book to INR 1 trillion by FY27," Kousgi declares, setting the stage for the company's long-term aspirations.

This growth will be supported by a series of strategic initiatives. Over the past three years, the company has invested heavily in digitalization, enhancing customer experience, risk management, and underwriting processes. As Kousgi explains, "We have also made significant investments in digitalization to create a seamless customer experience, robust risk management and credit underwriting processes, drive employee productivity, and optimize operating expenses."

PNB Housing Finance is also focused on expanding its footprint. With a current network of 303 branches across India, the company aims to add 50 branches every year, with the goal of reaching 500 branches by FY27. This expansion aligns with the broader mission of helping millions of Indians achieve homeownership.

"Our aim is to have a strong footprint of 500 branches by FY27, fulfilling the home ownership dreams of millions of customers," Kousgi shares, giving us a glimpse into the human side of the housing finance giant's mission.

A Visionary CEO Steering Growth

Girish Kousgi's leadership at PNB Housing Finance is a masterclass in balancing innovation, risk-taking and people-first management. His vision for the company is clear: to tap into emerging markets, grow sustainably and ensure that both employees and customers are at the heart of the organization's success.

Through a blend of calculated risk-taking, a focus on affordable housing and relentless efforts to improve asset quality, Kousgi has already left an indelible mark on the company. And if his words and actions are anything to go by, this is just the beginning. As Kousgi himself might say, "You manage people; people manage the business." And under his leadership, the business of PNB Housing Finance has never been in more capable hands.