Rahul Negi
Bengaluru
Summary
A seasoned professional in Credit and Collections management, bringing more than 17 years of experience in driving scalability, optimizing collection operations, enhancing client experiences, and developing strategic approaches. Managed multiple roles in MNCs, Banks, BPOs and Fintechs encompassing both B2B and B2C environments and holds expertise in retail and merchant lending business, with a strong focus on implementing smart automation processes, promoting digitization efforts, and overseeing credit and risk management. Furthermore, successful proficiency has been demonstrated in the management of regulatory compliance, client service, regional and global audits, as well as the effective control and reduction of delinquency and NPAs for expansive portfolios, spanning both secured and unsecured lending.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of Collections
PhonePe
02.2024 - Current
- Heading and Leading the entire Collections vertical for PhonePe's Merchant Lending portfolio, moving from zero to full operational capacity in under 6 months, covering initial underwriting to eventual NPA management
- Designed and implemented the end-to-end Collections Technology Stack, including the integration of dialer systems, Collections Management Software (CMS), and predictive analytical models for risk segmentation and treatment.
- Authored and enforced the comprehensive Collections Policy, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and Agent Code of Conduct, ensuring 100% compliance with all Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Fair Practices Code and Digital Lending Guidelines
- Designed and deployed Collections Behavioral Scoring Model and created the multi-stage recovery waterfall strategy, optimizing the sequence of digital, tele, and field contact to maximize Net Present Value (NPV) of recovered debt, factoring in operational costs and time.
- Recruited, mentored, and led a high-performing team from the foundational first hire to a total strength of 50 FTEs who managed an outsourced workforce of over 700 agents across 25 vendors.
- Established the Loss Forecasting and Provisioning methodology for the LSP portfolio, integrating predictive risk scores to provide accurate quarterly estimates to the Finance and Partner Risk teams
- Designed and implement a structured, transparent, and timely customer grievance redressal mechanism (GRM) specific to collection disputes, ensuring resolution times meet regulatory benchmarks
Head of Collections
Freecharge (BY Axis Bank)
12.2022 - 02.2024
- Heading end to end collection operations of both online and offline business and monitoring and analyzing the performance of both retail and merchant portfolios and continuously evaluating and enhancing collection processes, leveraging technology and data analytics to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
- Developing and implementing effective collection strategies to maximize recovery rates while maintaining a focus on customer retention and relationship management.
- Managing and enhancing relationships with merchants, understanding their unique needs and working collaboratively to find solutions to repayment challenges.
- Managing a team of collection professionals, providing leadership, guidance, and support to ensure they meet collection goals and adhere to company policies and regulations.
- Developing and managing the collection department's budget, ensuring cost-effectiveness and resource allocation in line with organizational goals.
- Managing relationships with third-party collection agencies and vendors, ensuring they adhere to company standards and regulatory requirements and conducting regular performance evaluations
National Collection Manager
Udaan (BY Axis Bank)
12.2019 - 12.2022
- Led credit and risk management of India largest B2B Ecommerce platform that is empowering more than 3 million users and 1.8 million retails across categories like lifestyle, electronics, Pharma , FMCG etc.
- Managed PAN India collections of buyer (merchants) and seller credit through a team of 40 directs alongwith 850 plus field executives and 135 plus telecallers.
- Created and implemented strategies to increase collection efficiency and operations and set up the robust frontend collection vertical for PAN India to cure the delinquency within the early stage of collections.
- Introduced vendor management, call center operation, digital channel to reduce the cost of collection and increase client experience.
- Streamlined the collection process by introducing risk profiling, risk mitigation and legal follow up which helped us to keep the 90+ under 2%
- Managed customer acquisition and underwriting through credit and background check, OSVs/CPVs etc.
- Improved Cost efficiency by launching density based collection model, giving credit check empowerment (OSV/CPV) to field collectors and revamped the hiring model by focusing on minimum wage guidelines
AVP
Citibank
04.2012 - 12.2019
- Responsible for early stage delinquencies in the Bank's retail banking portfolio with a book size of 12,000 crs for PAN India for unsecured lending.
- Managed large team of 5 regional collection manager, 400 collection officers including Tele-callers and feet-on-street resources.
- Led regions like North and east and was responsible for its cost of collection, field operations, vendor management, NCL and other collection operation.
- Actively contributed towards formulation of key Collections / Credit strategy - Engaged in various central projects and initiatives right from planning to execution.
- Ensured effective Collection Process management by driving defined collections processes and working jointly with the collections control team on identified areas.
- Worked towards a Zero Defect collections process by ensuring reduced Problem Incidence cases, identifying root cause and plugging the gaps.
Collection Manager
IQOR
08.2008 - 04.2012
- Led the outbound collection team of 30 members for third party US collections portfolio and was responsible for write-off credit cards, payday loan and internet postpaid bill products.
- Managed multiple functions like manpower planning, recruitment & selection, performance appraisal, training and development.
- Analysed, maintained and report multiple MIS like agent productivity MIS, quality and control monitoring, account audit and agent performance incentive etc for both client and internal management.
- Coordinated and liaised with clients, end customers, various support functions/ departments in India and USA to facilitate service delivery with operations.
- Promoted healthy support of other line functions such as the risk control and the training unit to ensure that the maximum recoveries take place and all support functions work in congenial atmosphere.
Education
MBA -
NMIMS
Mumbai, IndiaSkills
- Strategic Planning and Policy Formulation
- Financial Acumen (NPAs, Provisioning, Cash Flow)
- Credit Risk and Portfolio Management
- Regulatory Compliance
- Audit Management (Internal and External)
- Data Analytics and Predictive Modeling
- Digital Transformation and Automation
- Vendor and Third-Party Agency Management
- Executive Leadership and Team Development
- High-Stakes Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
Languages
- English
- Hindi
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 10/11/86
- Nationality: Indian
Languages
Hindi
First Language
English
Proficient
C2
Timeline
Head of Collections
PhonePe
02.2024 - Current
Head of Collections
Freecharge (BY Axis Bank)
12.2022 - 02.2024
National Collection Manager
Udaan (BY Axis Bank)
12.2019 - 12.2022
AVP
Citibank
04.2012 - 12.2019
Collection Manager
IQOR
08.2008 - 04.2012
MBA -
NMIMS