Manappuram Finance stock sharpens focus on customer relationships
Published on 10/31/2026 at 00:42 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSManappuram sharpens lending focus
- Executive Ashish Chandak called for deeper customer relationships and more targeted lending journeys.
- Asirvad Micro Finance appointed GD Manoj Pasangha as managing director and chief executive after RBI approval.
- Portfolio quality, governance and compliance remain central to the subsidiary's next phase.
Manappuram Finance is putting customer retention and more tailored credit journeys at the center of its lending strategy. In a discussion published on Friday, October 30, 2026, Ashish Chandak of Manappuram Finance said lenders need to understand a customer's broader financial needs rather than treat each loan as a standalone transaction.
The comments came as lenders face rising acquisition costs and stronger competition across digital, partnership and branch-led channels. Chandak said customer due diligence should go beyond document collection and examine why a borrower needs credit, while products should be structured around that need.
Technology must support trust
Executives from Manappuram Finance, Credit Saison and Kissht said artificial intelligence can reduce operating costs and improve targeting. They also cautioned that automated customer journeys can damage engagement when they overlook empathy and context.
The discussion leaves Manappuram balancing digital tools with the physical presence needed in secured lending, where collateral and documentation remain important. That approach is particularly relevant as the company continues to develop its lending businesses in India.
Asirvad changes leadership
Manappuram's subsidiary Asirvad Micro Finance elevated GD Manoj Pasangha to managing director and chief executive on October 22, 2026, following approval from the Reserve Bank of India. According to Manappuram Finance, the appointment is intended to support portfolio quality, governance, compliance and sustainable growth.
Asirvad has on-book assets of about 8,000 crore rupees, with roughly 70 percent in microfinance and 30 percent in gold loans, the company said. Pasangha joined Asirvad as co-chief executive in October 2025 after serving as president and deputy chief executive of IIFL Samasta Finance.
India lending remains competitive
Manappuram Finance offers gold loans, business loans and housing loans in India, with its registered office in Valapad, Kerala. Its lending operations compete for borrowers with other non-bank finance companies, while Credit Saison and Kissht represented comparable lenders in the customer-acquisition discussion.
Indian equities are tracked through the BSE Sensex.
Manappuram Finance at a glance
- Company: Manappuram Finance Limited
- Business: Gold loans, business loans and housing loans
- Subsidiary: Asirvad Micro Finance
- Registered office: Valapad, Kerala, India
Read the company announcement for the Asirvad leadership change and the Economic Times discussion for the wider lending-industry context.
