In the high-stakes world of banking and financial services, where numbers and trust go hand in hand, the right talent can make or break a company’s growth ambitions. For Namdev Finvest, one of India’s rapidly growing NBFCs, the mission is clear: build not just a capable workforce, but one deeply aligned with purpose, culture, and execution. Gagan Sharma, Chief Human Resources Officer at Namdev Finvest, speaks to People Matters about how the company is redefining talent alignment across its expanding operations in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets.

“Talent alignment is not an HR initiative—it’s a business strategy,” Sharma begins. For Namdev Finvest, the guiding mantra is placing the right person in the right seat, a philosophy that transcends recruitment to touch performance management, leadership development, and even market expansion.

At its core, the idea hinges on a triangle of success: talent, experience, and the surrounding ecosystem. “Someone may have all the qualifications and experience for a role,” says Sharma, “but without the right environment—the seat—their potential can’t translate into outcomes.”

This thinking has prompted Namdev Finvest to invest heavily in understanding the contextual nuances of every business vertical, geography, and team function. “We design roles based on strategic outcomes, not legacy structures. Then we work backward to find or develop the right talent for them.”

Rather than treating roles as fixed and people as variable, Sharma and his team take a dynamic view. “The ecosystem includes leadership, processes, tech support, even the mindset of peers. When all these sync with the individual’s strength, magic happens.”

Turning talent reviews into strategic insights

Namdev Finvest’s approach is anchored in data. The company has built a robust internal mechanism for talent reviews, performance calibration, and potential mapping. These aren’t just annual rituals, Sharma clarifies—they are living frameworks that evolve with business goals.

“Every quarter, we identify our top talent, assess critical roles, and examine where potential may be mismatched with the current role,” he shares. The HR team has implemented capability matrices that cut across functional, behavioural, and leadership dimensions. Each role is mapped not just for current fit but for future readiness. This provides an early warning system for talent-role misalignment and helps pivot people before performance dips.

The outcome? Internal mobility at Namdev Finvest is at a high. Over 35% of managerial roles in the past year have been filled through internal movements, cross-functional exposures, or upskilling interventions.

Culture is the compass

In BFSI—an industry marked by compliance, scale, and constant evolution—technical skills are a given. But Sharma argues that cultural alignment is what ensures longevity and leadership. “We’ve learned to hire for belief systems just as much as for skillsets.”

Namdev Finvest follows a two-lens approach in hiring:

1. Role-specific competencies – knowledge of financial products, regulatory frameworks, credit analysis, etc.

2. Cultural attributes – integrity, humility, empathy, and a willingness to grow with grassroots realities.

The selection process includes:

• Behavioural interviews focused on value alignment.

• Real-world case study assessments.

• Cross-functional panel discussions.

This enables hiring managers to assess how well a candidate might align with the company’s mission of financial inclusion in underserved markets.

Managing misalignment

Even with the best frameworks, mismatches happen. When a high-potential individual doesn’t thrive, Namdev Finvest resists defaulting to blame. “We always ask: Is it the person, or is it the seat?” Sharma says.

Instead of viewing underperformance as failure, the company uses it as diagnostic data. Through structured check-ins, peer feedback, and leadership observations, the HR team investigates factors like role clarity, resource adequacy, and alignment with personal values.

“In one case, a high-potential business analyst underperformed in a compliance-heavy role. We moved him into a business strategy vertical where he thrived—and now he leads a team of eight.”

Such examples reflect the company’s belief in second chances—but also in precision. The internal policy mandates structured cross-functional rotations for employees with over 18 months in one role, helping recalibrate both capability and engagement.

Tier 2/3 markets: Reimagining talent models 

Namdev Finvest’s deep presence in Tier 2 and 3 cities—spanning states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh—demands a rethink of urban-centric talent models.

The talent landscape here is vastly different. There is:

• A surplus of aspiration, but limited exposure.

• High levels of family dependency influencing job preferences.

• A metro-job illusion, where youth often seek brand names over skill building.

To bridge this, Namdev Finvest has created a “Roots and Wings” framework:

• Roots: Hire locally, build regional leadership pipelines.

• Wings: Provide exposure to pan-India best practices through mentoring, cross-state deputations, and digital learning.

“We don’t just recruit for today’s jobs; we recruit for potential. That means spotting attitude over aptitude in some cases,” says Sharma.

This strategy has paid off. Attrition in these regions is nearly 20% lower than industry benchmarks. And in FY 2023–24, over 60% of new hires came from non-metro cities.

Structured onboarding

Once hired, the first 100 days are treated with utmost focus. Every new joiner undergoes:

• A structured onboarding program tailored to their role and location.

• Weekly touchpoints with line managers and HR.

• Behavioural workshops on ownership, resilience, and collaboration.

The goal isn’t just to inform, but to condition the mindset. “We want people to feel they’re not just employees—they’re stakeholders in India’s financial growth story,” Sharma says.

Lessons from the field

Reflecting on Namdev Finvest’s people journey, Sharma outlines three key lessons:

1. Context is king: One-size-fits-all models don’t work. Tailor your talent strategy to the region, product, and business maturity.

2. Clarity creates velocity: When people understand not just what to do but how to do it (in terms of values), performance accelerates.

3. Be agile about roles: Jobs evolve faster than people do. Build flexible frameworks that allow for role redesign and internal pivoting.

These principles have helped the company scale to over 120 branches, grow its AUM consistently, and reduce hiring errors year-on-year.

For HR leaders struggling with talent-role mismatch or cultural dilution, Sharma’s advice is to embrace misalignment as data. “Treat underperformance as a conversation starter, not an endpoint. Maybe the role needs redefining. Maybe the support system needs reinforcing.”

He recommends building:

• Talent councils that meet monthly to review critical roles.

• Internal mobility platforms with open applications.

• Culture dashboards tracking not just attrition, but enthusiasm, referrals, and narrative alignment.

“When you get the right person in the right seat, performance becomes a byproduct. What you truly unlock is passion, ownership, and resilience.”

Aligning talent with nation-building

Namdev Finvest sees its mission not just in terms of business KPIs but also in social impact—bringing credit access to India’s underbanked. And for that, Sharma believes, alignment is everything. “It’s not about perfect CVs. It’s about aligned minds and shared purpose.”

By creating an organisation where roles are fluid, support systems are strong, and individuals are deeply respected, Namdev Finvest is not just building a company—it’s shaping the next generation of BFSI leaders for Bharat.