Samunnati appoints veteran finance leader Vinod Kumar Panicker as Group CFO

With over 36 years of experience in Finance, Accounts, Treasury, Audit, Strategy, Legal, and Compliance, he has held key leadership roles at IndoStar Capital, Muthoot Capital Services, Outlook Publishing, Cadbury Schweppes Beverages, and Coca-Cola India among others. 

Panicker brings extensive experience in driving financial transformations across NBFCs, FMCG, and Services sectors.  His appointment will strengthen Samunnati’s efforts to advance its mission of empowering Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in India. 

On his appointment, Anil Kumar SG, Founder of Samunnati, said, “With Vinod at the helm of our financial strategy, Samunnati is well-positioned to build on the strong capital base we have raised in recent years. His expertise will help us channel these resources into innovations that strengthen the FPO ecosystem and unlock new opportunities for all agri value chain players. We are confident this will accelerate our growth while advancing a more sustainable and inclusive agri-economy.” 

“Joining Samunnati at this stage of its growth is truly inspiring. I look forward to bringing my experience to strengthen the financial architecture and support the organization’s vision of building an inclusive and sustainable agri-economy. By aligning strong financial stewardship with holistic interventions across the agri value chain, we can enable FPOs to become more resilient and ensure that smallholder farmers remain at the heart of India’s growth story,” said Panicker. 

The appointment of Panicker is expected to play a pivotal role in advancing Samunnati’s financial sustainability and expanding its presence in India’s agricultural landscape. At a time when Samunnati is focused on scaling operations and driving sustainable impact through financial investments, his expertise will be instrumental in strengthening the FPO framework and fostering the growth of smallholder farmers across the country. 

Samunnati has projected strong growth in Gross Transaction Value (GTV) over the next three fiscal years. Financial Solutions GTV is expected to grow from Rs58,947 crores in FY’26 to Rs97,675 crores in FY’28, a 65.7% increase. For Trade Facilitation, the GTV is forecasted to more than triple, rising 221% from ₹45,367 crores in FY '26 to Rs1,45,785 crores in FY’28. Overall consolidated GTV is projected to increase from Rs1,04,315 crores in FY '26 to Rs2,43,461 crores in FY’28, a 133.3% growth. This robust growth underscores Samunnati’ s commitment to deepening market penetration and driving value across the agricultural value chain, supported by enhanced operational and financial capabilities.