As financial institutions accelerate AI adoption across underwriting, fraud detection, and credit decision-making, Sunil Govindarajan, CRO/Director at Optimo Capital, has cautioned against fully autonomous AI-led lending models without human oversight and governance frameworks.
Speaking at the CXO Summit & Awards 2026 during a panel discussion on Digital Transformation & AI Integration, Sunil highlighted that while AI can significantly improve operational efficiency and predictive capabilities in lending, financial institutions must prioritise explainability, auditability, and real-time human validation.
“In lending, speed without governance can become a risk multiplier. AI should strengthen decision-making, not replace accountability,” said Sunil Govindarajan during the discussion.
Drawing from over two decades of experience in lending, underwriting, and risk strategy, including building and scaling multiple lending books across NBFCs in India, Sunil pointed to the growing role AI can play in India’s mortgage ecosystem, particularly in reducing friction across underwriting and property valuation processes.
He noted that India’s mortgage-to-GDP ratio remains significantly lower than that of developed economies, creating a large opportunity for technology-led lending innovation. According to him, AI-powered valuation and benchmark-led assessment systems can help reduce fraud exposure, improve turnaround times, and strengthen lending confidence, especially in Tier-3 and emerging markets where operational verification challenges remain high.
A major focus of Sunil’s discussion was the need for governance-led AI implementation across NBFCs and financial institutions. He emphasised that AI systems used in underwriting, fraud management, reporting, and enterprise risk management must remain transparent, explainable, logic-driven, and auditable.
He further spoke about AI’s role across the broader financial services lifecycle – from loan origination and underwriting to collections, compliance reporting, and enterprise-wide risk visibility. While AI can reduce manual intervention and improve predictive capabilities, he stressed that data integrity, governance frameworks, and human supervision remain critical safeguards.
During the event, Sunil Govindarajan was also conferred with the CXO Leadership Excellence Award in recognition of his contributions to lending, credit strategy, and risk management.
Throughout the discussion, Sunil reinforced the need for governance-led lending systems where technology supports faster and more informed decision-making without compromising underwriting discipline, accountability, or long-term asset quality.
With experience spanning MSME financing, loan against property, enterprise risk management, and credit operations, Sunil has played a key role in building and scaling multiple lending books across financial institutions in India.
About Sunil Govindarajan
Sunil Govindarajan is a lending and risk management professional with over two decades of experience across MSME financing, credit strategy, underwriting, and enterprise risk management. Currently serving as Director at Nipun Projects and Finance Private Limited and Chief Risk Officer at Optimo Capital, he has played a key role in building and scaling multiple lending businesses and credit books across NBFCs in India. His expertise spans governance-led lending, risk strategy, loan against property (LAP), and responsible AI adoption in financial services.
