Badarish H Chimalgi : Mentoring Teams To See Legal & Compliance As Influence, Not Limitation
Badarish H Chimalgi
Chief Compliance Officer
From his early years as a Company Secretary and corporate lawyer, immersed in drafting and negotiating complex agreements across shareholder rights, cross border acquisitions, and financing arrangements, to his current role guiding Boards on governance strategy, his journey reflects a deep conviction: compliance is not a hurdle, but a cornerstone for long-term value creation. Each chapter has sharpened his adaptability, foresight, and unwavering integrity. In an era where governance is often tested by speed and scale, Badarish represents a different kind of leadership, one that builds confidence, enables ambition, and quietly safeguards the future. Let’s dive in to know more.
How do you find your experiences beneficial in providing a strategic direction to the management team on compliance?
My experience as legal counsel and governance advisor has shaped my strategic view of compliance. I’ve seen firsthand through structuring cross-border deals and navigating SEBI and FEMA regulations how compliance, when framed effectively, can empower rather than restrict leadership. Today, when I sit with Boards and management, I don’t merely highlight risks; I contextualize them in terms of business outcomes.
I ask: How does a decision impact investor trust or long-term regulatory positioning? This ability to translate compliance into business impact stems from years of negotiating at the intersection of law and strategy. In essence, my journey has equipped me to be more than a gatekeeper, I aim to be a guide who ensures compliance safeguards the organization while also unlocking its potential for sustainable growth.
Share with us your expertise in conducting regular risk assessments in light of changes and in understanding various kinds of risks.
For me, risk assessment has always been about foresight rather than ticking boxes. Over my career, I have conducted due diligence across diverse industries, from an Rs. 850 crore acquisition and a large-scale demerger to structuring a $300 million credit facility. Each situation required looking beyond documents to uncover legal, financial, operational, and reputational risks. I have also come to recognize that risks evolve.
What was once about statutory filings and corporate governance is today also about data protection, Money Laundering risk, and reputational integrity in a digital-first world. My method is to combine regulatory knowledge with a panoramic business view, mapping not only what risks exist today but anticipating those that may quietly emerge tomorrow.
This dual approach, grounded in legal rigor, but elevated by strategic foresight, has allowed me to create frameworks that organizations can rely on with confidence, even in volatile environments.
How do you facilitate an ease in communicating with the leadership board, including regulatory bodies, industry groups or vendors to ensure collaboration in compliance tasks?
Compliance thrives on communication. The most robust framework can fail if it is not understood, embraced, and trusted by stakeholders. Early in my career, while presenting complex agreements and legal opinions to boards and liaising with investors and shareholders, I learned the value of clarity, turning technical language into actionable insight. This shaped my approach to engagement.
With regulators, I prioritize proactive, respectful dialogue, having experienced its impact while securing approvals from the Ministry of Finance and RBI for a Core Investment Company. Similarly, with the regulators, I found that credibility and openness matter deeply. With industry groups and vendors, collaboration ensures compliance becomes a shared strength rather than a constraint.
In your administration, how do you ensure a healthy culture of compliance? What is the kind of mindwork you put into making the right decision to resolve issues and minimize future recurrence?
For me, risk assessment has always been about foresight rather than ticking boxes. Over my career, I have conducted due diligence across diverse industries, from an Rs. 850 crore acquisition and a large-scale demerger to structuring a $300 million credit facility. Each situation required looking beyond documents to uncover legal, financial, operational, and reputational risks. I have also come to recognize that risks evolve.
What was once about statutory filings and corporate governance is today also about data protection, Money Laundering risk, and reputational integrity in a digital-first world. My method is to combine regulatory knowledge with a panoramic business view, mapping not only what risks exist today but anticipating those that may quietly emerge tomorrow.
This dual approach, grounded in legal rigor, but elevated by strategic foresight, has allowed me to create frameworks that organizations can rely on with confidence, even in volatile environments.
My vision is to lead this shift by designing legal and governance frameworks that inspire investor confidence and societal trust
How do you facilitate an ease in communicating with the leadership board, including regulatory bodies, industry groups or vendors to ensure collaboration in compliance tasks?
Compliance thrives on communication. The most robust framework can fail if it is not understood, embraced, and trusted by stakeholders. Early in my career, while presenting complex agreements and legal opinions to boards and liaising with investors and shareholders, I learned the value of clarity, turning technical language into actionable insight. This shaped my approach to engagement.
With regulators, I prioritize proactive, respectful dialogue, having experienced its impact while securing approvals from the Ministry of Finance and RBI for a Core Investment Company. Similarly, with the regulators, I found that credibility and openness matter deeply. With industry groups and vendors, collaboration ensures compliance becomes a shared strength rather than a constraint.
In your administration, how do you ensure a healthy culture of compliance? What is the kind of mindwork you put into making the right decision to resolve issues and minimize future recurrence?
A culture of compliance cannot be imposed, it must be cultivated. My approach has always been to simplify the complex, so that compliance becomes relatable to every employee, not just those in the legal department. When it comes to decision-making, I use a layered framework. First, act swiftly to resolve the immediate issue. Second, investigate thoroughly to uncover the root cause.
And third, institutionalize preventive measures so the problem does not recur. This mindset - resolve, reflect, reform- has consistently helped minimize future risks. Over time, such an approach nurtures a healthy culture where compliance is no longer viewed as an obligation, but as an integral part of how the organization thinks and behaves.
Under your leadership, how do you guide and encourage your team to embrace improve-ments in their experience and capabilities?
I strongly believe in empowering people to see compliance as a profession of influence, not limitation. I encourage team to continuously upgrade their skills, embrace technology, and stay abreast of global regulatory trends. My own journey, pursuing advanced certifications and engaging across multiple sectors serves as an example I share with them. I also foster an environment of mentorship, where team members feel supported to take initiative and are recognized for the value they bring.
Going forward, what is the future roadmap you have envisioned for your journey?
Looking to the future, I see compliance taking centre stage in shaping the business of the future. With the rise of digital ecosystems, increasing demands for data protection, and the global shift toward sustainability, compliance leaders will play an evenmore strategic role. My roadmap is to be at the forefront of this transformation, building governance frame works that not only meet regulatory standards but also strengthen investor confidence and societal trust.
Personally, I aim to continue contributing at the highest levels of strategy, combining my legal and compliance expertise to enable innovation while safeguarding ethics. My ultimate vision is simple yet ambitious: to reimagine compliance as a discipline that does not merely prevent risks, but actively builds resilience, trust, and long-term value.
Badarish H Chimalgi, Chief Compliance Officer, Kshema General
Chief Compliance Officer at Kshema General, Badarish H Chimalgi is a seasoned counsel with expertise in corporate law, governance, and strategy, recognized for leading landmark fundraising, acquisitions, and restructuring initiatives.
And third, institutionalize preventive measures so the problem does not recur. This mindset - resolve, reflect, reform- has consistently helped minimize future risks. Over time, such an approach nurtures a healthy culture where compliance is no longer viewed as an obligation, but as an integral part of how the organization thinks and behaves.
Under your leadership, how do you guide and encourage your team to embrace improve-ments in their experience and capabilities?
I strongly believe in empowering people to see compliance as a profession of influence, not limitation. I encourage team to continuously upgrade their skills, embrace technology, and stay abreast of global regulatory trends. My own journey, pursuing advanced certifications and engaging across multiple sectors serves as an example I share with them. I also foster an environment of mentorship, where team members feel supported to take initiative and are recognized for the value they bring.
Going forward, what is the future roadmap you have envisioned for your journey?
Looking to the future, I see compliance taking centre stage in shaping the business of the future. With the rise of digital ecosystems, increasing demands for data protection, and the global shift toward sustainability, compliance leaders will play an evenmore strategic role. My roadmap is to be at the forefront of this transformation, building governance frame works that not only meet regulatory standards but also strengthen investor confidence and societal trust.
Personally, I aim to continue contributing at the highest levels of strategy, combining my legal and compliance expertise to enable innovation while safeguarding ethics. My ultimate vision is simple yet ambitious: to reimagine compliance as a discipline that does not merely prevent risks, but actively builds resilience, trust, and long-term value.
Badarish H Chimalgi, Chief Compliance Officer, Kshema General
Chief Compliance Officer at Kshema General, Badarish H Chimalgi is a seasoned counsel with expertise in corporate law, governance, and strategy, recognized for leading landmark fundraising, acquisitions, and restructuring initiatives.