Krishna Kant : Leading Compliance Transformation With A Distinct Vision
Krishna Kant
Chief Compliance Officer
Krishna brings close to three decades of experience in compliance and risk management in the international and domestic banking sectors. He kickstarted his career with Canara Bank in 1996 and rose to the position of AGM—Zonal Audit, spearheading the bank's risk and compliance operation in the UK during a turbulent period.
There, he was able to address the problems of governance and compliance, gaining the attention of the UK Financial Conduct Authority. In recognition of his compliance acumen, the Association of Foreign Banks, London, onboarded him onto their Compliance Committee. He was also an expert speaker at the prestigious RISK EMEA annual conference in London. After returning to India, he took charge as the Group Compliance Head at Bandhan Bank in 2022.
In 2023, Krishna became the Chief Compliance Officer at PNB Housing Finance Ltd. Within eye-shut time, he has positioned PNB's compliance function above the regulatory expectations, gaining the company industry recognition, including the NHB Excellence Award as the only large HFC to receive it in its first year. We are delighted to engage in an exclusive conversation with Krishna, who walks us through his journey, leadership approach, and future.
How do you ensure compliance efforts align with the company’s overall business strategy?
Compliance at PNB Housing Finance is deeply intertwined
with our overall business strategy, given the strict regulatory environment in which we operate. We are primarily regulated by the RBI and supervised by the National Housing Bank, while also being governed by SEBI as a listed entity, by IRDAI as a corporate agent for insurance, and other regulators depending on our activities.
Every business strategy, product, or long term vision is framed with regulatory guidelines, customer welfare and consumer interests at the core. No product or process moves forward without compliance review, board and committee approvals require sign-off from the Chief Compliance Officer to ensure alignment with regulatory parameters and adequate risk management controls. This integration ensures compliance is embedded in the three lines of defense framework, running parallel with business operations and strategies, and enabling us to remain a strongly governed, ethically driven organization.
What is your approach to building a strong compliance team and ethical behavior within the organization?
Compliance is about doing the right thing every time, every day. While assembling an effective compliance team, recruiting individuals with the right skills and values is vital. In addition to constant training, we must constantly chisel that talent by organizing regular huddles, industry conferences, and briefings on regulations.
To foster a culture of integrity, we reinforce ethical behavior through a strong Code of Conduct, mandatory trainings, regular newsletters, town halls, and direct engagement with various teams. We also maintain a robust whistle blower mechanism and enforce strict disciplinary action against unethical practices, ensuring compliance and integrity are embedded across the organization.
How do you stay updated on recent regulatory changes and trends in the finance industry?
The regulatory environment is highly dynamic, with multiple guidelines frequently at various levels of implementation. To be informed, we rely on regulatory tracking software, as well as manual scanning of regulatory websites. Within the compliance team, we assess new circulars to identify relevant actions, engage stake holders to update policies and processes, and ensure timely
Compliance is about doing the right thing every time, every day
Every business strategy, product, or long term vision is framed with regulatory guidelines, customer welfare and consumer interests at the core. No product or process moves forward without compliance review, board and committee approvals require sign-off from the Chief Compliance Officer to ensure alignment with regulatory parameters and adequate risk management controls. This integration ensures compliance is embedded in the three lines of defense framework, running parallel with business operations and strategies, and enabling us to remain a strongly governed, ethically driven organization.
What is your approach to building a strong compliance team and ethical behavior within the organization?
Compliance is about doing the right thing every time, every day. While assembling an effective compliance team, recruiting individuals with the right skills and values is vital. In addition to constant training, we must constantly chisel that talent by organizing regular huddles, industry conferences, and briefings on regulations.
To foster a culture of integrity, we reinforce ethical behavior through a strong Code of Conduct, mandatory trainings, regular newsletters, town halls, and direct engagement with various teams. We also maintain a robust whistle blower mechanism and enforce strict disciplinary action against unethical practices, ensuring compliance and integrity are embedded across the organization.
How do you stay updated on recent regulatory changes and trends in the finance industry?
The regulatory environment is highly dynamic, with multiple guidelines frequently at various levels of implementation. To be informed, we rely on regulatory tracking software, as well as manual scanning of regulatory websites. Within the compliance team, we assess new circulars to identify relevant actions, engage stake holders to update policies and processes, and ensure timely
compliance. Equally important is networking with industry peers to interpret guidelines consistently and adopt best practices, which helps manage complexities and maintain agility in a rapidly changing environment.
What are your future plans for technology integration and upcoming developments in your field?
AI is becoming part of the compliance and business processes and brings lot of efficiency and accuracy. However, its use must align with regulations such as the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, ensuring customer privacy and protection.
While AI can support compliance, it cannot replace the human judgment, integrity, and ethical culture that the function demands. Going forward, the focus will be on responsibly adopting AI, implementing workflow based compliance monitoring tools as mandated by RBI, and remaining agile to meet the growing complexity of regulatory expectations and business operations.
What advice would you give to aspiring leaders in the finance industry?
Ours is fundamentally a simple business taking deposits and giving loans. What differentiates institutions is their ethics, customer focus, and quality of service. Compliance profes - sionals play a vital role in embedding this culture by engaging with business teams, staying updated on regulatory developments, and aligning with evolving expectations of regulators, boards, investors, and customers.
Krishna Kant, Chief Compliance Officer, PNB Housing Finance
Krishna Kant, a seasoned compliance leader with international and domestic BFSI expertise, has shaped risk and regulatory functions across institutions. Today, he drives PNB Housing Finance’s journey based on trust, transparency, and accessibility, strengthening its compliance framework.
•Hobbies: Meditation, reading, and listening to music
•Favorite Travel Destinations: Europe, especially London
•Favorite Cuisine: North Indian Vegetarian
•Favorite Book: Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda
Awards and Recognition:
•Received the first-of-its-kind Excellence Award instituted by the National Housing Bank in 2025
What are your future plans for technology integration and upcoming developments in your field?
AI is becoming part of the compliance and business processes and brings lot of efficiency and accuracy. However, its use must align with regulations such as the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, ensuring customer privacy and protection.
While AI can support compliance, it cannot replace the human judgment, integrity, and ethical culture that the function demands. Going forward, the focus will be on responsibly adopting AI, implementing workflow based compliance monitoring tools as mandated by RBI, and remaining agile to meet the growing complexity of regulatory expectations and business operations.
What advice would you give to aspiring leaders in the finance industry?
Ours is fundamentally a simple business taking deposits and giving loans. What differentiates institutions is their ethics, customer focus, and quality of service. Compliance profes - sionals play a vital role in embedding this culture by engaging with business teams, staying updated on regulatory developments, and aligning with evolving expectations of regulators, boards, investors, and customers.
Krishna Kant, Chief Compliance Officer, PNB Housing Finance
Krishna Kant, a seasoned compliance leader with international and domestic BFSI expertise, has shaped risk and regulatory functions across institutions. Today, he drives PNB Housing Finance’s journey based on trust, transparency, and accessibility, strengthening its compliance framework.
•Hobbies: Meditation, reading, and listening to music
•Favorite Travel Destinations: Europe, especially London
•Favorite Cuisine: North Indian Vegetarian
•Favorite Book: Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda
Awards and Recognition:
•Received the first-of-its-kind Excellence Award instituted by the National Housing Bank in 2025