Khwahish Rawal , Chief Compliance Officer & Company Secretary, Svamaan Financial Services
Entrepreneurship is the art of transforming vision into value. Yet, for millions of micro-businesses, access to financial capital remains a significant hurdle. Svamaan Financial Services Pvt. Ltd., a Mumbai-based, customer-centric financial institution, is committed to bridging this gap through responsible and inclusive financial solutions.
Guiding this mission through the complex regulatory landscape is Khwahish Rawal, the company’s Chief Compliance Officer and Company Secretary. A seasoned corporate legal and compliance professional, Khwahish combines her regulatory acumen with a passion for robust governance to help the organization stay ahead in a dynamic environment.
With core expertise in Regulatory Compliance, Governance, Corporate Secretarial matters, and Compliance Testing for Base and Middle Layer NBFCs, Khwahish has led critical mandates across Private Equity Transactions, Listed Debt Issuances, Corporate Restructuring, and complex regulatory implementations.
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Top 10 Chief Compliance Officers - 2025
In a landscape of increasingly complex regulations, the Chief Compliance Officer’s role has shifted from a back-office compliance role to a strategic pillar of corporate integrity. The Chief Compliance Officer is not simply a checklist manager or policy interpreter anymore - they are working at the crossroads of law, ethics, and mitigation of risks to business continuity. Compliance regulations are shifting in all sectors, including finance, healthcare, technology, and manufacturing. The Chief Compliance Officer is an organisation’s main guide for ethical behaviour to ensure that growth is never at the detriment of governance.
Modern compliance leadership demands remarkable agility. The position mandates an in-depth awareness of worldwide regulatory frameworks while expeditiously adjusting to emerging risks and being able to navigate convoluted legal prose and convert it into practical guidance. But being technical is not sufficient. The most effective compliance leaders establish a culture of trust, transparency and accountability, allowing employees at all levels to be empowered to make appropriate decisions.
"In today’s business climate, the CCO transforms compliance from obligation into a competitive, trust-building advantage"
Today's Chief Compliance Officers are also increasingly technology-enabled. Data analytics, AI-driven monitoring systems, and automated reporting tools have expanded their ability to identify anomalies and predetermine risks before they emerge. Digital technology has transformed compliance into a proactive discipline rather than a reactive discipline. The CCO's position at the executive table is also extremely important. The CCO's recommendations influence strategic decisions on product launches, crossing borders, and resolving organizational uncertainty. Since compliance is the steward of ethical behavior, compliance officers help protects not only legal compliance but also brand reputation, investor confidence, and institutional resilience. In a time when trust serves as an important differentiator for businesses, the Chief Compliance Officer has taken center stage as a role that embraces the intersection of responsibility and innovation.
CEO Insights in this issue presents a list of ‘Top 10 Chief Compliance Officers - 2025', who have leveraged their extensive industry expertise and experience in offering effective skills to the market. The following list has been prepared after being closely scrutinized by a distinguished panel of judges including CXOs, analysts and our editorial board. We recognize their valuable contribution to the ever expanding and competitive market and their ability to sustain themselves and emerge as top contestants through their reliable knowledge.
| Company Logo | Company Management | Company Name | Company Description |
|---|---|---|---|
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Amar Kumar Kakarlapudi, Chief Compliance Officer | Airtel Payments Bank | He builds and leads a compliance team with expertise in regulatory requirements, legal frameworks, and risk management, and develops and delivers compliance training programs to employees |
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Badarish H Chimalgi , Chief Compliance Officer | Kshema General | A counsel with his expertise lies in corporate law, governance, and strategy, recognized for leading landmark fundraising, acquisition, and restructuring initiatives |
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CS Kapil Ruhela,Company Secretary & Chief Compliance Officer | Midland Microfin | He is skilled in internal audit, secretarial compliance, Microsoft Excel, risk management, corporate finance, and legal compliance, and is a professional Company Secretary |
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Khwahish Rawal , Chief Compliance Officer & Company Secretary | Svamaan Financial Services | She has over 14 years of experience in regulatory compliance, governance, corporate secretarial matters, and compliance testing for base and middle-layer NBFCs |
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Kiran Singh , Chief Compliance Officer | BFSI | With over 20 years of experience in the financial sector, she brings deep expertise in compliance, governance, and risk management, and has been instrumental in driving organizational excellence |
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Krishna Kant , Chief Compliance Officer | PNB Housing Finance | A compliance leader with international and domestic BFSI expertise, he has shaped risk and regulatory functions across multiple institutions |
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Neethu Ajay , Chief Compliance Officer & Company Secretary | Muthoot Microfin | She has been pivotal in strengthening governance, ensuring regulatory compliance, and enhancing stakeholder engagement, and helps the company to empower rural women entrepreneurs |
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Nithya Prabhu R,Chief Compliance Officer | Hinduja Leyland Finance | He is known for designing and implementing effective compliance frameworks, leading training programs to foster ethical practices, and ensuring adherence to evolving regulatory standards |
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Rachana Bhusari,Chief Compliance Officer | ICICI Direct | With expertise in regulatory compliance, corporate governance, and risk management, she is recognized for leading compliance initiatives and fostering a culture of ethical business practices |
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Rajalakshmi S,Company Secretary & Chief Compliance Officer | Dvara KGFS | She strengthens compliance frameworks, ensures adherence to legal and regulatory standards, and fosters a culture of transparency and ethical business practices |
Other Issues
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