Reimagining HR: How Kirti Poddar Leveraged Culture and Data to Empower Mintifi’s Growth

Amidst the constant shifts in the work landscape, characterized by the collision of culture, technology, and purpose, Kirti Poddar, Head of HR at Mintifi, has proven to be a pioneering and visionary leader. Her path in human resources is more than a career trajectory; it’s a strategic narrative shaped by introspection, audacious choices, and a steadfast commitment to people-centric leadership. 

At Mintifi, Kirti has not only digitized HR but redefined it. She’s spearheaded a cultural transformation rooted in clarity, ownership, and purpose—embedding intent into every phase of the employee journey. Whether it’s aligning talent with organizational value, modernizing onboarding to reflect company DNA, or turning engagement into a continuous, meaningful dialogue—her initiatives have created a people ecosystem built for scale and sustainability.

Kirti’s HR Evolution: From Groundwork to Future-Forward Leadership

Kirti Poddar’s HR journey has been a dynamic evolution marked by shifting perspectives, growing responsibilities, and a deepening alignment between people’s strategies and business goals. She sees her career unfolding in three key phases, each bringing unique challenges and insights.

In the first phase, Kirti focused on building strong HR foundations—understanding business operations, designing effective processes, and shaping a leadership style rooted in trust, inclusion, and an engaging culture.

The second phase saw her step into strategic leadership, positioning HR as a value creator rather than a cost center. Realizing the function could feel transactional, she worked to humanize HR, aligning policies with purpose—often guided by frameworks like Simon Sinek’s “Golden Circle.”

Now in the third phase, Kirti leads with a future-forward mindset, embracing continuous learning, agility, and innovation to navigate digital change and evolving workforce expectations.

Her journey remains ongoing, grounded in a commitment to people-first leadership and conscious transformation—with perhaps a serene Himalayan chapter still to come.

A Blueprint for Modern People Management

At Mintifi, Kirti Poddar has led a comprehensive HR transformation rooted in innovation and agility. Central to this shift is the digitization of HR operations through a robust HRIS, which has streamlined processes, centralized data, and enabled data-driven decision-making.

She has also introduced agile talent management practices, fostering flexibility through continuous feedback, adaptable goal-setting, and regular check-ins—ensuring strong alignment between individual goals and company objectives. Employee development remains a priority, with structured learning, mentorship, and leadership programs enhancing growth and capability.

Transparency is another key pillar of her strategy. By promoting open communication and involving employees in decisions, Kirti has built a culture of trust and shared ownership. Her initiatives have not only optimized HR functions but also boosted employee satisfaction and fueled Mintifi’s broader organizational growth.

Cultural Transformation at Mintifi: Embedding Purpose into Growth

Mintifi led a purpose-driven cultural revolution—one of her most impactful HR achievements. She intentionally shaped organizational behaviors by identifying key “moments that matter” and embedding the company’s core purpose into every stage of the employee lifecycle—from hiring and onboarding to development and performance.

Key initiatives under her leadership included:

• Purpose-Aligned Talent Model: Kirti Poddar redefined hiring and capability-building by clearly outlining what it means to be a purpose-driven employee, aligning recruitment and succession planning with cultural consistency.
• Digital HR Transformation: Implemented modern HR systems to improve process efficiency, data visibility, and employee experience, enabling a more agile and insight-led HR function.
• Revamped Onboarding: She redesigned onboarding to reflect Mintifi’s purpose from day one, deepening early engagement and cultural alignment.
• Impactful Learning Culture: Moved from generic training to personalized, business-linked development, tying learning outcomes to measurable contributions like AUM growth.
• Engagement Reinvented: Shifted engagement from a one-off survey to a continuous, purpose-led strategy, strengthening employee connection and ownership.
• Purpose-Driven Performance & Rewards: Introduced metrics that align performance and compensation with values and long-term goals, ensuring holistic recognition.
• Strategic Talent Planning: Adopted a disciplined, value-focused talent deployment model—matching top talent to critical roles based on where Mintifi creates the most value.

Through these initiatives, Kirti Poddar has positioned Mintifi to scale with purpose, agility, and a strong people-first culture—making its workforce a true strategic advantage.

Vision for Modern HR Leadership: 2025 and Beyond

Kirti sees the future of HR leadership as a strategic force that aligns people and culture with business goals—going far beyond process management. For her, true leadership means shaping mindsets, driving change, and building systems that empower people to perform, innovate, and thrive in alignment with long-term vision.

Key Traits of Future-Ready HR Leadership

1. Strategic Agility

• HR as the CEO’s co-pilot
• Anticipates change
• Builds agile, culture-scaling talent strategies

2. Digital Fluency & Data Savviness

• Embraces HR tech & analytics
• Uses real-time feedback to refine strategies
• Drives continuous improvement

3. Human-Centered Innovation

• Designs empathetic, inclusive experiences
• Aligns with evolving employee needs
• Fuels future-ready workplaces

4. Lifelong Learning & External Orientation

• Actively pursues growth via:
  • Certifications
  • Webinars
  • Industry networking
• Stays ahead of trends & best practices

5. Change Leadership & Influence

• Inspires and influences at all levels
• Communicates with clarity
• Leads transformation with vision

Looking ahead, Kirti Poddar believes HR leaders must blend tech-savviness with deep human insight to shape resilient, adaptable organizations—where culture fuels performance and people drive growth.

Cultivating Well-being and Engagement 

Mintifi focuses on purpose, personalization, and proactive support to foster employee well-being, engagement, and retention in a hybrid, digital workplace. Her approach is built on five key pillars:

1. Holistic Well-Being

• Focus on physical, emotional, and financial health
• Robust group medical coverage (including dependents)
• Responsive TPA partnerships for seamless support
• Strong emphasis on psychological safety and mental health

2. Meaningful Engagement in a Hybrid World

• Structured touchpoints: monthly connects, pulse surveys, skip-levels
• Customized activities for remote, hybrid, and branch-based teams
• Initiatives like quarterly recognitions & surprise family invites enhance emotional connection

3. Personalized Growth & Development

• Learning paths tailored to career aspirations and AUM impact
• Encouragement for upskilling and regular performance feedback
• Strong focus on continuous development and role clarity

4. Purpose-Driven Performance & Retention

• Embedded purpose in goals, rewards, and career paths
• Clear succession planning and internal mobility strategies
• Employees find meaning and long-term growth within the organization

 5. Trust, Flexibility & Accountability

• Culture centered on outcomes, not optics
• Flexible work allowed with clear accountability
• Field roles supported by tools like Outdoor Marking and on-field tracking

 Kirti’s vision creates a high-touch culture in a high-tech world, making Mintifi a place where people feel connected, valued, and inspired to stay, grow, and lead.

Tech-Enabled HR

Mintifi has strategically leveraged technology to transform HR into a precision-driven, agile function that directly supports business growth. Central to her approach is the use of advanced HR analytics, which moves decision-making beyond intuition by providing real-time, actionable insights. These analytics help track key workforce trends such as turnover, engagement, and productivity, while also identifying high-potential talent, skill gaps, and the effectiveness of learning and employee experience initiatives. 

They even enable forecasting of future workforce needs to ensure alignment with Mintifi’s broader goals. In parallel, Kirti Poddar has championed automation to streamline routine HR processes like payroll, leave and attendance management, and onboarding. This shift frees up HR teams to focus on more strategic priorities such as talent development, culture-building, and personalized engagement. Through this tech-driven approach, Kirti has positioned HR as a true strategic partner—enhancing efficiency, agility, and business impact across the organization.

Mintifi’s Recent Growth Highlights

Funding & Valuation

• Raised $180M in Series E (Dec 2024): $100M primary + $80M secondary
• Led by Ontario Teachers’ Venture Growth & Prosus, with Premji Invest
• Valuation jumped to ~$850M (up from $500–550M last year)
• Total funding to date: ~$355M

Revenue & Profit

• Revenue tripled in FY24: ₹150 Cr → ₹319 Cr
• Operating revenue grew 72–76%: ₹223 Cr → ₹384 Cr
• Net profit surged 3.7×: ₹24.8 Cr → ₹92.5 Cr+

Loan Book & Volume

• Loan book grew 2.4×: ₹1,100 Cr → ₹2,600 Cr (Mar 2023–Dec 2024)
• Annual invoice processing volume hit $3B (₹24,900 Cr)
• Targeting $6B (₹49,800 Cr) by FY26

Footprint & Team

• 300+ corporate brand partnerships: Asian Paints, Honda, Parle, Shree Cement
• ~925 employees as of late 2024

 Forward Outlook

• Monthly revenue run rate: ₹45 Cr → Annualized ₹600 Cr
• Net margins projected at 20–25%
• Growth forecast: 40–50% over next 2 years

Kirti on Mintifi’s Strategic Growth and Future Outlook

Kirti Poddar highlights Mintifi’s dynamic growth, driven by key strategic initiatives aimed at market expansion and service diversification.

• Strategic Expansion: Mintifi secured an RBI factoring license in December 2024 and is building a team to launch domestic and overseas factoring services, unlocking new revenue streams and enhancing SME liquidity.
• Product & AI Growth: Following a $180M Series E funding, Mintifi plans to expand its offerings with dealer management systems, loans against property, and AI-powered credit and limit tools—enabling comprehensive client support.
• IPO Plans: Mintifi’s leadership is in talks with banks for a ₹3 billion (~$300M) IPO, targeting a mix of primary and secondary sales within 2–3 years, depending on market conditions.
• M&A Pipeline: The company is exploring acquisitions in SaaS and dealer management to boost innovation, accelerate growth, and strengthen its platform strategy.

These initiatives reflect Mintifi’s vision to build a resilient, scalable fintech platform with strong investor confidence and diverse product capabilities.

Kirti’s Playbook: Managing Talent and Culture in a Fast-Paced Fintech

Kirti leads Mintifi’s effort to scale its culture amid rapid growth across new markets and a dispersed workforce, ensuring consistency and inclusion. She balances agility with strong governance, maintaining fairness while enabling swift hiring and policy changes without compromising employee experience. Prioritizing well-being, Kirti fosters emotional resilience, psychological safety, and work-life balance in the hybrid work environment. Talent retention focuses on a purpose-driven culture, career mobility, continuous learning, and regular recognition beyond pay.

Mintifi uses data and HR analytics to guide decisions on attrition and performance, while leadership stays connected with employees to gather real-time feedback. The company strengthens managerial skills through targeted training and coaching. Kirti Poddar emphasizes empathy and transparency as key to building trust and navigating change, supporting Mintifi’s sustainable growth and an engaged, resilient workforce.

Key Trends Shaping Fintech HR in 2025 and Beyond

Kirti sees fintech HR evolving rapidly, driven by technology, changing workforce needs, and complex regulations. Key trends include AI-powered people analytics for predicting turnover and skill gaps; hyper-personalized employee experiences with tailored onboarding and flexible benefits; and hybrid work models that prioritize collaboration and outcome-based performance. 

Continuous learning through micro-courses and talent marketplaces enables rapid skill updates, while a strong focus on well-being and psychological safety helps combat fintech’s high-pressure environment. Purpose-driven employer branding and embedded compliance in HR processes are also vital, ensuring Mintifi attracts top talent and maintains ethical growth. These trends shape Mintifi’s HR into a data-savvy, human-centered, and ethically grounded function, crucial for sustaining innovation and culture.

Stay Curious, Grounded, and Human

Kirti’s advice for aspiring HR leaders centers on three key pillars: stay curious, stay grounded in business, and stay human. She stresses the importance of a continuous learning mindset to keep pace with fast-changing tech and workforce trends. Understanding the business deeply—its model, products, and financials—is essential for HR to drive growth strategically. Despite technology’s rise, Kirti Poddar emphasizes that empathy and authenticity remain crucial in managing people and culture. She encourages HR professionals to build cross-functional relationships, balance data with empathy, and lead proactively without waiting for permission. Ultimately, success comes from consistently showing up with curiosity, business insight, and humanity.

Leading with Purpose

Kirti stays inspired by nurturing strong connections—to people, purpose, and future possibilities. She values active listening to diverse voices, learning from everyday experiences rather than just formal reports. Continuous learning and growth are central to her leadership, which she views as an evolving skill, not a fixed role.

Her deepest motivation comes from seeing real impact—whether through key hires, improved well-being, or a thriving culture. Kirti Poddar embraces humility and curiosity, believing growth requires openness and the courage to adapt continuously.

Dear Future HR Leaders,

Welcome to a rewarding and ever-changing profession where people, purpose, and performance intersect. As HR professionals, you’ll be the steady voice in chaos, the architect of thriving teams, and the mirror reflecting what organizations truly need to grow.

My key advice: Lead with purpose and integrity to earn trust; embrace uncertainty and be ready to learn on the go; build culture by listening and collaborating, not just directing; and always keep the human touch alive amidst data and technology.

Remember, you’re shaping not just policies, but lives and futures. Stay grounded, compassionate, and courageous—the future of work needs leaders like you.