23rd July, 2025; Mumbai, India:
The Market Research Society of India (MRSI) held a webinar on 23rd July 2025 on the topic ‘Reimagining BFSI: Strategies to Win in a New Digital India.’ The session was hosted by Amitabh Mishra - Independant Consultant. Guest panelists included Anand Parameswaran – Executive Director and Lead, Kantar (Insights West); Danny Nathani – Head of Brand, Marketing & Comms, Mirae Asset Sharekhan; and Sujit Ganguli – Head Corporate Brand, Communications and Digital Marketing, ICICI Bank. The webinar brought together top industry leaders to unpack the trends, challenges, and innovations shaping the future of financial services.
Anand Parameswaran laid the foundation for the conversation by highlighting the vast and evolving BFSI ecosystem, from public and private banks to mutual funds, insurance, and digital payments, with UPI driving exponential growth. He emphasized the pivotal role of technology in reshaping the sector while underlining that human touchpoints like relationship managers continue to be vital for trust and satisfaction. Branding in financial services, he noted, goes beyond advertising, with significant influence from advisors, touchpoints, and personalization. Anand also stressed the importance of celebrity-brand fit and the rising role of influencers. Lastly, he spotlighted emerging opportunities among Gen Z, women, and underserved regions, urging the industry to focus on financial inclusion, trust-building, and managing growing consumer concerns around data security and AI.
Danny Nathani spoke about the rising participation in financial markets, especially post-COVID, but pointed out that many women demat accounts are still opened by male family members, indicating a gap in financial comfort and independence. The pandemic acted as a catalyst — with job losses, Work from Home, and free time pushing people toward stock market investing. Influencers played a major role by simplifying trading, creating relatable content, and building online communities through YouTube, Telegram, and live trading sessions. Content marketing surged, with brands adopting influencer-led formats and targeting younger audiences.
Sujit Ganguli emphasised how technology has fundamentally transformed the banking ecosystem — from payments to loans, cards, and investments — with mobile apps now offering over 300 services. He shared examples like self-service KYC, online loan processing, card controls, and forex management that have made banking seamless. ICICI’s digital journey began as early as 2008, with steady innovation over time. He also credited Aadhaar and UPI as game-changers, enabling services like account aggregation and secure data sharing for financial evaluations. This tech-led infrastructure, supported by government and regulators, has accelerated inclusion and convenience across income groups. Sujit underlined that India’s digital banking model is unique and poised to scale further, especially across underserved segments.
The session concluded with powerful insights into how the BFSI sector must adapt to thrive in a dynamic, digital-first India. From tech-led innovations and influencer-driven engagement to evolving consumer segments and personalization, the industry is undergoing rapid change. These segments represent not just opportunity but a call to innovate with empathy, insight, and intent.