IMGC Appointments New Chief Risk Officer and Vice President of Risk
New Delhi, June 10, 2026: India Mortgage Guarantee Corporation (IMGC), the country’s premier mortgage guarantee firm regulated by the Reserve Bank of India, has announced two major additions to its leadership structure. The corporation has promoted Pawan Kumar to the position of Chief Risk Officer (CRO) and brought in industry veteran Abhimanyu Behera as Vice President – Risk. The appointments are aimed at sharpening the firm’s focus on policy excellence, portfolio governance, and data-driven credit oversight as the company continues to scale up its mortgage guarantee operations across India.
In his new capacity as Chief Risk Officer, Pawan Kumar will oversee IMGC’s comprehensive risk management framework, directing credit policy, portfolio monitoring, and governance strategies. Kumar, who brings over 18 years of cross-functional experience across analytics, risk strategy, and business intelligence, previously held roles at Citigroup and Essex Lake Consulting Group. An alumnus of Shri Ram College of Commerce and the Delhi School of Economics, his expanded mandate includes leveraging automation to boost operational efficiency and modernizing risk tracking systems to support institutional scaling.
Joining the executive layer as Vice President – Risk, Abhimanyu Behera will take charge of risk policy formulation, portfolio governance, and underwriting standards. Behera joins IMGC with a 15-year background in retail lending and banking risk management, having recently served as Senior Vice President – Risk Policy at SMFG India Credit. His previous tenure includes leadership roles at HDFC Bank, IDFC FIRST Bank, and ICICI Bank, backed by his professional credentials as a Chartered Accountant with certifications in IFRS and SAP.
Mahesh Misra, Managing Director and CEO of IMGC, underscored the timing of these appointments as the firm crosses a major financial milestone. “IMGC’s new guarantees written has crossed the 45,000 crore mark. As we continue to build scale, prudent risk management and effective use of data will set us apart. Pawan, an IMGC veteran, is ideally equipped to lead us on this journey as the CRO. We are also delighted to welcome Abhimanyu, who will spearhead our risk policy unit. He comes with strong mortgages risk experience and a deep understanding of the retail lending ecosystem. These appointments reinforce our commitment to maintaining the highest levels of risk discipline and governance standards,” Misra stated.
Expressing his outlook on the promotion, Pawan Kumar emphasized the role of technological innovation in handling incoming credit volumes. “As the housing landscape evolves and the mortgage guarantee footprint grows, our focus will remain on prudent underwriting, enhancing policy frameworks and leveraging technology to improve decision-making. I look forward to working closely with our teams and lender partners to further strengthen IMGC’s operating model and support the company’s next phase of growth,” Kumar said.
Reflecting on his new role, Abhimanyu Behera noted the broader economic implications of the firm’s core mission. “I am delighted to join IMGC and be part of an organization that plays a vital role in strengthening Indian housing finance ecosystem. Access to safe and affordable housing is a key pillar of inclusive economic growth and IMGC’s effort in expanding homeownership opportunities align with it. Looking forward to contributing meaningful impact together with the talented team at IMGC,” Behera remarked.
Since opening its doors in 2014, IMGC has established a formidable presence in the housing finance sector, guaranteeing over ₹45,000 crores in home loans. The company currently supports more than 150,000 customers across 400 nationwide locations by partnering with a network of 23 prominent lending entities, including commercial banks, NBFCs, and specialized housing finance institutions.
