Krishna BS - Fintech Leaders in India 2024

Redefining the Wealth Management Experience for Affluent India

Krishna B S

Head of Engineering

Dezerv

I ndia’s economic transformation is not only changing the business landscape but also reshaping how wealth is created and managed. The wealth management industry, currently valued at an impressive $429.1 billion, is expected to grow at a steady CAGR of 4.56% by 2029. As this growth unfolds, a new generation of affluent Indians demands smarter wealth management solutions that provide transparency and convenience at their fingertips. At the heart of this shift is a story of innovation driven by visionary leaders like Krishna B S, Head of Engineering at Dezerv. With nearly two decades of experience, Krishna has redefined how financial products and services are built and delivered, driving innovation at every step of his career. Today, at Dezerv, he is leading the vision of building India’s first end-toend technology stack, built from the ground up for wealth management.

“Our vision is not just to automate but completely reimagine the complete lifecycle of financial investments, starting from investment products to distribution, execution, tracking and insights.”

His leadership is deeply rooted in the belief that technological innovation leads to fundamental and irreversible changes in consumer expectations. Emphasising his belief, Krishna says, “Wealth Management today is at the cusp of technology-led disruption. Affluent Indians expect a first-class digital experience that provides them convenience and transparency that does not come at the cost of human-led active wealth management.” His contributions to foundational projects like building the Amazon global e-commerce marketplace and the hyperlocal shopping technology stack in Amazon India paved the way for the Quick Commerce shopping revolution that is continuing to unfold even today. His subsequent leadership at CoinSwitch was marked by his ability to tap into the latent demand for digital finance in India’s emerging markets, accelerating the adoption of fintech solutions beyond the metropolitan core. Now, at Dezerv, Krishna is leading the efforts to build India’s first end-to-end wealth management tech stack, a bold endeavour that aims to merge cutting-edge technology with a seamless, user-centric experience. His leadership is not just about technical expertise but about understanding the nuances of customer needs and translating that into innovative solutions that can redefine industries.In this exclusive interview with TradeFlock, Krishna B S shares the critical experiences that have shaped his journey, his strategies for bringing innovation, and his ambitious vision for the future of fintech in India. His story has once again proved that true leadership is defined by purpose, impact, and an unwavering commitment to consumers.

What pivotal moments in your leadership journey have shaped your perspective as a fintech leader?

My journey as a fintech leader has been nothing short of transformative. Two key moments really stand out. The first was during my time at Amazon, where I was deeply involved in building Amazon India’s hyperlocal shopping infrastructure that would allow small offline shops on every street to reach the right customer at the right time. Solving tough problems in the areas of payments experiences, product selection, discovery and finally predictable and efficient delivery at India-scale was a profound experience for me. The second moment occurred at Dezerv, where we’re building India’s first wealth management technology stack, built from the ground up to solve fundamental issues plaguing the active wealth management industry in India today. Despite being among India’s affluent population with portfolio sizes running into crores of rupees, customers face a lack of transparency, paper-based processes, and turnaround times that run into days and weeks for investment-related decisions. Understanding the needs of these customers and solving industry-first problems not just within Dezerv but also with the larger fintech ecosystem has been a privilege I’ve been fortunate to be a part of.

How do you integrate insights from your experience in equities broking, IoT, and e-commerce to solve fintech challenges at Dezerv?

Throughout my career, I’ve always sought to work on projects that not only challenge me technically but also have a direct impact on people’s lives. I worked on IoT and networking systems early in my career, which helped me develop a foundational understanding of large-scale systems. However, I craved to see the immediate impact of the technology I was building. At Amazon, I had the opportunity to build global platforms where millions of consumers interacted daily. Fintech was a natural progression for me, particularly as I observed the evolution of digital payments at Amazon and witnessed a revolution led by Aadhaar. The moment I realised the potential of open digital rails to revolutionise how people access financial services, I was hooked. Now, at Dezerv, I’m blending my technical expertise with my passion for solving real-world problems, and that’s where I believe we can make the biggest difference.

How do you prioritise cybersecurity in fintech and lead efforts around it?

At Dezerv, security is much more than just ticking regulatory boxes—it’s the backbone of everything we do. As a wealth management platform, we handle incredibly sensitive information, from personal identity data to detailed financial portfolios. We take that responsibility seriously. Our approach to security is built into every layer of our tech stack, from how we store and access data to how we protect against cyberattacks. The stakes are high, and for us, there’s no room for complacency. We’ve integrated security protocols that go beyond compliance to ensure that our platform is resilient to potential threats. It’s a nonnegotiable part of our development process.

What are your key strategies for scaling Dezerv's platform from an engineering perspective?

Our growth over the last three years has been phenomenal. Dezerv’s wealth management platform now tracks assets worth over INR 90,000 crore and that’s just the beginning. From an engineering standpoint, our focus has been on scaling efficiently without losing sight of what makes Dezerv unique: our customer experience. We constantly optimise the platform across three key pillars—consumer experience, operational efficiency, and investment intelligence. By strengthening these areas, we ensure continuous scaling while delivering world-class investment services.

What strategies have you employed to keep Dezerv competitive in India's dynamic fintech landscape?

The secret to Dezerv’s excellence lies in our approach—grounded in first principles and focused on real customer needs rather than simply following industry trends. Wealth management isn’t new; it’s been around for decades. But what’s new is how technology has empowered users to take control of their financial journeys. We focus on providing a seamless, best-in-class digital experience, from seamless digital onboarding to effortless digital payments and complete transparency into investments. It’s not just about offering a service but ensuring the process is so intuitive that customers trust us from the very first interaction.

“At Dezerv, we are solving real customer problems, not just chasing trends to stay relevant. Our focus is on creating the best possible experience for the affluent Indian consumer.”

The second part of our strategy is eliminating inefficiencies for our customers and internally within Dezerv. In wealth management, processes can be manual and time-consuming—think of customers needing to sign 30-40 pages of documents even to start investing. We are working to streamline these operations, using technology to cut through inefficiencies and create a seamless experience for customers and our wealth management team.

What recent fintech innovations excite you, and how are you applying them at Dezerv?

Two areas really excite me right now. The first is the account aggregator framework—an initiative by the Indian government to allow for secure and consent-based data sharing between financial institutions and customers. Dezerv has been a part of this effort from the start, and it’s incredible to see how this framework enables more personalised, data-driven financial services for consumers. Our latest product, Dezerv Wealth Monitor, is one of the outcomes of this collaboration. The second is the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning,particularly in the area of investments and portfolio construction. These technologies allow us to make data-driven decisions faster and more accurately, ensuring that every investment decision we make is backed by solid data. AI isn’t just a buzzword at Dezerv; it’s part of our core strategy, helping us deliver better insights and outcomes for our clients.

“At Dezerv, we don't rely on gut feelings or intuition alone. Every decision is driven by data, ensuring that our clients’ hardearned money is managed with precision and care.”

How do you ensure your team stays at the forefront of technological advancements in fintech?

At Dezerv, we have a flat hierarchy and work in cross-functional teams, so our engineers don’t just focus on the code—they’re involved in the entire product lifecycle, from ideation to execution. This approach ensures that our teams are always learning, not just about their own work but about the broader context of what we’re building. Engineers at Dezerv are decision-makers, which means they own the successes—and failures—of the areas they work on. This empowers them to push boundaries and stay at the forefront of technological advancements.