This Fintech CEO Thinks Work Is More Than Just Productivity

A boss who cares about your well-being, regularly checks in on you, emphasises that family comes first and enables a workspace that promotes not just productivity but also fitness—sounds like an ideal company anyone would want to be a part of. Anshul Arzare strives to cultivate such an environment where employees are treated like family and the workplace feels like a community. “We are a family of 700 people,” Arzare proudly states.

He encourages his team to live by four Fs: family, fitness, food and finances. “Family comes first,” he says, ensuring his employees always prioritise their loved ones. Fitness is key, too—Arzare has introduced office yoga sessions and frequent sports competitions. Food, he believes, is both a healer and a culprit. “You are what you eat,” he adds. And financial stability? It is essential for focus and happiness. “If we manage to spend, save and invest wisely, we can achieve great things,” he explains.

His mantra of life: “If you focus right on your family, fitness, food and finances, you will always be energised and have a lot of positivity in you.” A sports enthusiast himself, he used to play a number of games. Though time limits his involvement, he still enjoys cycling, running and long walks.

Travel also excites him, especially road trips that allow him to explore offbeat destinations. His recent visit to Japan left him mesmerised by the country’s discipline and culture, and, of course, its cuisine. “I would not mind eating in the most unhygienic places, but at the same time, there are days I keep a check on my food,” says Arzare.

Arzare spent his childhood in a small township called Nepanagar in Madhya Pradesh known for its paper mill. “It was a strong community. We had such a tight bond that if I meet anybody from Nepanagar even today, it will not feel that we have not interacted for the past 20 years,” he states.

Arzare’s journey from his small-town roots to becoming the MD and CEO of YES SECURITIES was not a smooth one. His early days as a sales executive for Lakhani Shoes had him travelling through remote areas of Rajasthan with a bag of shoe samples hanging on one shoulder and his own bag on the other, often spending the nights with distributors and hitching rides on local buses and cars.

His entry into financial services, like much of his career, was unplanned. From Lakhani Shoes to ICICI Capital Services and later, Reliance Securities, Arzare calls it all “accidental”. As a salesperson, he did not know anything about financial services, and yet, later, he was chosen to lead a new product—ICICI Direct—for Delhi NCR region. “It was never a planned decision to join a broking or a wealth management outfit,” he says.

The role of managing director in a company comes with its own set of challenges, one of which is that he must think from every perspective. “Otherwise, there is a possibility that somebody may take advantage of your ignorance,” he says.

For Arzare, happiness is rooted in freedom—“the freedom to think differently, strategise and act within his organisation”. “We ensure people are free to think, discuss and take charge,” he says. His mission is to create a workplace where employees not only contribute to the company’s vision but also feel truly content.