The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has announced the appointment of Nilesh Shah as the Head – AI Build, marking a strategic move in its continued commitment to harness Artificial Intelligence for India’s digital payment ecosystem. Shah, who previously held the position of Head: Online Product Engineering – Development at NPCI, shared the news of his elevation through LinkedIn, stating, “A new FY brings new opportunities — and a chance to shape the future! I’m excited to announce my new role as Head – AI Build at NPCI.”
With over 20 years of techno-functional-entrepreneurial experience, Nilesh Shah brings with him hands-on coding expertise, business acumen, and a strong track record of innovation-led entrepreneurship. His past ventures include:
- iDivergence, a pioneering e-commerce platform launched in 2010 and later acquired by a foreign investor in 2012.
- Masaga Tech, an early player in IoT, where he developed mobile-controlled, cloud-monitored pump automation hardware.
- GoYo Tech, a tech-driven venture focused on last-mile logistics, vehicle tracking, and school management solutions.
Functionally adept as a business analyst, Shah’s professional account states that he is well-versed in bridging the gap between business goals and technology strategies, leveraging methodologies like Function Point Analysis and Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for precise effort estimations. Shah’s core proficiency lies in Java programming and system development. Prior to joining NPCI, he contributed significantly to organizations like Fullerton India and Piramal Capital and Housing Finance.
At NPCI, Shah’s new role is expected to focus on building scalable, secure, and intelligent AI-driven platforms and tools that enhance the efficiency, personalization, and security of India’s rapidly growing digital payments infrastructure. His appointment comes at a time when AI is being increasingly embedded into core banking and financial services to drive smarter fraud detection, predictive analytics, customer experience enhancements, and more.
