As the MD and CEO of HDFC Life since September 2018, Vibha Padalkar has been instrumental in strengthening the company’s market position. Over the past year, HDFC Life’s market share in the overall sector has expanded to 10.8%, while its private sector market share stood at 15.3%. Notably, 70% of newly acquired customers during this period were first-time buyers. The company registered a 22% growth in individual weighted received premium for the first nine months of FY25, surpassing the private industry growth of 19% and the overall sector growth of 14%. The number of policies sold increased 15%, outpacing the private sector’s 9%. Despite regulatory changes affecting surrender rules, HDFC Life managed to mitigate potential downsides through strategic measures, including deferred commission payouts and reductions. Under Padalkar’s leadership, HDFC Life added 150 new branches in the past 18 months, taking the total count to around 600.