Dear Stakeholders,
The Directors are pleased to present the Twenty-Ninth Annual Report of
IIFL Securities Limited (the
Company' or Our Company' or IIFL
Securities') along with
the audited financial statements for the Financial Year (FY) ended March 31,2024.
1. Company Overview
IIFL Securities is one of the largest independent full-service broking
house providing diversified financial services and product distribution and is also a SEBI
registered Merchant Banker.
The Company's retail brokerage and financial product distribution businesses comprises
equity, commodities and currency broking, depository participant services, distribution of
mutual funds, bonds, fixed income products, portfolio management services (PMS),
alternative investment funds (AIF) and other investment products. The Company also offers
in-depth insight on asset allocation, market dynamics, wealth management and investment
strategies to grow and protect customers wealth. These services and offerings do not just
enable customers to access the Indian financial capital markets but also provide an
integrated interface that allows them to track various portfolio parameters, including the
performance of their investments.
The Company's mobile trading app IIFL Markets' is
rated 4.4 on Android and iOS and had over 1.18 million downloads in FY24. Continuous
upgrades and enhancements makes this app the top choice of most customers. The app is
preferred by most investors given its superior features, quick transactions and
best-in-class user experience.
The Company forms one of the major institutional broking franchises in
India with robust research capabilities. The research team covers 273 stocks across
20+ sectors and market caps. As of March 31, 2024, the combined market cap of stocks under
our coverage was about USD 3.2 trillion.
The Company also provides Investment Banking services to corporate and
institutional clients and has evolved as a leading domestic Investment Banker in recent
years, engaging in multiple transactions across capital markets and private
placement/advisory including significant number of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) and
Qualified Institutional Placements (QIPs).
IIFL Securities is well-placed as a prominent name in the industry
backed by end-to-end technology platforms, experienced management and vast network of
branches across the country. With complete investment planning and quality offerings, the
Company continuously strives to deliver more value to its customers.
2. Financial summary and highlights
A summary of the Company's financial performance for FY ended March 31,2024, is as under:
(' in million)
Particulars |
Standalone |
Consolidated |
FY 24 |
FY 23 |
FY 24 |
FY 23 |
Gross Income |
19,661 |
12,690 |
22,313 |
13,704 |
Profit/(Loss) before Depreciation and Tax |
7,996 |
4,265 |
7,964 |
4,077 |
Depreciation |
(1,072) |
(600) |
(1,138) |
(668) |
Profit/(Loss) before tax |
6,924 |
3,665 |
6,826 |
3,409 |
Provision for Tax |
1,578 |
831 |
1,693 |
911 |
Non-controlling interest |
- |
- |
10 |
(3) |
Profit/(Loss) after Tax |
5,345 |
2,834 |
5,123 |
2,502 |
Balance brough forward from previous year |
8,873 |
6,953 |
10,403 |
8,816 |
Appropriation towards dividend paid |
(923) |
(915) |
(923) |
(915) |
Surplus carried forward |
13,295 |
8,873 |
14,604 |
10,403 |
Earnings per share on equity shares of ' 2 each |
|
|
|
|
Basic (in ') |
17.46 |
9.31 |
16.73 |
8.22 |
Diluted (in ') |
17.11 |
9.24 |
16.40 |
8.16 |
3. Review of the operations and business and the state of Company
affairs
During the year under review, there was no change in the nature of
business of the Company.
Our Company's consolidated revenue was ' 22,313 million as against ' 13,704
million in FY23, an increase of 63% YoY. The Company earned a net profit after tax (TCI)
of ' 5,121 million versus ' 2,480 million in FY23, increased by 106% on YoY
basis.
I. Broking and Distribution
During the year, the average daily turnover was ' 2,631 billion,
up 71% YoY. Brokerage income stood at ' 10,152 million, up 58% on a YoY basis.
Our distribution segment including AIF, PMS, Mutual Funds, Insurance
etc., gained good traction during the year. AIF and PMS AUM stood at ' 39 billion
& ' 24 billion and increased 23% and 52% respectively on YoY basis. Further,
Mutual Fund AUM stood at ' 108 billion, an increase by 53% on YoY basis. These
segments hold immense promise over the long term growth of the business.
II. Investment Banking
This business had shown exemplary performance in FY24, delivering
revenues of ~'2,245 million driven by consistent mandate wins, coupled with high quality
and speedy execution. The investment banking division completed 59 transactions including
20 Initial Public Offers, 14 Qualified Institutional Placements, 19 advisory/private
placement transactions along with Buyback, Rights Issue and number of Offer for Sale
transactions during the year. The Company has also filed several offer documents for
upcoming IPOs and is currently engaged in a number of private equity and other capital
market transactions which are in various stages of execution.
Our Company continues to focus on being a Banker of choice' for the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem by continuing to focus on
both mid and large sized transactions. As always, superior client focus, unbiased advice
and consistent performance continue to result in high repeat business - a hallmark of our
Company's strategy.
IIFL Securities continues to expand the investment banking team to
capitalise on opportunities across Equity Capital Market (ECM) and advisory practice.
4. Dividend and Reserves
Pursuant to Regulation 43A of the Securities and Exchange Board of
India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 ("SEBI Listing Regulations"), our Company has formulated the
Dividend Distribution Policy which is available on the website of the
Company at https://www.indiainfoline.com/ securities/reports/Dividend Distribution
Policy.pdf
The Board of Directors at their meeting held on March 01, 2024,
declared an interim dividend of ' 3 per equity share (i.e. 150% of the face value
of ' 2 per share) in accordance with the Dividend Distribution Policy of the
Company. This led to an outgo of ' 923.11 million. The same is considered as final.
During the year under review, the Company has transferred an amount of '
4 million to the General Reserve maintained by the Company.
5. Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF')
A detailed disclosure with regard to the IEPF related activities
undertaken by our Company during the year under review forms part of the Report on
Corporate Governance.
6. Commercial Paper
During the FY24, the Company issued Commercial Papers (CPs') for margin trading facility.
7. Particulars of loans, guarantees or investments by the Company
Details of Loans, Guarantees and Investments covered under the
provisions of Section 186 of the Act are given in the notes to financial statements
forming part of this Integrated Annual Report.
8. Material changes and commitments affecting the financial position of
the Company
There have been no material changes and commitments which affect the
financial position of the Company that have occurred between the end of the financial year
to which the financial statements relate and the date of this Report which could have an
impact on our Company's
operation or its status in the future.
9. Share Capital
As on March 31, 2024, the issued, subscribed and paid-up equity share
capital of the Company stood at ' 615,733,058 (comprising 307,866,529 equity shares
of ' 2/- each).
During the year under review, the total paid up equity share capital of
the Company increased from ' 611,057,932/- to ' 615,733,058/- pursuant to
allotment of 23,37,563 equity shares of ' 2/- each under IIFL Securities Limited
Employee Stock Option Scheme - 2018 to the eligible employees of the Company and the said
equity shares rank pari passu with the existing equity shares from the date of allotment.
Further, the Company neither issued equity shares with differential
rights as to dividend, voting or otherwise nor any sweat equity shares during the year..
Employees Stock Option Scheme (ESOS)
During the year under review, the Company had in force the following
Employees Stock Option Schemes, prepared in terms of the provisions of Securities and
Exchange Board of India (Share Based Employee Benefits and Sweat Equity) Regulations,
2021:
1) IIFL Securities Limited Employee Stock Option Scheme 2018 ("IIFL ESOS Scheme-2018").
2) IIFL Securities Employee Stock Option 2019 - Demerger Scheme ("ISL Demerger Scheme").
There was no material change in the IIFL ESOS Scheme - 2018 and the ISL
Demerger Scheme and the same is in compliance with the Securities and Exchange Board of
India (Share based Employee Benefits and Sweat Equity) Regulations, 2021 ("SBEBSE Regulations").
During FY24, the Nomination and Remuneration Committee of the Board of
Directors of the Company, pursuant to the IIFL ESOS Scheme-2018, granted 50,00,000 stock
options to the identified employees of the Company, each Option being convertible into one
Fully Paid-up Equity Share.
As on March 31, 2024, 619350 options lapsed under the IIFL ESOS Scheme
-2018 and the same have been added back to the pool and are available for further grant.
The aggregate number of stock options outstanding as on March 31,2024 under the IIFL ESOS
Scheme - 2018 stood at 11230396. Further, as on March 31, 2024, Nil options lapsed under
the ISL Demerger Scheme and the aggregate number of stock options outstanding stood at
12000.
The disclosures relating to ESOPs required to be made under the
provisions of the Act and the rules made thereunder and SBEBSE Regulations are provided on
the website of the Company at www.iiflsecurities.com and the same is available for
inspection by the members at the registered office of the Company. If any member is
interested in obtaining a copy thereof, such member may write to the Company Secretary at secretarial@iifl.com,
whereupon a copy will be provided.
The relevant disclosures in terms of IND AS 102, relating to
share-based payment forms part of note 33 of the notes to the Standalone Financial
Statements and note 42 of the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements of the
Company
10. Scheme of Arrangement
As part of re-organisation of business, the Board of Directors had
approved a Scheme of Arrangement for transfer of IIFL Securities Online Retail Trading
Business (as defined in the Scheme of Arrangement) to the 5paisa Capital Limited ("Resulting Company"), so as to consolidate the said business under one single entity
(i.e. the Resulting Company).
Considering the base of customers, valuation and market conditions had
changed substantially post approval of the Scheme by the Board in December 2022, the
Board, in the interest of the Company and its stakeholders, decided to withdraw and
re-evaluate the Scheme.
11. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
In accordance with the provisions of Section 135 of the Act and rules
made thereunder, our Company has adopted a CSR policy indicating the CSR activities that
will be undertaken by the Company and its subsidiaries. The CSR Policy is available on our
website at https://www.indiainfoline.com/securities/reports/IIFL
Securities_CSR_Policy.pdf
India Infoline Foundation (hereafter referred to as "IIFL Foundation"), a Section-8 Company under the Act and a wholly owned subsidiary
of the Company, acts as the principal arm to undertake CSR initiatives on behalf of the
Company and its subsidiaries. As per Rule 4(2) of the Companies (Corporate Social
Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014, IIFL Foundation has registered itself with the Central
Government by filing the form CSR 1 with the Registrar of Companies.
IIIFL Foundation through its CSR initiatives addresses 5 thematic areas
- Health, Education & Environment, Livelihood and Poverty Alleviation (HELP).
During the year, our Company through IIFL Foundation has undertaken
various CSR initiatives which contribute to meet UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - No Poverty (SGD 1), Good
Health & Well-being (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4), Gender Equality (SDG 5) and
Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10).
The details of the initiatives undertaken by the Company forms part of
this Integrated Annual Report. The CSR programs undertaken by the Company through IIFL
Foundation positively impacted over 4.15 lakh lives, with a special emphasis to empower
the marginalised and disadvantaged.
In compliance with Section 135 of the Act read with the Companies
(Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014, the Company has constituted
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR') Committee and
statutory disclosures with respect to the CSR Committee and Annual Report on CSR
Activities is attached as Annexure-1 and forms an integral part of this Report.
12. Nomination and Remuneration Policy
The Board of Directors, on recommendation of Nomination and
Remuneration Committee, have framed the Nomination and Remuneration Policy which provides
the criteria for determining qualifications and positive attributes for appointment of
Directors, Key Managerial Personnel (KMP) and Senior Management Personnel and recommend
their remuneration to the Board of Directors.
The Nomination and Remuneration Policy is attached as Annexure-2 to
this Report and is also available on the website of the Company at
https://www.indiainfoline. com/securities/reports/IIFL_Securities_Nomination_and_
Remuneration Policy.pdf.
13. Human Resources Management
IIFL Securities recognize that employees are most valuable assets. The
Company is dedicated to fostering a workplace environment where every individual can
thrive. Through the commitment to quality hiring practices and comprehensive retention and
engagement strategies, the Company ensure that the team members are integral contributors
to the success of the Company.
IIFL Securities focus on employee development goes beyond professional
growth; it extends to nurturing a conducive and healthy workplace culture.
Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH)
The Company is committed to promote a work environment that is
conducive to the professional growth of its women employees and encourages equality of
opportunity. IIFL Securities aims to adopt zero tolerance attitude against any kind of
sexual harassment or discrimination. Providing a safe working environment for women, free
from sexual harassment and discrimination is among the key priorities of the Company.
In compliance with the provisions ofthe Sexual Harassment of Women at
Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and Rules framed thereunder,
the Company has formulated and implemented a Policy on Prevention of Sexual Harassment at
Workplace which aims to provide protection against sexual harassment to women at the
workplace and prevent and redress complaints of sexual harassment and matters connected
therewith and incidental thereto. The said Policy is available on the website of the
Company at https://www.indiainfoline.com/ securities/corporate-governance.php.
Furthermore, the Company has constituted an Internal Complaints
Committee (ICC) to consider and resolve all sexual harassment complaints reported under
the said Policy. The ICC has been constituted as per the Sexual Harassment of Women at
Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, and the Committee includes
external member's with
relevant experience for
handling complaints under the said Policy. The Policy includes the
scope, complaint and redressal mechanism along with contact details of the Committee
members for raising any grievance/complaint under the said Policy. The Company provides
for mandatory online training on POSH for all employees, including new joinee.
The details of sexual harassment complaints that were filed, disposed
of and pending during the financial year are provided in the Business Responsibility and
Sustainability Report forming part of this Integrated Annual Report.
Particulars of employees
The Company had 1486 employees as of March 31,2024.
The disclosures required under Section 197(12) of the Act read with
Rule 5(1) of the Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules,
2014 is attached as Annexure - 3 and forms an integral part of this Report.
Further, a statement showing the names and other particulars of
employees drawing remuneration in excess of the limits as set out in the Rule 5(2) and
5(3) of the aforesaid rules, is maintained and forms part of this Report. However, in
terms of first proviso to Section 136(1) of the Act, the Annual Report and Accounts are
being sent to the members and others entitled thereto, excluding the aforesaid
information. The aforesaid information is available for inspection by the members. Any
member interested in obtaining a copy thereof, may write to the Company Secretary at secretarial@iifl.com.
14. Subsidiary, Associates and Joint Venture Companies
As on March 31, 2024, the Company has twelve subsidiaries (including
step-down subsidiary) and has no associate and joint venture companies. The following are
the subsidiaries located in India and overseas:
Sr.
No. |
Name of the domestic subsidiary |
1 |
IIFL Facilities Services Limited* |
2 |
IIFL Management Services Limited* |
3 |
Livlong Insurance Brokers Limited (Formerly IIFL Insurance Brokers
Limited)* |
4 |
Livlong Protection and Wellness Solutions Limited (Formerly IIFL Corporate
Services Limited) |
5 |
India Infoline Foundation* (Section 8 Company) |
6 |
Shreyans Foundations LLP (Step down subsidiary company) |
7 |
Meenakshi Towers LLP |
8 |
IIFL Securities Services IFSC Limited* |
9 |
IIFL Commodities Limited* |
Sr.
No. |
Name of the domestic subsidiary |
10 |
IIFL Securities Alternate Asset Management Limited* |
|
Name of the foreign/overseas subsidiary |
11 |
IIFL Wealth (UK) Limited* |
12 |
IIFL Capital Inc.* |
*Wholly-owned subsidiary
During FY24, no company has become or ceased to be subsidiary, joint
venture or associate of the Company except incorporation of a wholly owned subsidiary of
the Company in the name of "IIFL
Securities Alternate Asset Management Limited", to act as Investment Manger to AIF and providing PMS. The said
company is yet to commence its business.
IIFL Facilities Services Limited is a material subsidiary of the
Company as per Regulation 16 of SEBI Listing Regulations. The Board of Directors of the
Company have approved a Policy for determining material subsidiaries which is in line with
the SEBI Listing Regulations as amended from time to time. The Policy is available on the
Company's website at
https://www.indiainfoline.com/ securities/corporate-governance.php.
In accordance with Section 136(1) of the Act, the financial statements
including consolidated financial statements and all other documents required to be
attached thereto and audited annual accounts of subsidiary companies are available on the
Company's website at
https:// www.indiainfoline.com/securities/flnancials.php. These documents/details
will also be available for inspection by any member of the Company at its registered
office and at the registered offices of the respective subsidiaries, except on Saturdays,
Sundays and Public Holidays.
15. Financial performance of the major subsidiaries of the Company
The performance in brief of the major subsidiaries companies is given
hereunder:
Domestic subsidiaries
I. IIFL Facilities Services Limited ("IFSL")
IFSL is engaged into providing office and related infrastructure and
facility services catering mainly to group companies and outsiders and allied services.
During FY24, the total income and total comprehensive income / (loss) of IFSL stood at '
566 million and (' 62) million as compared to ' 727 million and ' 263 million in FY23,
respectively.
II. Livlong Insurance Brokers Limited (formally IIFL Insurance Brokers Limited') ("LIBL")
LIBL is registered with Insurance Regulatory Development Authority as
Direct Broker for providing insurance broking services. During the FY24, the total income
and total comprehensive income of LIBL stood at ' 1,154 million and ' 169 million as
compared to ' 714 million and ' 264 million in FY23, respectively.
III. Livlong Protection and Wellness Solutions Limited (Formerly IIFL Corporate Services Limited') ("LPWSL")
LPWSL is mainly into solving healthcare need of customers by leveraging
technologies. During FY24, the total income and total comprehensive income/ (loss) of
LPWSL stood at ' 1,433 million and ' 115 million as compared to ' 267 million and ('104)
million in FY23, respectively.
IV. IIFL Management Services Limited ("IMSL")
IMSL is mainly into providing property advisory, consultancy and allied
services and also into the business of providing office and related infrastructure,
Manager to Alternate Investment Funds and facility services catering mainly to the group
company. During FY24, the total income and total comprehensive income/(loss) of IMSL stood
at ' 121 million and (' 112) million as compared to ' 465 million and (' 259) million in
FY23, respectively.
Foreign/overseas subsidiaries
V. IIFL Capital Inc.
IIFL Capital Inc. is engaged in the business of Advisor and Financial
Services. During FY24, the total income and total comprehensive income of IIFL Capital
Inc. stood at ' 213 million and ' 13 million as compared to ' 136 million and ' 14 million
in FY23, respectively.
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Our Company has, in accordance with Section 129(3) of the Act, prepared
the annual consolidated financial statements, consolidating its financials with its
subsidiary companies. The annual audited consolidated financial statements have been
prepared in accordance with the relevant Indian Accounting Standards issued by the
Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
Pursuant to Section 129(3) of the Act read with Rule 5 of the Companies
(Accounts) Rules, 2014, a statement containing salient features of the financial
statements of Subsidiaries Companies is given in Form AOC-1 as Annexure A' of the Consolidated Financial Statements and forms an integral part of this
Report.
16. Integrated Annual Report
In compliance with SEBI circular dated 6th February, 2017, the Company
has voluntarily published the Integrated Annual Report, which includes both financial and
non-financial information and is based on the International Integrated Reporting
Framework. This Report covers aspects such as organisation's strategy, governance framework, performance and prospects of value
creation based on the six forms of capitals viz. financial capital, physical capital,
intellectual capital, human capital, social & relationship capital and natural
capital.
17. Management Discussion and Analysis Report
In accordance with Regulation 34 of the SEBI Listing Regulations, the
Management Discussion and Analysis Report forms part of this Integrated Annual Report.
18. Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report
In accordance with Regulation 34(2)(f) of the SEBI Listing Regulations,
the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR), covering disclosures on the
Company's performance on
Environment, Social and Governance parameters for FY24, forms part of this Integrated
Annual report. BRSR includes reporting on the nine principles of the National Guidelines
on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC) as prescribed by the Ministry of Corporate
Affairs.
The Company has voluntarily obtained limited assurance of the BRSR core
principles as prescribed by SEBI for FY24. The report of Lodha & Co. on limited
assurance is annexed with the BRSR Report forming part of this Integrated Annual Report.
19. Environment Social & Governance (ESG)
ESG factors are important for fostering sustainable practices, meeting
stakeholders' expectations
and mitigating risks. These factors represent a holistic approach to evaluating a company's impact on society, the environment and
corporate governance practices. IIFL Securities aims to become a sustainable organization
by keeping ESG at its core and continue to positively impact people, planet and profit.
Towards this, the Company has an ESG Policy approved by the Board of
Directors which provides the role and responsibilities of the Board of Directors/ Board
Committees, ESG Committee and the ESG team towards achieving the objectives of being a
sustainable organization. The Policy enshrines the ESG focus area for the Company which
includes Environment, Corporate Governance, Customers, Employee, Corporate Social
Responsibility and Information and Cyber Security Framework. Based on the ESG focus areas,
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been identified and quarterly updates are taken
from respective stakeholders. The ESG Policy is available on the website of the
Company at https://www.indiainfoline.com/securities/ reports/ESG
Policy.pdf
The Company has also framed various policies against the nine
principles as per National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC). Further,
the Company has ESG Risk register in place which helps in identification and management of
environmental, social and governance risks.
The Company has integrated ESG Profile on ESG World Platform to enhance
visibility and creditability in the realm of sustainability and responsible corporate
governance and to foster stakeholder trust. The same can be accessed at here.
The Company has also carried out gap analysis alongside the ESG rating
agencies' criteria in order
to identify areas where the Organization can improve ESG practices and disclosures. This
will help the Company to build investor confidence through transparent and enhanced
disclosures.
20. Directors and Key Managerial Personnel (KMP) Directors
Our Company has a well-diversified Board comprising of Directors from
various backgrounds and having broad range of experience, in the areas of finance,
accounting, technology, governance, risk management among others. Their combined
experience and expertise enables the Company to ensure effective corporate governance on
one hand, and to take future-ready business decisions on the other. The Board provides
leadership, strategic guidance and discharges its fiduciary duties of safeguarding the
interest of the Company and its stakeholders.
The composition of the Board of Directors of the Company is in
accordance with the provisions of Section 149 of the Act and Regulation 17 of the SEBI
Listing Regulations, with an appropriate combination of Executive, Non-Executive and
Independent Directors (including one independent woman director).
All the Independent Directors of the Company have given declarations
that they meet the criteria of independence as prescribed under Section 149(6) of the Act
and Regulation 16(1) (b) of SEBI Listing Regulations. In terms of requirements of the SEBI
Listing Regulations, the Board has identified core skills, expertise and competencies of
the Directors in the context of the Company's businesses for effective functioning which are detailed in the
Report on Corporate Governance forming part of this Integrated Annual Report.
Further, in terms of Section 150 of the Act read with Rule 6 of the
Companies (Appointment and Qualification of
Directors) Rules, 2014, Independent Directors of the Company have
confirmed that they have registered themselves with the databank maintained by the Indian
Institute of Corporate Affairs.
The complete list of Directors of the Company has been provided in the
Report on Corporate Governance forming part of this Integrated Annual Report.
Changes in the composition of the Board of Directors
Mr. Nemkumar H (DIN: 00350448) was appointed as Additional Director on
the Board of the Company w.e.f. October 17, 2023. Further, he was appointed as the
Whole-Time Director of the Company for a period of five years w.e.f. October 17, 2023, and
the said appointment was approved by the shareholders of the Company through postal ballot
on January 06, 2024.
Ms. Rekha Warriar (DIN: 08152356) was re-appointed as Non-Executive
Independent Director on the Board of the Company for a second term of five consecutive
years w.e.f. May 08, 2024. Further, Mr. Narendra Jain (DIN: 01984467) was re-appointed as
a Whole-Time Director and Key Managerial Personnel of the Company for a period of five
years w.e.f. May 13, 2024. The said re-appointments were subject to approval of
shareholders of the Company and Regulator/Exchange(s), as may be required.
The tenure of Mr. R. Venkataraman (DIN: 00011919) as Managing Director
and Key Managerial Personnel of the Company expired on May 14, 2024. Mr. Venkataraman did
not seek renewal of his term as Managing Director. Accordingly, the Board of Directors of
the Company, based on recommendation of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee,
appointed Mr. Nemkumar H (DIN: 00350448), Whole Time Director of the Company, as the
Managing Director and Key Managerial Personnel of the Company for a period of 5 (five)
years w.e.f. May 15, 2024, subject to requisite regulatory and shareholders' approval.
Mr. R. Venkataraman continues to be the Chairman & Non-Executive
Director on the Board of the Company. The Board is of the view that the separation of the
posts of Chairman and Managing Director is better aligned with good corporate governance
standards.
The Board recommends proposal of the above mentioned
appointment/re-appointment for the consideration of the Members of the Company at the
forthcoming AGM and same has been mentioned in the Notice convening the AGM. A brief
profile of Mr. Nemkumar H, Ms. Rekha Warriar and Mr. Narendra Jain has also been provided
therein.
Statement regarding opinion of the Board with regard to integrity,
expertise and experience (including the proficiency) of the Independent Director appointed
during the year
During the year there was no new appointment of Independent Director on
the Board of the Company.
Retirement by rotation
In accordance with the provisions of Section 152 of the Act and the
Company's Articles of
Association, Mr. R. Venkataraman (DIN: 00011919), Non-Executive Director is liable to
retire by rotation at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) and being eligible, has
offered himself for re-appointment. The Board recommends the proposal of his
re-appointment for the consideration of the Members of the Company at the forthcoming AGM
and same has been mentioned in the Notice convening the AGM. A brief profile of Mr. R.
Venkataraman has also been provided therein.
Changes in Key Managerial Personnels (KMPs)
Mr. Shanker Ramrakhiani - Chief Information Security Officer was
identified as a KMP of the Company w.e.f. May 01,2023 pursuant to SEBI Circular
SEBI/HO/MIRSD/ MIRSD-PoD-1/P/CIR/2023/24 dated February 06, 2023.
Mr. Nemkumar H (DIN: 00350448) was appointed as Whole-Time Director and
KMP of the Company, for a period of five years w.e.f. October 17, 2023.
The tenure of Mr. R. Venkataraman as a Managing Director and KMP of the
Company expired on May 14, 2024. Consequently, Mr. Nemkumar H was appointed as Managing
Director and KMP w.e.f. May 15, 2024.
As on the date of this report Mr. Nemkumar H - Managing Director, Mr.
Narendra Jain - Whole-Time Director, Mr. Ronak Gandhi- Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Meghal
Shah- Company Secretary & Compliance Officer and Mr. Shanker Ramrakhiani - Chief
Information Security Officer are KMPs of the Company in terms of the provisions of the Act
and rules made thereunder and the SEBI Listing Regulations..
21. Meetings of Board/Committee
The Board/Committee meetings are pre-scheduled and the agenda and
minutes of the Board/Committee meetings are circulated within timeline to ensure
meaningful participation. Only in the case of special and urgent business, should the need
arise, the Board's approval
is taken by passing resolutions through circulation, as permitted by law, which are noted
in the subsequent Board/Committee meeting. In certain special circumstances, the meetings
of the Board are called at a shorter notice to deliberate on business items which require
urgent attention of the Board. The Company has complied with secretarial standards issued
by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India on Board meetings.
The Board met 7 times during the year under review and have accepted
all recommendations made to it by various Committees.
The details of the number of meetings of the Board held during the FY24
and the attendance of Directors thereat forms part of the Report on Corporate Governance
forming part of this Integrated Annual Report.
22. Committee of the Board
The Board of Directors as on March 31, 2024 had the following
Committees:
a) Audit Committee
b) Nomination and Remuneration Committee
c) Stakeholders' Relationship Committee
d) Corporate Social Responsibility Committee
e) Risk Management Committee
f) Finance Committee
g) Independent Director's Committee
h) ESG Committee
i) Information Technology Committee
j) Cyber Security Committee
The details of the Committees of the Board along with their
composition, number of meetings held and attendance thereat are provided in the Report on
Corporate Governance forming part of this Integrated Annual Report.
23. Risk management
Risk Management is important to define, assess and track business
threats and obstacles throughout the organisation. Towards this, our Company has adequate
measures in place and has adopted a comprehensive Enterprise Risk Management ("ERM") Policy duly approved by Risk Management Committee and the Board of
Directors which encompasses identification, analysis, mitigation and control of various
type of risks for achieving its key business objectives.
The Company's ERM Policy is aligned to the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the
Treadway Commission (COSO) 2017 ERM Framework and has adopted the practices of ISO 31000
Risk Management Standard, integrated with Organization's strategy and business objectives. The ERM Policy comprises risk
such as Strategic risk, Market risk, Financial risk, Fraud risk, Legal risk, Regulatory
risk, Operational risk, Reputational risk, ESG risk, Technology risk, Cyber/Information
risk, Third party risk.
Our Company has adopted the Three lines of defense' as part of the risk governance structure. The following diagram
illustrates it.
Risk governance structure and key roles & responsibilities
A strong risk governance structure can help ensure that an organization
is able to identify, assess, and respond to risk effectively. The structure is also
intended to provide an effective system of checks and balances to ensure that the risk
management practices are in compliance with the regulations and industry standards.
The risk governance structure at IIFL Securities is as provided
hereunder:
Board of Directors *
Risk Management Committee *
Chief Risk Officer *
Risk Management Department
*
Risk Owners/Functional head
Roles and Responsibilities of key stakeholders constituting the Risk
Governance Structure are as under:
Role of Board of Directors: The Board of Directors is responsible
for monitoring and overseeing the implementation of the risk management policy and
practices.
Role of Risk Management Committee (RMC):
RMC is responsible for formulation of the detailed risk management
policy. It ensures that appropriate methodology, processes and systems are in place to
monitor and evaluate risk associated with the business of the Company. It monitors and
oversees implementation of the risk management policy, including evaluating the adequacy
of risk management systems. The appointment, removal, and terms of remuneration of the
Chief Risk Officer is subject to review by RMC. The details of
composition and meetings of RMC is covered under the Corporate
Governance Report forming part of this Report.
Role of Chief Risk Officer (CRO): CRO is responsible for the
overseeing the risk management activities. CRO periodically reviews the ERM Policy,
monitors and oversees its implementation, process for systematic identification and
assessment of all the risks and update RMC on the risks identified and the assessment and
mitigation controls relating thereto. CRO conducts internal meetings with the Risk
Owners/Functional Heads on ERM initiative and updates the management on the
progress/status of the same on a quarterly basis.
Role of Risk Management Department: The Risk Management Department
is responsible for development and maintenance of overall risk management infrastructure.
It facilitates implementation of the ERM policy and collates and reviews risk assessment
prepared by the CRO/Functional heads. It also maintains and update the risk register and
creates awareness on the risk management process/ practices for the identified
stakeholders periodically. Further, it reports risk and risk management measures to RMC.
The Risk Management Department is responsible for ensuring compliance with regulations and
continuously improving the risk management process.
Role of Risk Owners and Functional Heads: Each Risk
owner/Functional head is responsible for their respective risk i.e., risk identification,
mitigation, implementation of the controls and any other matter relating thereto and
update the Risk Management Department on the same. Further, Risk owner/Functional Head
prepares a Risk Report advising on the results and residual risks and recommending further
action.
Incident Management
The Company has a process to track and monitor the incidents occurred
which covers its root cause analysis, and taking corrective and preventive measures
thereon, thereby helping the Company to have a control over repetitiveness of the
incidents. The Incident Report is also presented before the Risk Management Committee for
its review.
24. Qualified Stock Brokers (QSBs)
In order to further strengthen the compliance and monitoring
requirements of the stock brokers through mandating enhanced obligations and
responsibilities on stockbrokers, SEBI, vide circular no. SEBI/HO/
MIRSD-PoD-1/P/CIR/2023/24 dated February 06, 2023 stated various parameters including
size/ scale of operations, impact on investors and securities market, governance and
service standards and amount of clients' funds handled for designating a stockbroker as QSB , on an annual
basis.
IIFL Securities has been designated as a QSB during FY24 in terms of
various SEBI circulars issued in this regard, thereby entailing enhanced responsibilities,
adherence to regulatory standard and upholding investor trust.
25. Annual evaluation of the Board
Our Company believes that the process of performance evaluation at the
Board level is pivotal to its Board engagement and effectiveness. The Company has a
Performance Evaluation Policy duly approved by the Nomination and Remuneration Committee
specifying the criteria and process for effective evaluation of Board, its Committees and
individual Directors pursuant to the provisions of the Act and Regulation 17 and Part D of
Schedule II to the SEBI Listing Regulations. The details of the Board evaluation criteria
and process are provided in the Report on Corporate Governance forming part of this
Integrated Annual Report.
26. Internal financial controls
Our Company has maintained adequate internal financial controls over
financial reporting, which are constantly assessed and strengthened with new/ revised
standard operating procedures. The internal financial controls procedure adopted by the
Company are adequate for safeguarding its assets, prevention and detection of frauds and
errors, accuracy and completeness of the accounting records and the timely preparation of
reliable financial information. Such internal financial controls over financial reporting
were operating effectively during the year.
Further, the Statutory Auditors have confirmed that the internal
financial control systems over financial reporting are adequate and the same is annexed
with the Independent Auditor's
Report.
27. Quality initiatives and process improvements
Our Company continues to sustain its commitment to the highest levels
of quality, superior service management, robust information security practices and mature
business continuity management. Our Company successfully completed ISO 27001:2013 (ISMS)
Surveillance audit with no non-conformities.
The Company has sustained compliance with respect to various applicable
laws and regulations in terms of technology, business continuity management and
information and cyber security from various Regulators.
The technology used in the Company comprises industry standard business
applications and robust IT infrastructure. These capabilities are used to manage business
operations, are scalable, improve overall productivity & efficiency, and provide
seamless and world class experience to the customers.
Further, the Company has strengthened its information and cyber
security mechanisms and other risk measures to mitigate potential threats, risks and
challenges. The Company has cyber insurance cover to protect from financial losses.
Our Company has enhanced cyber security program by implementing latest
tools and technologies at various layers. This has helped Company to mitigate risk of
latest security threats.
The Company believes in skill development, hence various e-learning
modules on technology and other business areas have been enabled for employees through
online training.
28. Contracts and arrangements with Related Parties
The Company has a policy on Related Party Transactions ("RPT Policy"), which has been approved by the Board of Directors and amended
from time to time. The Policy provides for identification of RPTs, necessary approvals by
the Audit Committee/Board/Shareholders, reporting and disclosure requirements in
compliance with the Act and provisions of the SEBI Listing Regulations. The said Policy
may be accessed on the website of the Company at
https://www.indiainfoline.com/securities/reports/ Related1205211.pdf.
The Audit Committee approves all the RPTs in compliance with the
provisions of the Act and SEBI Listing Regulations. Omnibus approval is obtained on a
yearly basis for transactions which are repetitive in nature. The details of all RPTs are
placed before the Audit Committee for review and noting on a quarterly basis.
All contracts executed by the Company during the financial year, with
related parties, were on arm's
length basis and in the ordinary course of business. All such Related Party Transactions
were entered into in accordance with the RPT Policy of the Company.
During FY24, the Company has entered into material
contract/arrangement/transaction with related parties within the maximum limit approved by
the Members of the Company. As there is no outstanding balance as at March 31, 2024, the
disclosure in Form AOC-2 as prescribed under the Act has not been made. You may refer to
note no. 36 and note no. 43 to the Standalone Financial Statements and Consolidated
Financial Statements respectively, for the related party disclosures.
The Company has also engaged an independent Chartered Accountant firm
for reviewing and confirming that the related party transactions entered into by the
Company are in compliance with the provisions of the Act and Rules made thereunder and the
SEBI Listing Regulations and a certificate to that effect is placed before the Audit
Committee on quarterly basis.
29. Statutory Auditors and their Report
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 139 of the Act, read with the
Companies (Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014, M/s V Sankar Aiyar & Co., Chartered
Accountants, Mumbai (Firm Registration Number: 109208W), were appointed as the Statutory
Auditors of the Company for a second term of five years, from the conclusion of the 27th
AGM till the 32nd AGM of the Company, at such remuneration as mutually agreed
and approved by the Board.
During the year, the Statutory Auditors have confirmed that they
satisfy the independence criteria required under the Act and the Code of Ethics issued by
the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
The Statutory Auditors' Report forms part of this Integrated Annual Report. There were no
qualifications, reservations, adverse remarks or disclaimers in the Report of the
Statutory Auditors of the Company.
30. Secretarial Audit and their Report
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 204 of the Act read with Rule 9
of the Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014, the
Company had appointed M/s Nilesh Shah and Associates, Company Secretaries in Practice for
conducting the Secretarial Audit for FY24. The Secretarial Audit Report of the Company is
annexed as Annexure - 4. The Secretarial Auditor has not expressed any
qualification, reservation, adverse remark in their Secretarial Audit Report for the year
under review. The Secretarial Auditor has mentioned the following events in their Report.
a) In the matter of various inspections conducted during 2011-2014 and
2015-2017, pursuant to SEBI circular no. SMD/SED/CIR/93/23321 dated November 18, 1993, it
was held by the Whole Time Member of SEBI vide its order dated 19th June, 2023
that the Company has violated provisions of Clauses A(1), A(2) and A(5) of Code of Conduct
as specified under Schedule II read with Regulation 9(f) of the Securities and Exchange
Board of India (Stock Brokers) Regulations, 1992 and prohibited the Company from
onboarding new clients for two years in respect of its business as stock broker.
b) During the FY 24, two designated persons of the Company had entered
into contra trade in the securities of the Company in violation to the provisions of SEBI
(Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulations, 2015.
Management response:
a) The matter pertains to two separate inspections carried out by SEBI
for different periods viz. 2011- 2014 and 2015-2017 to verify the compliance relating to
the monitoring of clients'
funds. Although the inspection was for the past period,
SEBI applied the new methodology prescribed vide SEBI Circular on
enhanced supervision dated September 26, 2016 regarding monitoring of clients' funds calculation retrospectively. In
this regard SEBI already passed two separate Adjudication Orders dated May 20, 2022 and
May 30, 2022 levying a penalty of ' 10,000,000/- each on the Company.
In respect of the present matter, the Company filed an Appeal before
the Securities Appellate on June 20, 2023. The matter was posted for hearing on interim
relief on June 27, 2023 wherein the SAT granted a stay for the operation of the order
dated June 19, 2023 till the disposal of the Appeal and tagged all the 3 pending matters
together for disposal. SAT vide order dated 07th December, 2023, set aside the
order of Whole Time Member of SEBI restraining the Company from on boarding new clients
and also the penalty of ' 2 Crores as levied by Adjudicating Officer was reduced to
' 20 lakhs. The Company has complied with the aforesaid Order. In furtherance to
the above, SEBI had preferred an appeal against the said SAT Order before the Supreme
Court and the same is pending.
b) The Company conducts periodic webinars for creating awareness on the
compliances under Securities & Exchange Board of India (Prohibition of Insider
Trading) Regulations, 2015. Also, the Company has a mandatory compliance module on
compliances under the said Regulation for all the employees.
With regard to the contra trade, it may be noted that the same were
executed by the employees inadvertently. On becoming aware of the same the Compliance
Officer issued Warning Letter to the concerned employees. Further, Audit Committee
directed that the profit earned and the penalty imposed on the respective employee be
disgorged in the IPEF. The same has been complied.
Further, pursuant to Regulation 24A of the SEBI Listing Regulations,
the Secretarial Audit Report of material unlisted subsidiary of the Company i.e. IIFL
Facilities Services Limited for FY24 is annexed as Annexure- 5.
31. Maintenance of cost records
The maintenance of cost records, for the services rendered by the
Company, is not applicable pursuant to Section 148(1) of the Act read with Rule 3 of the
Companies (Cost Records and Audit) Rules, 2014.
32. Reporting of frauds by Auditors
During FY24, the Statutory Auditors of the Company have not reported
any instances of fraud committed in
the Company, by its Officers or Employees, to the Audit Committee under
Section 143(12) of the Act read with Rule 13 of the Companies (Audit and Auditors) Rules,
2014.
33. Annual return
Pursuant to Section 134(3)(a) and Section 92(3) of the Act read with
Rule 12(1) of the Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014 as amended from
time to time, the Annual Return of the Company in Form MGT-7 for FY24 has been placed on
the Company's website at
https://www.indiainfoline.com/securities/flnancials.php.
34. Significant and material order passed by the Regulators or Court or
Tribunals
There were no significant and material orders passed by the Regulators
or Courts or Tribunals impacting the going-concern status of the Company and its future
operations.
35. Conservation of Energy, Technology Absorption and Foreign Exchange
Earnings and Outgo
a) Energy conservation
As the Company is engaged in providing financial services, the
information relating to conservation of energy, as required under Section 134 (3) (m) of
the Act read with Rule 8 of the Companies (Accounts) Rules 2014, is not required to be
given. However, initiatives taken by the Company towards energy management are provided in
the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report forming part of this Integrated
Annual Report.
b) Technology absorption
The Company keeps itself abreast of the technological advancements in
the industry and has adopted the best in class technology across business, operations and
functions. The Company is acceleratingthe technology and digital transformation on
continuous basis. It stays invested in creating a seamless digital and customer experience
across digital touchpoints. our Company's focused approach is to keep on enhancing its in-house tech
capabilities. Moreover, our Company periodically introduces enhanced features to provide
rich and seamless trading experience to its customers. The Company has enhanced IT
Disaster Recovery readiness for ensuring resilience and high uptime.
c) Foreign exchange earnings and outgo
The information on foreign exchange earnings and outgo stipulated under
Section 134(3)(m) of the Act read with Rule 8 of the Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014 is
as under:
Particulars |
FY24 : |
FY23 |
Earning in Foreign Currency |
599 |
275 |
Expenses in Foreign Currency |
321 |
248 |
36. Whistle Blower Policy/Vigil Mechanism
Pursuant to Section 177(9) of the Act read with Rule 7 of the Companies
(Meetings of Board and its Powers) Rules, 2014 and Regulation 22 of the SEBI Listing
Regulations, the Company has in place a Whistle Blower Policy and established the
necessary vigil mechanism for Directors, Employees and Stakeholders to report genuine
concerns or grievances about unethical behaviour, actual or suspected fraud or violation
of the Company's Code of
Conduct or Ethics Policy. Vigil Mechanism provide for adequate safeguards against
victimization of persons who use such mechanism and also make provision for direct access
to the Chairperson of the Audit Committee in appropriate and exceptional cases. For
further details, please refer Report on Corporate Governance forming part of this
Integrated Annual Report. The Company has disclosed the Policy on the website of the
Company at https://www.indiainfoline.com/securities/reports/IIFL Securities Whistle
Blower Policy.pdf.
37. Corporate Governance
A Report on Corporate Governance, along with a certificate from the
Secretarial Auditors of the Company, regarding the compliance of the requirements of
Corporate Governance, as stipulated under the provisions of Regulation 34 of the SEBI
Listing Regulations' forms
an integral part of this Report.
38. Directors' Responsibility Statement:
In compliance with Section 134(5) of the Act, the Board of Directors of
our Company, to the best of their knowledge and ability, confirm that:
a) in the preparation of the Annual Accounts for the year ended March
31, 2024, the applicable accounting standards had been followed along with proper
explanation relating to material departures;
b) the Directors had selected such accounting policies and applied them
consistently and made judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent, so as to
give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Company as at March 31,2024 and
of the profit of the Company for the year ended on that date;
c) the Directors had taken proper and sufficient care for the
maintenance of adequate accounting records in accordance with the provisions of the
Companies Act, 2013 for safeguarding the assets of the Company and for preventing and
detecting fraud and other irregularities;
d) the Directors ensured the annual accounts are prepared on a going
concern basis;
e) the Directors had laid down internal financial controls to be
followed by the Company and that such internal financial controls are adequate and
operating effectively; and
f) the Directors had devised proper systems to ensure compliance with
the provisions of all applicable laws and that such systems are adequate and operating
effectively.
39. Other disclosures
As no application has been made under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code, the requirement to disclose the details of application made or any proceeding
pending under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (31 of 2016) during the year along
with their status as at the end of the financial year is not applicable.
The requirement to disclose the details of difference between amount of
the valuation done at the time of onetime settlement and the valuation done while taking
loan from the Banks or Financial Institutions along with the reasons thereof is not
applicable.
The requirement to disclose the details of non-exercising of voting
rights in respect of shares purchased directly by employees under a scheme pursuant to
Section 67(3) of the Act read with Rule 16(4) of Companies (Share Capital and Debentures)
Rules, 2014 is not applicable.
The Company has not accepted /renewed any deposits within the meaning
of Section 73 of the Act and the rules made thereunder and, as such, no amount of
principal or interest was outstanding, as on the Balance Sheet date.
40. Appreciation
The Company wish to place on record deep appreciation, for the
contribution made by the employees at all levels for their hard work, commitment and
dedication towards the Company. Their enthusiasm and untiring efforts have enabled the
Company to scale new heights.
The Company is grateful to all its stakeholders including customers,
banker, shareholders, business partner, regulators and communities for staying right
beside us in our journey of constant evolution.
|
For and on behalf of the Board |
|
R. Venkataraman |
|
Chairman |
|
DIN:00011919 |
Date: July 02, 2024 |
|
Place: Mumbai |
|