PSU LEADERS
SERVING THE COUNTRY AND SETTING NEW
BENCHMARKS IN BANKING AND INSURANCE
It is not easy to lead a public sector enterprise. Two professionals, like
many of their peers in other PSEs, are leading the charge and taking
forward the organization. One is the leading bank of the country and
the other leading Insurance organization in India.
State Bank of India
Mr. Rajnish Kumar was appointed the
Chairman and Managing Director of
State
Bank of India (SBI), of the largest public
sector bank in 2017 when the banking
system was under tremendous stress.
Mr. Kumar’s journey to the post
of CMD of SBI began in in 1989 as a
probationary office in Auriya tehsil in
Uttar Pradesh. His ability to respond in a
manner that reflects a unique leadership
style has helped SBI to grow immensely,
even in the challenging circumstance.
It is well reflected in the recent
observation that he made recently while
speaking at an (online) event organized
by FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO).
Kumar said that if he pointed out that in
the current uncertain situations, all
businesses will need more working capital
funds, which the banking system should
provide. Still, prudence would also, at the
same time, demand that over-leveraging
even in these circumstances is avoidable
as the money has to be repaid, and there
is also an interest cost.
A soft-spoken and humble individual,
Kumar has a brilliant business mind. The
country and the world has been witness to
his prowess in managing the most difficult
situations. “When we talk about one-time
restructuring it requires deeper analysis
the understand the losses incurred by the
corporates. Currently, there are cashflows
disruptions, and we’re not obsessed with
one-time restructuring,” Kumar pointed at
a recent webinar with media.
LIFE INSURANCE CORPORATION OF INDIA
i
o lead an organization, where one
has worked tirelessly for more than
35 years is no mean achievement. Vipin
Anand, Managing Director of LIC, has
achieved this distinction.
He was armed with an international
experience of setting up branches in
Singapore and Bangladesh. A versatile
manager, Anand before being appointed
MD of LIC was heading the operations
of LIC’s Western Zone, with its
headquarters at Mumbai. It consisted of
23 divisions covering the states of
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and Union
Territories of Daman, Diu and Dadra &
Nagar Haveli.
Earlier, he has also headed LIC’s East
Central Zone headquartered at Patna.
His seniors noticed his down to earth
approach and inquisitiveness to
learn new systems and process, and that
resulted in his managing some essential
assignments. Like, in Operations as well
as at the corporate level, ranging from
Information Technology, Marketing,
Personnel & Industrial Relations
to Corporate Communications and
International Operations, across different
geographical locations of the country.
Anand has also held posts of Executive
Director (Direct Marketing), Executive
Director (Corporate Communications)
and Executive Director (International
Operations) with the same elan, that he
demonstrated in his earlier assignments.
TSP TIMES | AUGUST 2020 | 26