Axis Bank taps Rajeev Mantri as finance chief

Axis Bank has appointed former Bandhan Bank Chief Financial Officer Rajeev Mantri as its new finance chief, effective September 28, filling the vacancy created after incumbent CFO Puneet Sharma resigned last month to pursue the next phase of his professional journey.The appointment was approved by the bank's board at its meeting on Saturday based on the recommendations of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee and the Audit Committee, the lender said in a regulatory filing.Also Read: Axis Bank CFO Puneet Sharma resigns to pursue new opportunitiesMantri joins Axis Bank after stepping down as Executive President and CFO of Bandhan Bank in June, where he said he was leaving to pursue another opportunity for career growth.

Under Bandhan Bank's notice period policy, his last working day is September 25, paving the way for him to assume his new role at Axis Bank three days later.A finance executive with nearly three decades of experience, Mantri has held senior leadership roles across banking and financial services, including at Bandhan Bank, Citibank, Standard Chartered and Mashreq in India, Singapore and the UAE.A Chartered Accountant and an INSEAD Global Executive MBA graduate, he has expertise spanning finance, strategy, regulatory engagement, capital management, governance and business transformation.Mantri's appointment comes amid a broader wave of leadership changes across India's banking sector, as lenders reshuffle boardrooms and strengthen succession planning.Over the past few weeks, HDFC Bank appointed former Axis Bank CFO Puneet Sharma as its next finance chief and named former finance secretary Rajiv Kumar as part-time chairman, while State Bank of India hired former LIC finance head Sunil Agrawal as its CFO-designate.

Kotak Mahindra Bank has also begun the search for a successor to CEO Ashok Vaswani following his decision to step down later this year.Also Read: Bandhan Bank CFO Rajeev Mantri resigns, to leave in SeptemberAxis Bank said Mantri satisfies the eligibility criteria prescribed under the Reserve Bank of India's Commercial Banks – Governance Directions, 2025, for the appointment of a chief financial officer. ...