The second edition of the Leadership Development Programme, for the Senior Management of the country’s Public Sector Banks, was inaugurated at Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB). The initiative continues to support public sector banks to nurture a leadership pipeline that will take on present and emerging challenges.
Tackling emerging challenges
Owing to the current pandemic situation, all the components of the programme are planned to be delivered live online until the situation improves for the better. This collaborative endeavour, an initiative by the Banks Board Bureau, is supported by the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA). IIMB was identified among the globally ranked Indian Management Institutes to design and deliver the programme.
A total of 66 senior managers from 11 sponsor banks will undertake this learning intervention, over a period of nine months, to take on current and emerging challenges being faced in a competitive marketplace. Prof R Srinivasan, from the Strategy area, and Prof G Ramesh, from the Public Policy area, are the faculty coordinators in charge of the design and delivery of the programme.
Functional development
The programme features exploration of self through personal growth labs, outbound learning, wellness workshops, personalised coaching sessions, and motivational speaker sessions. The functional development will occur through exposure to new knowledge, such as emerging processes in the areas of strategy, risk management, digital transformation, and exponential technologies.
In order to leverage the exposure to various interventions in the programme, the participants will undertake a live project, with the objective of bringing about an improvement in a chosen area which is critical to their bank’s performance.
Remaining relevant
In his inaugural address, Prof Rishikesha T Krishnan, Director, IIM Bangalore, emphasised the critical role bank or bankers play in the current state of economy affected by Covid-19, and hoped the programme would equip participants with perspectives and techniques required to address the challenges that the banking faces today. Bhanu Pratap Sharma, Chairman, Banks Board Bureau, and Sunil Mehta, Chief Executive, Indian Banks Association, addressed the participants, too.
Sunil Mehta spoke of the reforms launched by the government to help banks boost the economy and described the role of technology in taking banking to customers’ doorsteps. He said, “This training programme at IIMB will go a long way in shaping their career as well as strengthening banks in adopting new technologies and changes while remaining relevant.”
Bhanu Pratap Sharma spoke about the success of first edition of the programme. While reiterating the measures taken by the RBI and the government like the fiscal stimulus package, he emphasised the need to identify and adopt the right business model to succeed. He said “This programme will help participants achieve whatever they think should be done as bankers to help the country post-Covid.
In his address, Prof R Srinivasan offered an overview of programme and Prof G Ramesh proposed the vote of thanks.