The second edition of the Leadership Development Program which was conducted for the Senior Management of the country’s Public Sector Banks was inaugurated on 11^th September 2020, online at the prestigious Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB). An initiative of the Banks Board Bureau, this collaborative endeavor is supported by the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, Govt of India, and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA). This landmark initiative is aimed at supporting Public Sector Banks to nurture a leadership pipeline that will be able to face the present and emerging challenges in the sector. Also, owing to the current COVID-19 scenario, all the components of the program are planned to be delivered online until the situation improves for the better.

A total of 66 Senior Managers from 11 sponsor banks will undertake this learning intervention, over the course of nine months, to be equipped with the needed skills required to take on current and emerging challenges being faced in a modern 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 program.

The program features (a) exploration of self through Personal Growth Labs, Outbound Learning, Wellness Workshops, Personalized Coaching Sessions and Motivational Speaker Sessions; and (b) functional development through exposure to new knowledge, 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 program, the participants will go on to undertake a live project, with the objective of bringing about an improvement in a chosen area which is critical to their bank’s performance.

Shri Bhanu Pratap Sharma, Chairman, Banks Board Bureau, and Mr. Sunil Mehta, Chief Executive, Indian Banks Association, addressed the participants andin his inaugural address,Prof. Rishikesha T. Krishnan, Director, IIM Bangalore, emphasized the critical role bank/bankers play in the current state of economy affected by COVID-19 and hoped that the program would equip participants with perspectives and techniques required to address the challenges that the banking sector faces today.

Mr. 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 program conducted at Indian Institute of Management Bangalore will go a long way in shaping their career as well as strengthening banks in adopting new technologies and changes while remaining relevant.”

Mr. Bhanu Pratap Sharma spoke about the success of first edition of the program. While reiterating the measures taken by the RBI and the government of India like the fiscal stimulus package, he emphasized the need to identify and adopt the right business model to succeed. He also added that “This program will help participants achieve whatever they think should be done as bankers to help the country post COVID.”