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Karnataka Bank appoints COO Raghavendra Bhat as interim MD & CEO for three months

The long-serving executive steps into the top role pending shareholder approval, as the bank searches for a permanent head following leadership departures.

FINSAMUDRA DESK · 17 Jul 2025, 12:43 pm IST · 1 MIN

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₹1.8 lakh crore → ₹2 lakh croreCurrent business turnover target

Three months from July 16, 2025Interim term duration

Nearly 40 years (1981 onwards)Career tenure at bank

Leadership Update: Karnataka Bank Names Inside Executive Raghavendra S. Bhat as Interim MD & CEO! 🚨. — Image: Finsamudra LinkedIn archive

Karnataka Bank has named Raghavendra S. Bhat, its Chief Operating Officer, as interim Managing Director & CEO effective July 16, 2025. The appointment runs for three months and requires shareholder sign-off at the bank's upcoming Annual General Meeting.

Bhat's elevation follows the resignation of former MD Srikrishnan Sarma and Executive Director Sekhar Rao, reportedly triggered by disagreements over board expenditure decisions. The bank's board has positioned Bhat's interim term as a stability measure while it conducts a search for a permanent CEO.

Bhat brings nearly four decades of institutional tenure to the role. He joined Karnataka Bank as a clerk in 1981, rose to Chief Operating Officer, and retired in 2019 before being recalled to lead during this transition period.

In his new capacity, Bhat has committed to growing the bank's business turnover from ₹1.8 lakh crore to ₹2 lakh crore. He has reaffirmed the bank's focus on agriculture, MSME, and retail lending while emphasising its profitability, dividend track record, and Mangaluru-rooted regional identity.

Why it matters for connectors & lenders

For loan distributors and DSAs working with Karnataka Bank, the continuity Bhat provides is material. His insider knowledge of the bank's credit policy, credit committee practices, and regional lending priorities means no abrupt shifts in loan acceptance criteria or distribution partnerships during the interim phase. Agents and connectors relying on Karnataka Bank as a lending partner can expect operational consistency rather than strategic overhaul.

The bank's stated growth target—₹1.8 lakh crore to ₹2 lakh crore—signals appetite for higher loan volumes, particularly in agriculture and MSME segments where DSAs operate. This creates near-term opportunity for distribution channels if Bhat executes the mandate. However, the three-month interim cap introduces uncertainty; a permanent MD with different priorities could reshape lending parameters.

Sources

Finsamudra on LinkedIn (original post)

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Karnataka Bank appoints COO Raghavendra Bhat as interim MD & CEO for three months

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