EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients.
Select your location
Local sites
K. V. Kamath
Jio Financial Services
Lifetime achievement award EOY 2024
A sculptor of modern Indian banking
Mr. KV Kamath is unequivocally one of the titans of the Indian financial services landscape. His leadership and expertise will remain instrumental in building the edifice of modern Indian banking.
Padma Bhushan, Mr. Kamath had started his career with ICICI in 1971 as a trainee and served as Managing Director and CEO of ICICI Bank until retirement in 2009, after which he led as Chairman until 2015.
During his leadership, ICICI Bank became a technology-driven financial services group with operations in banking, insurance and asset management in India with a strong global presence. As Mr. Kamath transformed the bank into a financial services institution, he also stayed committed to supporting the Indian economy. The merger of ICICI Limited and ICICI Bank in 2002 catapulted the entity to the second position after State Bank of India (SBI). It not only created value for shareholders but also became a large financial organization that could generate capital, credit and market liquidity at scale.
With a futuristic vision combined with a clear understanding of customer needs, Mr. Kamath understood the transformative role of technology. This led to the institution adopting several initiatives to strengthen retail banking and modernize operations. By 2015, India’s largest private sector bank was servicing over 52 million customers and had total assets of approximately INR6.46 lakh crore.
Mr. Kamath’s leadership emphasized accountability and innovation, leading to enhanced governance to promote transparency much beyond the sphere of financial services. He has held several prominent roles, including Chief of the New Development Bank for the BRICS countries, Chairman of Infosys, and Chairperson of development finance institution, NaBFID. In 2022, he joined Reliance Industries as an Independent Director and under his stewardship as Non-executive Chairman, Jio Financial Services became an independent entity in 2023.
Mr. Kamath's visionary leadership has not only transformed institutions but also inspired a generation of leaders while his unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence continues to shape the future of global finance.