Karnataka Bank reinventing itself to be a start-up at ‘100,’ to become India’s Karnataka Bank, says MD & CEO

Karnataka Bank hosted 2nd edition of KBL-FinOne, a Fintech Growth Program, in association with The Fintech Meetup. Bank MD & CEO H. Srikrishnan spoke on evolving digital ecosystem @ MSMEs & possibilities. Bank Exec. Dir. Sekhar Rao focused on building digital lending ecosystem with focus on MSMEs & Agri sector.

Karnataka Bank, headquartered in Mangaluru, hosted the second edition of KBL – FinOne, “A Fintech Growth Programme” on the sidelines of Global Fintech Fest 2023 being held from September 5 to 7 at Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai.

The leadership session on the topic “Evolving Digital Ecosystem @ MSME and Possibilities” was organised in association with ‘The fintech meetup,’ said a release.

Speaking at the session, Bank Managing Director and CEO H. Srikrishnan said, “At Karnataka Bank, we wish to actively participate in the digital ecosystem that includes specific open collaborations with Fintechs to provide inclusive finance for MSMEs and consumers.”

As the bank celebrates the Centenary Year, it is positioning and reinventing itself to be a “Start-Up @ 100,” with an outlook of metamorphosing from being “Karnataka’s Karnataka Bank” to “India’s Karnataka Bank.” The prime focus of the bank now is in building the asset book through collaborations with NBFCs and Fintechs.

Another key focus for the bank is on the distribution products such as digital credit cards, UPI on credit, insurance and investments, personal finance etc., that the bank will be happy to partner. Karnataka Bank will also pursue active participation in the B2B segment to serve the underserved, Mr. Srikrishnan said.

Bank Executive Director Sekhar Rao said, “We are focusing on building our digital lending ecosystem with an eye on three broad parameters, first — by focusing in areas which we understand as our strengths, namely MSMEs and Agri sector, second — developing a commercially viable model, and third without doubt through the collaboration route with fintechs.”

Senior executives representing various verticals of Karnataka Bank also participated in the event.