Standard Chartered has appointed Kavita Kulkarni as Chief Technology & Operations Officer (CTOO) for India and South Asia, reinforcing its leadership team as the bank continues to expand its technology and operational capabilities across the region.
Based in Mumbai, Kulkarni will join the bank's India Country Management Team and oversee the execution of Standard Chartered's technology and operations strategy while supporting its broader business priorities in India and South Asia.
Bringing more than 25 years of banking technology experience
Kulkarni joins Standard Chartered with more than 25 years of leadership experience across banking, wealth management and technology.
Her career spans senior roles at multinational financial institutions across:
- India
- The United Kingdom
- The United States
According to the bank, her experience covers technology leadership, business transformation and operational management within global financial services.
Moves from Barclays
Before joining Standard Chartered, Kulkarni served as Managing Director and Chief Information Officer for Private Banking and Wealth Management at Barclays Bank.
In that role, she led global technology and operations teams while overseeing initiatives focused on:
- Technology transformation.
- Automation across operational processes.
- Adoption of artificial intelligence within technology delivery.
Her appointment reflects the growing focus among financial institutions on combining technology leadership with operational resilience as digital banking capabilities continue to evolve.
Leadership role covers regional strategy
As CTOO, Kulkarni will lead the implementation of Standard Chartered's technology and operations strategy across India and South Asia.
The role includes responsibility for supporting the bank's strategic priorities while strengthening operational efficiency and technology capabilities across the regional business.
She will also serve as a member of the bank's India Country Management Team.
Technology remains central to the bank's strategy
Commenting on the appointment, PD Singh, Chief Executive Officer for India and South Asia at Standard Chartered, said Kulkarni's international leadership experience would strengthen the bank's technology capabilities.
He said her expertise would support the bank's efforts to deliver simpler, faster and more resilient banking experiences for clients while advancing its long-term growth ambitions across the region.
Strong academic and global leadership background
Kulkarni holds:
- A Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science from Karnataka University.
- An MBA in Finance from New York University Stern School of Business.
Her appointment adds another experienced technology leader to Standard Chartered's regional management team at a time when banks are investing heavily in digital platforms, automation and AI-enabled operations to improve customer experience and operational resilience.