Karnataka Bank names interim MD & CEO for up to two months

The Karnataka Bank Limited appointed Executive Director Biji Sreekrishnavilas Sankaranarayanan as interim Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer from November 16, 2026, for a maximum of two months or until a full-time or regular MD & CEO assumes charge, whichever occurs first. The Reserve Bank of India approved the appointment on November 11, 2026.

Who is Karnataka Bank’s interim MD & CEO?

Karnataka Bank’s interim MD & CEO is Biji Sreekrishnavilas Sankaranarayanan, who was serving as Executive Director when the board approved her appointment on November 15, 2026. The bank disclosed her Director Identification Number as 11534526 and said she would hold charge as Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer on an interim basis.

The appointment moves an existing Karnataka Bank executive into the interim chief executive role rather than bringing in a newly appointed director. Biji Sreekrishnavilas Sankaranarayanan has been Executive Director since July 15, 2026, according to the annexure accompanying the November 15, 2026 disclosure.

Karnataka Bank made the announcement under Regulation 30 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India, or SEBI, Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015. The board meeting considering the change started at 5.25 pm on November 15, 2026 and ended at 9.00 pm on the same date.

When does Karnataka Bank’s interim MD & CEO term begin and end?

Karnataka Bank’s interim MD & CEO term begins on November 16, 2026 and can run for up to two months. Biji Sreekrishnavilas Sankaranarayanan’s charge will end earlier if a full-time or regular MD & CEO assumes charge before the two-month period is completed.

The filing therefore sets an outer time limit and an earlier replacement condition, rather than a single fixed departure date. Karnataka Bank did not name a full-time or regular MD & CEO in the November 15, 2026 filing and did not provide an expected date for that person to assume charge.

Karnataka Bank described the assignment as one to “hold charge” as MD & CEO on an interim basis. This wording, together with the two-month limit from November 16, 2026, identifies the role as temporary pending the assumption of charge by a regular chief executive.

Did the RBI approve Karnataka Bank’s interim MD & CEO appointment?

Yes, Karnataka Bank said the Reserve Bank of India conveyed approval for Biji Sreekrishnavilas Sankaranarayanan’s interim appointment in a letter dated November 11, 2026. The board subsequently approved the appointment on November 15, 2026, with effect from November 16, 2026.

The disclosed sequence places the central bank’s approval before the board’s appointment decision. Karnataka Bank did not disclose the contents of the November 11, 2026 letter beyond confirming that the Reserve Bank of India had approved the appointment.

Karnataka Bank also confirmed that Biji Sreekrishnavilas Sankaranarayanan has not been debarred from holding the office of director by an order of SEBI or any other authority. The bank made that confirmation with reference to BSE Circular LIST/COMP/14/2018-19 and National Stock Exchange of India Circular NSE/CML/2018/24, both dated June 20, 2018.

The November 15, 2026 filing was addressed to the National Stock Exchange of India and BSE Limited, where Karnataka Bank is identified by the scrip codes KTKBANK and 532652, respectively. The disclosure also cited a SEBI master circular dated January 30, 2026 for the annexure setting out the appointee’s details.

What experience does Karnataka Bank’s interim MD & CEO have?

Karnataka Bank said Biji Sreekrishnavilas Sankaranarayanan has 31 years of end-to-end banking experience across corporate banking, retail and branch banking, liabilities, secured assets, transformation and digital modernisation. The profile was included in the annexure to the bank’s November 15, 2026 announcement.

The bank’s profile also cites experience in steering nationwide banking networks of 950 as independent profit centres. It lists corporate banking verticals, risk frameworks, asset quality, customer acquisition models, and digital and operational turnaround work among the areas covered during her banking career.

Karnataka Bank described her prior work as including efforts related to enterprise-wide profitability, compliance architecture, leadership pipelines and organisational growth. The filing does not name her previous employer, specify the dates of those earlier assignments, or disclose financial outcomes connected with the cited work.

Her stated qualifications are a postgraduate degree in Mathematics, a Master of Business Administration in Human Resources, and a Professional Certification in Management of Social Initiatives from the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode. These qualifications accompany the disclosed 31-year experience profile and her appointment as Executive Director from July 15, 2026.

What does Karnataka Bank’s interim appointment mean for the leadership transition?

Karnataka Bank has put an interim leadership arrangement in place from November 16, 2026 while awaiting a full-time or regular MD & CEO to assume charge. The appointment is limited to two months at most, but the actual tenure can be shorter under the condition specified in the filing.

The transition dates show the stated governance sequence: Reserve Bank of India approval on November 11, 2026, Karnataka Bank board action on November 15, 2026, and the effective date of November 16, 2026. The filing does not state why an interim arrangement was needed or whether a candidate has been selected for the regular position.

Biji Sreekrishnavilas Sankaranarayanan’s Executive Director appointment on July 15, 2026 is the disclosed link between Karnataka Bank’s existing leadership structure and the interim MD & CEO role. Her interim appointment is distinct from a regular MD & CEO appointment because it expires when a full-time or regular appointee assumes charge, even if that occurs before two months.

Karnataka Bank’s announcement provides no revised business targets, financial guidance or strategic plan alongside the management change. The disclosed information is limited to the appointment, its conditions, the regulatory approval, the board process and the appointee’s profile as of November 15, 2026.

Conclusion

Karnataka Bank has appointed Biji Sreekrishnavilas Sankaranarayanan, its Executive Director since July 15, 2026, as interim MD & CEO from November 16, 2026. The Reserve Bank of India had approved the arrangement on November 11, 2026, and the bank has set a maximum tenure of two months rather than an open-ended interim period.

The next event to watch is the assumption of charge by a full-time or regular MD & CEO, which Karnataka Bank says will end the interim arrangement before the two-month limit if it occurs earlier. The November 15, 2026 filing does not disclose the name, selection status or joining date of a regular appointee.