Equitas Small Finance Bank (ESFB) has appointed Shanmugam Manivannan as its Chief Digital Officer (CDO), effective June 17. He has also been designated as a Senior Management Personnel (SMP) and will report to the bank’s Executive Director, Balaji Nuthalapadi.
In an exchange filing, the bank said, “We would like to inform that Mr. Shanmugam Manivannan has been appointed as the Chief Digital Officer of the Bank (erstwhile National Manager-Digital Banking of the Bank) and has been designated as a Senior Management Personnel (“SMP”) of the Bank effective June 17, 2026, pursuant to a change in the internal reporting structure of the Bank.”
The bank added that the appointment follows “the change in reporting relationship and hence classification as an SMP.”
Having been associated with ESFB for nearly 7 years, Manivannan said his primary focus will be on strengthening the bank’s digital channels across both liabilities and assets while enhancing digital products and services throughout the customer lifecycle.
“This is going to be primarily focused on strengthening our digital channels across liabilities and assets, to be best in class in terms of digital offerings and services for customers, be it cross-selling, servicing, or any aspect of the customer lifecycle,” he said.
Speaking about the bank’s artificial intelligence roadmap, Manivannan said, “It’s not going to be a very straightforward or easy path for BFSI specifically. There are some long-term considerations. AI is not something we are going to use in every area. We will explore it, but with caution.”
He also highlighted the bank’s ongoing investments in cybersecurity, saying, “It’s part of our DNA to ensure cybersecurity is taken care of. With new rules and laws coming up, a lot of work is happening in parallel. There is significant work underway, especially around customer privacy and cybersecurity, and we are already on top of it.”
Manivannan brings more than 21 years of experience across banking, digital transformation, operations, customer experience, and fintech partnerships. He has extensive leadership experience in P&L management, strategic planning, and driving business growth through end-to-end digital transformation initiatives.
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