BS People: Mohan Jayaraman

Analytics ace joins Experian

It was his passion for examining raw data to draw conclusions from a set of information that persuaded Mohan Jayaraman to join Experian after a stint of almost eight years with ICICI, the country's largest private sector bank.

Even at ICICI Bank as a joint general manager, Jayaraman was using data and analytics to formulate payment solutions, prepare portfolio acquisition strategies, and plan strategic buyouts in two-wheelers, commercial vehicles and credit cards businesses.

But the opportunity to help more than 150 companies in their commercial decisions by using data and analytics proved too hard to resist. Jayaraman joined Experian as the chief operating officer of the firm's credit information bureau in India in November, 2010.

"I'm a strong believer that analytics and data will change the way commercial banking is done in India," Jayaraman told Business Standard.

Within a year he has been named as the managing director of the company after his predecessor Phil Nolan was asked to take charge of Experian's credit information bureau in Australia.

Jayaraman is well-known in the banking fraternity for his expertise in consumer and retail banking operations and hence his promotion was only a matter of time.

"Mohan's extensive experience of managing one of India's largest retail card books and heading one of the largest intelligence units in India makes him the natural choice for the role as we look to further accelerate our growth in the country," TS Narayanasami, former chairman and managing director of Bank of India and presently the chairman of Experian Credit Information Company of India, said.

Jayaraman spent most of his early life in Tamil Nadu before becoming a graduate member of the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India from Kolkata.

A cricket enthusiast, he candidly admits his interest in the game has been flagging in recent months after India's humiliating defeats against England in Test and One Day series. He prefers to spend time reading science fiction novels if he is not playing with the latest gadgets.

"I'm a gadget buff but more of an Android person," he says. His hobbies gel well with his profession.

For him, now the goal is to sustain double digit growth of Experian's businesses in India.