Gilt-edged trio

BS PEOPLE: Arun Kaul, R Ramachandran & S R Raman

Arun Kaul
CMD,UCO Bank

Nearly a decade ago, Arun Kaul’s boss described him as a star. For good reason: Kaul contributed Rs 1 crore a day to PNB’s bottom line. “He is a future CMD,” predicted SS Kohli, then PNB’s CMD. That was in the post-dot.com era and Kaul was CEO of PNB Gilts. Known for his strong treasury skills, the former RBI officer had to wait six months before his appointment as CMD at UCO Bank because of controversy surrounding the promotion of his peers at other banks.

The market is already factoring in large treasury gains for the Kolkata-headquartered bank during the 54-year-old’s stint. “The market perceives him to be very positive for the bottom line,” says an exchange official, who has dealt with Kaul. His task, however, is not confined to treasury alone. He must ensure the bank sheds its eastern focus and becomes more nimble footed. And with over five years to go for superannuation, Kaul has enough time to shine at UCO.

 

R Ramachandran
CMD, Andhra Bank

Colleagues say R Ramachandran, the newly-appointed CMD of Andhra Bank, has two key traits that will help him during his 15-month stint: oratory and sound knowledge. For a bank that has largely been confined to southern India, equally invaluable will be the 58-year-old’s exposure to the regional market thanks to years at Chennai-based Indian Bank and Manipal-headquartered Syndicate Bank.

During his two-year stint as executive director at Syndicate Bank, unlike at most other banks, Ramachandran took charge of all the departments by rotation. “This will give him an edge in his new role,” says a former colleague.

At Andhra Bank, which just crossed the Rs 1-lakh crore business mark, the science post-graduate’s effort will be to broaden and deepen the bank’s offerings. If he can do that in 15 months, this orator will certainly have something to talk about.

S R Raman
CMD, Canara Bank

If you enter Sunder Rajan Raman’s cabin, you would think he has nothing to do; there are simply no papers on his desk. But colleagues say that’s because of his ability to take quick decisions. This perfectionist can be tough not only on subordinates, but also on his bosses. Raman’s recent elevation as CMD of Canara Bank raised a few eyebrows, as it broke with the norm of hiring an existing chairman from a smaller bank (he was previously executive director of Union Bank). But, says an official, “He appeared best suited for the job.”

Another interesting facet of his appointment: Both his father and brother worked at Canara Bank. Raman’s expertise lies in international banking, and thanks to stints in the UK and US, he is expected to widen Canara Bank’s global footprint by the time he clears his desk for good at the bank in September 2012.