Private equity interest can improve governance in banks: Rahul Bhasin

PEs need to engineer change and bring efficiency to the fore to deliver the returns demanded by their investors; or, alternatively, find outstandingly well-run banks to partner with, Bhasin said

The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) Internal Working Group (IWG) on ownership guidelines and corporate structures suggested that non-promoter investors be allowed hold up to 15 per cent in banks, opening a window for private equity (PE) to play a bigger role as providers of capital to banks. Baring Private Equity Asia had pumped in Rs 1,000 crore for a 9.45 per cent equity stake in RBL Bank ahead of the IWG report in August 2020, making it the bank’s largest investor. RAHUL BHASIN — managing partner of Baring Private Equity Partners (BPEP-India), and senior partner and global board member