Al Rayan Bank appoints new COO

An operations and technology leader with 17 years’ managerial experience in retail banking, Venkat joins the Bank from Citibank where he held a number of senior positions over his 13-year tenure, most recently leading the European Operations for International Personal Banking and Wealth Management Business in London.
 
Venkat will immediately focus on control and governance, operational excellence, speed to market for new products and services, and continuing to train and develop employees.

Sultan Choudhury, CEO, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Venkat Chandrasekar, with his track record of operations and business transformation experience, to the team. It is a critical time for the Bank as it continues to transition to an established European banking brand. Venkat’s appointment will act as a catalyst for the changes we have made so far, and help to move us forward in that journey.”
 
Venkat Chandrasekar added: “I am delighted to take up the position of COO of Al Rayan Bank, a role that aligns perfectly with my skill set, personality, and my desire to be deeply involved in business transformation. It’s an exciting time of evolution, both for the bank and the industry in general.
 
“Every bank wants to embrace the new digital age of banking, but I believe Al Rayan Bank is uniquely positioned to do so. It is not hampered by unwieldy processes and systems, it is a rapidly growing but agile organisation that can make decisions swiftly, it is investing in both the technology and experienced personnel, and, most importantly, it puts the customer at the heart of everything it does. It is only by truly understanding customers that banks can address their needs with the right products and services.”