Karnataka Bank Appoints Raghavendra Srinivas Bhat as Interim MD and CEO for 3 Months

Karnataka Bank, a leading private sector bank in India, has announced that Raghavendra Srinivas Bhat, the current Chief Operating Officer (COO), will take over as the interim Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the bank for the next three months.

This temporary appointment comes after the bank’s former MD and CEO, Srikrishnan Hari Hara Sarma, resigned from his post on June 29, 2025, citing personal reasons. His sudden resignation affected the bank’s stock market performance and led to a drop in share prices.

Raghavendra Srinivas Bhat is a senior and experienced official who has been working with Karnataka Bank for more than 30 years. He was recently promoted to the post of Chief Operating Officer (COO) in June 2025. Now, with the position of MD and CEO becoming vacant, the bank has decided that he will take charge for a three-month period as the search for a permanent replacement continues.

The bank is expected to make a permanent appointment after completing the necessary selection and approval process.

Board of Directors of the Bank at its meeting held on June 29, 2025 approved the appointment of Mr. Raghavendra Srinivas Bhat as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Bank with effect from July 02, 2025.

Description	Details
Age	67 years
Qualification	B.Com, CAIIB
Reason for Change	Appointment as Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Date of Appointment / Cessation & Term of Appointment	July 02, 2025 Appointed until further orders
Brief Profile	Mr. Raghavendra Srinivas Bhat has had an illustrious 38-years’ career at the Karnataka Bank Limited, starting as a Clerk in 1981. Over the years, he rose through the ranks and ultimately served as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) in the CGM Cadre. With extensive expertise across various domains, Mr. Bhat’s professional journey encompasses Banking, Finance and also Agriculture as his roots deeply tied to an agriculturalist family background. During his tenure in the Karnataka Bank Limited, his diverse experience spans and covers all key areas of Banking and Finance, including HR, IT & Digital Banking, Treasury & Forex Operations, Insurance (Third Party Products) and Rural Economy. Having held top management positions for more than a decade, his leadership and vision have been pivotal in shaping strategic decisions at the highest levels.
Nature of Expertise in Specific Functional Areas	Banking and Finance, including HR, IT & Digital Banking, Treasury & Forex Operations, Insurance (Third Party Products), Agriculture and Rural Economy
Disclosure of Relationship Between Directors (if applicable)	Not Applicable