Piramal Enterprises appoints ex-Axis Bank MD Shikha Sharma as independent director

Piramal Enterprises on Friday announced that it has appointed Shikha Sharma, former managing director and chief executive of Axis Bank as Non-Executive-Non-Independent Director of the firm with effect from March 31, 2022.

The company, in a statement, added that Sharma is liable to retire by rotation and her appointment is subject to the approval of the shareholders of the company.

"Sharma is not related to any of the Directors of the Company. Further, in accordance with the circular dated 20th June, 2018 issued by the stock exchanges, we hereby confirm that she is not debarred from holding the office of Director by virtue of any SEBI order or any other such authority," noted the firm.

Sharma is a B.A (Hons.) in Economics, PGD in Software Technology and PGD from IIM, Ahmedabad. She began her career with ICICI Bank in 1980. She was the MD and CEO of ICICI Personal Financial Services from May 1998 to December 2000. Thereafter, she was the managing director and CEO of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company from December 2000 to June 2009.

Prior to joining Piramal Enterprises, she was appointed as the managing director and CEO of Axis Bank from June 2009 till December 2018.

"She led the bank on a transformation journey from being primarily a corporate lender to a bank with a strong retail deposit franchise and a balanced lending book," Piramal Enterprises noted.

Sharma is on the board of directors of public listed companies such as Tata Consumer Products Limited, Ambuja Cements Limited, Tech Mahindra Limited, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited and Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited.

She also serves as an advisor to Google India Digital Services Private Limited, NextBillion Technology Private Limited, Bahaar Foundation - a unit of Akshati Charitable Trust and a member of the Board of Governors of IIM, Lucknow.

Also read: Of 39 names recommended, 27 women judges appointed in HCs in one year: Govt

Also read: Gross loan portfolio by MFIs stood at Rs 2.5 lakh cr as of Dec 2021: Report