Karnataka Bank has appointed Sughosh Nagendra as its Chief Technology Officer (CTO), which will be effective October 2026. In his new role, Nagendra will lead the bank’s technology strategy, systems, infrastructure and product initiatives as the 102-year-old private sector lender looks to strengthen its technology capabilities and accelerate its digital transformation agenda. Nagendra brings extensive experience in banking technology, digital transformation and IT operations, having held senior leadership positions across several financial services organisations, including Agilus Diagnostics, YES BANK, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), RBL Bank, UBS and Allstate. He has also worked with Barclays, HCL Technologies, Wipro Technologies and TCS.
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Prior to joining Karnataka Bank, Nagendra served as Chief Digital and Information Officer at Agilus Diagnostics from July 2024 to October 2026. During his tenure, he led technology modernisation initiatives across the diagnostics network, which included replacing legacy platforms with scalable, cloud-ready applications, rationalising the application landscape, modernising laboratory information management systems and strengthening data centre infrastructure.
Earlier, at YES BANK, he served in the Technology Transformation Office, where he was responsible for driving strategic technology initiatives, business-aligned IT strategy, governance, risk management and cybersecurity. He also held the position of Group Head of Technology Operations at First Abu Dhabi Bank and served as CTO at RBL Bank. Commenting on his appointment, Nagendra said that leading the technology agenda of a 102-year-old banking institution was both an honour and a responsibility. “Karnataka Bank is a 102-year-old institution built on trust, resilience, and a deep connection with the people across our Country. To be entrusted with its technology future is both an honour and a profound responsibility,” he said in a LinkedIn post. He added that the next phase of banking would require institutions to strike a balance between innovation, regulatory requirements, security and operational efficiency.
At Karnataka Bank, his mandate will include modernising the bank’s legacy technology infrastructure and strengthening its ability to compete in an increasingly digital banking environment. The bank also plans to address organisational and technology challenges to accelerate the adoption of AI and intelligent systems within a regulated framework.
Nagendra highlighted the importance of building a technology organisation that remains closely aligned with business priorities and customer experience. His focus areas include digital banking, API banking, cloud, FinOps, data and analytics, cybersecurity, risk management, enterprise architecture and technology operations. He also emphasised the role of people and organisational culture in driving technology transformation, noting that the effective use of technology depends on strong teams and collaboration across business and technology functions.
Karnataka Bank, headquartered in Mangaluru, serves more than 14 million customers across retail, agriculture, MSME, corporate banking, financial inclusion and treasury businesses. The bank is listed on both the NSE and BSE. Nagendra’s appointment comes as banks continue to invest in technology modernisation, cybersecurity and digital capabilities to improve customer experience, strengthen operational resilience and respond to changing regulatory and market requirements.
