Axis Bank Names Dubashi as AI Chief
Namrata Dubashi joins from McKinsey as the lender tries to move AI from scattered projects into everyday banking operations.
Image Credit- Chetan Jha/ MIT Sloan Management Review India
Axis Bank Ltd has hired former McKinsey and Co. partner Namrata Dubashi as its artificial intelligence officer, creating a senior role to push AI deeper into the bank’s operations.
Dubashi joined Axis Bank last week after 17 years at McKinsey.
In a LinkedIn post, she said she had joined the bank’s leadership team to “spearhead AI.”
She will report to Subrat Mohanty, Executive Director for Banking Operations and Transformation, Mint reported, citing the bank.
The role gives Axis Bank a dedicated AI leader at a time when lenders are trying to move the technology beyond pilots and isolated use cases.
Mint reported that Dubashi will lead a team of about 50 executives working on AI across the bank.
Axis Bank said the focus will be on building capabilities in talent, tools and infrastructure, so that AI becomes part of every business and function.
“The focus is on developing and scaling capabilities across talent, tools and infrastructure, so that AI becomes part of the DNA of every business and function,” the bank told Mint.
The appointment comes as Indian banks use AI for customer service, fraud detection, risk management, underwriting and process automation.
Axis Bank already uses AI in customer-facing tools such as AHA!, its virtual banking assistant, and has worked with SWIFT India on an AI pilot to detect payment fraud.
