NextGen Digital Leader: Deepak Sharma, CDO, Kotak Mahindra Bank

Deepak heads digital initiatives at Kotak Mahindra Bank where he is responsible for digital strategy, transformation, payments, digital channels & platforms. He also looks at Innovation lab, future tech & Fintech ecosystem partnership in areas of AI, ML, IoT, Blockchain, RPA, Open API & design across lending, payments, investments, Institutional, SME & consumer segment.

In his current role, Deepak is responsible for the Digital Strategy and transformation across the bank. Areas of focus around - digital business, innovation, Fintech and ecosystem partnership, design and development, lending, payments, SME, investments, digital platform & channels.

It was indeed a privilege to have Deepak Sharma for the Dataquest Technology Innovation Summit & Awards, in which he delivered the inaugural keynote address, on the theme: Embracing Disruption- Taming The Nexus of Forces.

Every enterprise in order to survive and thrive in the digital economy needs to have a well-meshed emerging tech (New Age)strategy. They need to seamlessly integrate the new with the old, and in some cases completely overhaul legacy IT. Emerging tech is the key spoke in the digital hub. The CIO has to ensure that emerging tech initiatives have a clear business case – in terms of operational efficiency and/or new revenue opportunities. This may include considering how connected products can be monetized and how the value of data can be leveraged. More than having a long-term roadmap, experts say that it is more beneficial to take an agile approach, which facilitates rapid cycles of experimentation and evaluation.

Reflecting on the above theme, Deepak in his address took a deep dive on the impact of emerging tech on Kotak Mahindra's IT organization and how it has transformed the bank to be at the forefront of offering digital services.

Deepak Sharma talked about how emerging technologies like AI to IoT has disrupted the enterprise landscape and talked about how Kotak Mahindra has taken an early lead in the adoption of emerging tech for its own use. ” We have taken a multi-pronged approach to technology adoption and out strategy is based on three horizons. While horizon one is all about focusing on the core, horizon two is all about inducing newer tech. Horizon three is all about re-inventing and reimagining for the future, ” observed Sharma.

Dataquest is proud to present the well deserved 'NextGen Digital Leader Award"  to  Deepak Sharma.