Shikha Sharma takes charge of Axis Bank

Private sector lender Axis Bank said on Monday that Shikha Sharma has taken over as its managing director and chief executive officer.

In a career spanning over 29 years, Sharma has had a wide exposure across the entire spectrum of financial services and has held several leadership positions across various market-leading businesses, the bank said in a statement.

In 2000, she became the MD and founder-CEO of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co. Under her leadership, the company consistently retained its number-one position in the highly competitive insurance landscape, the statement said.

'I am honoured that the board has entrusted me with the responsibility of leading Axis Bank and am delighted at the opportunity... It will be a privilege to work with the very eminent Board of the bank and the management team to lead Axis into its next stage of development,' Sharma said in the statement.

Axis Bank is the third-largest private sector bank in India and its network spans across more than 840 offices and over 3,600 ATMs.