Bank of Ireland Group has appointed Akshaya Bhargava as its new Chair and Governor, following an international search process.
Mr Bhargava will take up the position on January 1, 2025 and replaces Patrick Kennedy who has been Bank of Ireland Chair and Governor since 2018.
Mr Bhargava has been a member of the Board of Bank of Ireland Group since January of this year and previously served as a director on the boards of Wealthify Group, Mindtree, Barclays Asset Management, Vahanna, and Avendus Wealth Management.
He has extensive governance and leadership experience across the financial services ecosystem including as CEO of Global Wealth and Investment Management at Barclays and as founder of a number of successful fintechs.
He has spent 22 years in a number of roles with Citibank, and in 2002, he left Citibank to take up the role of founding CEO of Infosys BPO Ltd (formerly known as Progeon Ltd), leading the company to sale in 2006.
He served as the CEO of Mitsubishi UFG (formerly known as Butterfield Fulcrum Group) from 2007 to 2010, prior to its acquisition by MUFG and also founded and served as CEO of State Street Managed Account Services (formerly known as InfraHedge Ltd) from 2010 to 2014, prior to its acquisition by State Street Bank and Trust in 2013.
Between 2014 and 2017 Akshaya served as CEO of Global Wealth and Investment Management at Barclays plc and in 2018 he founded Bridgeweave, a fintech firm.
Richard Goulding, Senior Independent Director and Deputy Chair, said that Mr Bhargava combines a depth of financial services and fintech experience with strength of leadership and an entrepreneurial mindset.
"These qualities will be of great benefit to Bank of Ireland, as it works to complete its current strategic cycle and looks to the years ahead in what is a fast-evolving sector," he added.
