Samir Kumar Banerji has been elected unopposed as the new Chairman of Saraswat Co-operative Bank, India’s largest urban cooperative bank, replacing outgoing Chairman Gautam Thakur.
Kishore Gurudas Masurkar has also been elected unopposed as the Vice-Chairman of the bank. The appointments have received approval from the Co-operative Election Authority under the Ministry of Cooperation.
During Gautam Thakur’s tenure, Saraswat Bank added more than Rs 70,000 crore to its business, marking a significant milestone in the bank’s growth.
Banerji, who was earlier serving as the Vice-Chairman of Saraswat Bank, has been associated with the bank for nearly five decades. A Bachelor of Science (Hons) graduate, he also holds DBM, LL.M. and F.I.I.B.F. qualifications. During his long association with the bank, he has worked across several key departments, including administration, audit, legal, treasury, operations, accounts, marketing and project management.
He served as the bank’s Managing Director from 2002 to 2017 and has also held positions in several prominent banking and industry institutions. Currently, he is Chairman of the Executive & HR Committee of the Board and a member of the Credit Committee.
Masurkar holds an M.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Mumbai and a Diploma in Administrative Management. He is Chairman and Managing Director of Entod International Group, a research-oriented pharmaceutical group specialising in ophthalmic products.
The election to the 19-member Board of Directors of Saraswat Co-operative Bank was held unopposed. The bank has a business mix of more than Rs 1 lakh crore.
