In a move signaling governance continuity, Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Limited disclosed to the stock exchanges that two Reserve Bank of India veterans will join its board as Additional Directors for a two-year term, while a prior RBI appointee steps down. The bank said RBI has extended the tenure of C.S.Ram Kumar (General Manager Retired, RBI) for two more years, from October 4, 2026 to October 3, 2028, and has appointed R.Kannan (General Manager Retired, RBI) as an Additional Director for the same period, replacing Visvanathan Srinivasan (General Manager Retired, RBI), who will cease to be a Director from October 4, 2026.
Ram Kumar and Kannan are not related to the bank’s existing directors or key managerial personnel, and they are not debarred from holding office by SEBI or similar authorities. Both new appointees will align with the bank’s governance framework by joining key board committees: the Audit Committee of the Board, the Special Committee for Monitoring and Follow-up of Cases of Frauds, and the Risk Management Committee.
Ram Kumar brings more than 32 years of experience across central banking, with a focus on supervision of non-banking financial companies, payments and settlements, external investments, and foreign exchange. Kannan carries upwards of 36 years with the Reserve Bank of India, most recently from the Department of Supervision. Their appointments underscore a continuity-driven approach to governance, leveraging RBI-level oversight expertise to reinforce board oversight across risk, audits, and fraud-monitoring.
Visvanathan Srinivasan’s impending cessation from the board marks a transition that the bank frames as part of its ongoing governance evolution. Together, the changes place an emphasis on experienced, non-executive leadership at the top, alongside existing directors, to guide Tamilnad Mercantile Bank through a dynamic financial landscape.