‘BFSI is the most digitally mature sector’

Technology has become both the strongest survival tool and the biggest challenge for banks today, says Arundhati Bhattacharya, chairperson and chief executive officer (CEO), Salesforce India, and former chief of State Bank of India (SBI).

- 

In a fireside chat, with Nivedita Mookerji at the Business Standard BFSI Summit 2025, she warns that no organisation can survive without a robust information-technology (IT) backbone. Edited excerpts:

How do you look at the world of technology after coming from SBI, and it has been five years at Salesforce now?

Even at the bank, I strongly believed that any organisation not taking IT seriously will not sustain itself. Whether you're a small family-run shop or in HR, logistics, manufacturing, or services — a strong IT backbone is essential. Technology is evolving at an unprecedented speed. We are now working with Agentic AI, and in just 13 months we have covered enormous ground, enabling Agentic enterprises. The pace of change is extraordinary, even within tech.

From the world of SBI to this speed of technology, how has the transition been?

SBI teaches you to lead while learning. Because you're transferred often — to different locations and across verticals and teams — you learn on your feet. I used to say that once I found a good hairdresser and tailor for my saree blouses, it was time to be transferred! This environment prepares you to add value immediately, which helped me in transitioning from 40 years in banking to working with people five generations younger.

If you were to describe your journey as a woman leader, how would you put it?