Building Capability

Leadership Development Flagship Programs

Our top 35 leaders are responsible for walking the talk, and building on our practices and culture. They form the Kotak Leadership Team (KLT). Then, we have the Kotak Initiatives Team (KIT), comprising of the next 40 leaders who are business/ functional heads, forming the next rung of leadership. These teams are chosen through a rigorous inclusion process, groomed and regularly evaluated to review their progress.

Inclusion – When an individual who has been with us for at least two years is seen as a potential leader, he is recommended and selected through consensus by the relevant committee.
Development – Once they’re chosen, these potential leaders are honed through on-the-job learning, interaction with a peer group and exposure to best practices across the industry. They also glean leadership insights from academic leaders invited by us, as well through programs at top B Schools like Harvard.
Evaluation – A formal performance review is held with the VC and the MD twice a year to discuss the individual’s 360-degree feedback and address his needs to grow further.

Our Culture

Our culture is one of our biggest strengths. It’s what sets us apart, and draws the best and the brightest in the industry.

Our core values are at the heart of our steady success and evolution as a company.

Do you have it in you!

Do you take complete ownership of your work?

Can you quickly spot opportunities and make the most of them? Are you innovative and creative when it comes to problem solving? By taking responsibility and being proactive, we believe we can grow faster and make a bigger difference.

Do you have a strong sense of ethics?
Would you choose ethics over short-term gains? Can you ensure that every single stakeholder is treated fairly? At Kotak, integrity is deeply embedded in our business practices, and has earned us the trust of millions over the years.

Are you respectful and transparent in your dealings?
Would you treat every customer and colleague with dignity? Would you be completely open and transparent in all your work? Our respectful and straightforward approach creates the right environment for you to thrive.

Are you down to earth and approachable?
Would you put the company’s growth above your personal interest? Would you collaborate rather than control? We believe that having an open-minded approach and the ability to learn from everyone and everything is crucial to continued success.

Are you an achiever?
Can you willingly take on challenges and raise the performance bar? Do you have that ‘can-do’ spirit? Our positivity spurs us on to deliver the results, time after time.

If these questions resonate with you, and if you find yourself answering a ‘yes’ to what they ask of you, we think you’d fit right in here!

Growth Story (Fresher)

After completing his education in 2012, Barun Kumar joined the company as an Assistant Acquisition Manager - Current Account in Pune. A disciplined self-starter, he always featured among the top 5 Assistant Acquisition Managers for Rest of Maharashtra & Goa. In 2014, he became the Branch Sales Manager and over the next three years, continued to shine as one of the top 10 Branch Sales Managers in MARCS. In 2017, he was promoted to Area Sales Manager, and he continues to contribute to Kotak’s success with his straightforward approach and sound mentorship.

Experiences At Kotak

Bijendra Jha joined Kotak as an AAM in 2010, straight out of college. His positive attitude, his strong communication skills and the rapport he built with customers were evident right from the beginning, and he was always among the top 10 AAMs in the West region. He became a TL in 2013, and in another six months, was promoted to BSM. In 2017, he became the ASM for his branch in name place. Over the years, he has earned a host of recognitions for his work, including awards from BH. His inclusive nature, team-building abilities and strong leadership skills continue to propel his growth here at Kotak.

RED (Realise Every Dream)

We all have dreams. To build homes. Raise families. Win accolades. Create legacies. At Kotak, we make it our biggest priority to help our people fulfill their dreams, and those of the customers who bank on us. How do we do this? By communicating honestly, by taking action, by taking responsibility for our teams and by focusing on results. Backed by this unique 4D approach, we continue to work towards our dream of becoming the most preferred financial services company in the country.

DIALOGUE
We listen. We respond. And we inspire.

DEMONSTRATE
We follow up on our words with our actions.

DEVELOP
We take ownership of our teams to help them grow.

DELIVER
We make it happen, through more relevant, directed efforts.

The Kotak Way of Life

It’s not just our success that drives us. It’s the success of our people as well – on both the professional and personal front. From fitness drives to initiatives for their families, from recognition programs to employee volunteering, we carry out a wide range of engagement efforts to bring more joy to our community. This is the Kotak way of life.

1. Wellness Initiatives

We run a number of initiatives to promote health and wellbeing, including a dedicated online wellness portal, vaccination camps, fitness centers, seminars and more.

2. Employee Engagement

Fun isn’t just a part of our culture it is also one of the factors that drive our success. Through various initiatives, we aim to make work fun while also inculcating a feeling of togetherness amongst our employees.

Festival celebrations and bashes
Involving families in celebrations and other family-oriented programs
In-house sports tournaments
A well-stocked in-house library

3. Leadership Connect

Regular interactions between employees and leaders across the organization not only help you understand the company vision better, but also provide valuable feedback and ideas for our leaders.

4. Rewards and Recognitions

Rewards at Kotak Bank mean more than just a pat on the back. With a wide array of recognition programs, we ensure that no achievement goes unnoticed, while also giving tangible rewards to our best employees. These include:

Kotak RACE– Recognition And Career Enhancement (RACE) – For our entire salesforce
I-Applaud – An online platform that provides informal recognition from colleagues
Long Service Awards – Celebrating the loyalty and dedication towards the Kotak Bank

5. Doing My Bit (Corporate Social Responsibility)

At Kotak Bank, we give our employees the opportunity to make a difference not only within the organization, but also to the society at large. You can read more about our CSR activities here

Calling All Chartered Accountants

It doesn’t take an audit to recognize that this is a great opportunity.

The Kotak Mahindra Group is looking for both fresh and experienced chartered accountants to join its Internal Audit teams in Mumbai and Delhi.

You may apply if you fit any of the following criteria:

Conduct independent audits for specific business units.
Conduct internal audits and control reviews of banks operations and select subsidiaries.
Identify any process gaps and bring it to the attention of the team leader (Audits).
Handle specific areas of banking operations entrusted to you, from start to finish.
Interact with the bank’s outsourced team of auditors and consultants.
Support the team leader in preparing reports and presentations for various audit committees.
Gain and share knowledge.

Here’s what we’re looking for:

Good analytical and interpersonal skills.
Good oral and written communication skills.
An ability to work well as part of a team.
A highly motivated, proactive approach to work.
A willingness to travel frequently. Say two weeks a month, on average.

Growth Story (Re-Hire)

“They say that your workplace can often become like a home away from home. Kotak has always felt that way, so returning to work here was the easiest thing. Here, I’ve found a company that gives you the space to nurture your entrepreneurial spirit, that backs you all the way and encourages you to venture into unchartered territory. This is a place for the self-starter. If you demonstrate the willingness to walk the extra mile, Kotak will partner you all the way. You have the room to make mistakes and learn from them so you can grow with the company.

On a personal level, what I truly admire about the senior leadership here is their humility, approachability and respect for employees. When it comes to the Kotak values, they truly walk the talk. You can be assured that if you have a view on what is the right for the company, you will be heard by those who matter, right from your manager to the Presidents. What makes the company truly special is how everyone at every level rolls up their sleeves and joins hands to get the job done. That is what I love about this place…this feeling that ‘No matter what, we’re in it together’. That’s the Kotak spirit.”

Beyond the glass ceiling

Review Mechanism:

To ensure that gender diversity is on the agenda of our leadership, we have a robust review mechanism in place. It is supervised by the top management at Kotak, which includes Uday Kotak, Dipak Gupta and Shanti Ekambaram. The objective of this review is to keep them updated on the initiatives planned, and see how many of them have been executed successfully. Gaps are identified and corrected, and when intervention is necessary, these leaders wield their influence to ensure that the company’s diversity goals are met. As a direct result of this process, attrition among women has gone down from 22% in the last financial year to 19% in the current one. A vast number of women employees have also moved up in their careers, through the development programs implemented.

Here’s what the women who’ve benefited from these initiatives have to say:

“It is a function of interest on the part of women and the choices they make. Globally, too, people are talking about how to increase penetration of women in the asset management space. But the same themes of stress and family keep coming up everywhere, whether abroad or in India.”
- Lakshmi Iyer, CIO (Debt) and Head of Product

“The Womentoring session was extremely enriching and motivating. It was very helpful to discuss all the practical aspects of balancing work and home. The experiences shared by Shanti madam will surely help each of us when we’re taking critical decisions. The session was a great source of inspiration, and will us achieve more both professionally and personally.” - Nivedita S Kumar, Trade PSM, Transaction Banking Group

Kotak Values

Over the years, our five core values have served as our compass, guiding us on our quest to become the best in the business. By putting these values into action day after day, we continue to delight our customers and help our employees grow.

Down to Earth and Approachable

Mutual Respect and Transparency

Passion to Achieve

Entrepreneurial Approach

Ethical with a governance mindset

Down to Earth and Approachable
We are simple, straightforward, unpretentious and accessible people who deliver a consistently outstanding performance. Our approachability reflects in our attitude towards leadership as well. We are not driven by power or command control, but by cooperation and collaboration. Walk in through our doors, and you¹ll find a warm, humane workplace that engages positively with customers and colleagues.

Mutual Respect and Transparency
We nurture an environment that¹s transparent and ethical. One where everyone¹s dignity is upheld, and every contribution is valued. We offer equal opportunities for all our employees to shine and grow.

Passion to Achieve
We¹re all about the results. With our sound business acumen, enthusiasm and positive attitude, we get the job done well, quickly and in accordance with all processes.

Entrepreneurial Approach
We sense and seize great opportunities, creating businesses, products and solutions of value for our customers, stakeholders and society at large. We do so with a high degree of process discipline, by operating within defined parameters while executing these new ideas or initiatives.

Ethical with a governance mindset
We believe in doing business in an ethical manner. We are committed to ensuring that we operate within the defined process and business parameters, and we adhere to regulations and operational guidelines every step of the way.

Beware of fraudulent jobs

Kotak Mahindra Bank does not ask for any money from potential recruits. Readers and/or interested/prospective candidates should be cautious about any correspondence or person who promises them a job/job interview in return for money.

Proceed

The Kotak experience – A journey of true professional entrepreneurship

The day I was hired was that of surprise. A day when I realised that a new organisation was willing to experiment with me on a role which I was very keen to prove myself in but had no prior experience of. 3 roles later the journey still continues – that of taking up new responsibilities, of challenging the norm, of having the autonomy to steer your ship the way you want with the final destination in mind.

One of my first mentors had mentioned that Kotak is a place where they will tell you the goal and then allow you complete autonomy to reach that goal in a manner which you feel best with the given resources. And every day has been mostly that. Keeps you on your toes and keeps you going. The best part of the autonomy is that if you ever holler for help and need guidance, the organisation is full of colleagues right upto the most senior of them that have a true open door policy. They will guide you, help you course correct and set your ship in the right direction. It is just like running your own business albeit in a professional environment. Not a single day has gone by which would require one to think of how to keep motivated and excited.

Joining as a RM in ECG in 2003 (with a background in audit only), moving to Area Head and then Regional Head by 2009 was a fulfilling journey. Then I moved into a completely different role in the Business Head’s office at Corporate Bank, handling multiple responsibilities till 2015. And from there into the current role of leading the service vertical for our customers across all Wholesale Bank businesses. Every day, Every profile, every experience filled with stories of success, adrenaline of achievements and trumpets of recognition.

14 years and counting they would normally say. But who counts when the journey is filled with so much of excitement!!!