MAM
Zeno appoints Ketan Pote as national practice lead- technology & reputation
Mumbai: Global integrated communications agency Zeno India announced the appointment of Ketan Pote in dual roles as head of the Mumbai office and the national practice lead- technology and reputation. This appointment is intended to spearhead the growth of the company’s Mumbai operations and to establish a strong technology and reputation practice in India.
With more than 18 years of deep experience in tech and reputation comms, Pote will play a pivotal role in expanding its technology practice in the booming digital transformation wave, helping clients manage their reputation in the dynamic, always-on, conversation environment. Based in Mumbai, Pote reports to Zeno India managing director Rekha Rao.
“Zeno is truly a new-age agency, converting data into compelling, platform-agnostic strategies and ideas. I am excited about the prospect of continuously learning new ways of delivering impactful communications to our clients while rounding these up with my nearly two decades of experience, and of course the fearless philosophy,” said Ketan Pote.
Pote has handled the communications mandates of leading global technology & B2B corporate brands including AWS, Infosys, Oracle, Veeam, CA Technologies, McAfee, A10 Networks, manufacturing companies like SKF, Kirloskar Motors, Parag Foods, and corporates like Sony Sports, Skechers etc. He also led the India corporate communications division for NASDAQ-listed Lionbridge Technologies.
“Ketan’s experience adds strength to the Mumbai office while also expanding our expertise in the B2B and enterprise technology space. His deep understanding of the business, clients and industry communication trends, makes him a great asset, both for the agency as well as our clients,” said Zeno Group India MD Rekha Rao.
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
