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Airtel Payments Bank names Shabnam Sinha as new chairperson
Sinha to succeed Sunil Bharti Mittal from October 1 for three-year term
NEW DELHI: Airtel Payments Bank has appointed Shabnam Sinha as its new chairperson, succeeding Sunil Bharti Mittal, who will step down as non-executive chairman and leave the board effective September 30, 2026.
Sinha will assume the role for a three-year term from October 1, following her appointment by the board and approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Mittal, founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, was appointed non-executive chairman of Airtel Payments Bank in April 2016. During his tenure, the bank expanded its presence across consumer and enterprise businesses and became India’s largest payments bank by revenue.
The bank currently serves more than 121 million monthly active users and nearly 30 million bank account customers through the Airtel Thanks app and a network of more than 500,000 banking points. Airtel Payments Bank said its network is the largest in the country and reaches three out of four villages across India.
The bank has also emerged as India’s second-largest mobile bank and UPI Autopay player. One in five of its rural banking points is operated by women banking correspondents, reflecting its focus on financial inclusion.
“It has been a privilege to serve as Chairman of Airtel Payments Bank and witness its journey from an accessibility-focused effort into a trusted institution serving millions across urban and rural India,” said Bharti Enterprises founder and chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal.
Mittal said the bank had built one of India’s largest banking networks, expanded access to formal banking and delivered a safe, digital-first banking experience.
“I am confident that under Shabnam’s leadership, the Airtel Payments Bank will build on this foundation and further strengthen its position as one of India’s leading digital banking platforms,” he added.
Sinha currently serves as an independent director on Airtel Payments Bank’s board. She chairs the Special Committee of the Board for Monitoring Frauds and is a member of the Risk Management and IT Committees.
“I am honoured to assume this responsibility at Airtel Payments Bank at a time when digital financial services are becoming the backbone of India’s inclusive growth story,” said Shabnam Sinha.
Sinha said the bank had built a strong institution by combining technology with accessible banking and serving as a bridge to the formal economy for millions of Indians.
She brings more than three decades of leadership and board experience across development finance, financial services, public policy and institutional transformation.
Her career includes the World Bank, where she advised governments and institutions across Asia, Africa and Europe on governance, risk management and operational effectiveness.
Her expertise in financial inclusion, digital transformation and institution building will support Airtel Payments Bank as it enters its next phase of growth and innovation.
The leadership transition comes as Airtel Payments Bank continues to expand its digital banking ecosystem and nationwide reach, with Sinha set to take the helm from October.
