Kidwai takes over HSBC reins

Naina Lal Kidwai has been appointed as chief executive officer of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd, India and country head of HSBC India.

Kidwai is expected to take over from the current chief executive officer (CEO) Niall S K Booker on May 5, subject to regulatory approval.

Booker is expected to take over as the deputy chairman and CEO of HSBC Bank, Middle East, and will be based out of the bank's Dubai office. Kidwai shared her plans in a short conservation with Business -Standard.

The agenda: We have a huge commitment to India and I will endeavour to enhance it further. India ranks among the top 20 countries which contribute to HSBC's global business. Micro-finance is one key area we would focus on, apart from being a large player in the asset management business.

On the India story: Our focus is now to increase our footprint across the tier-II and tier-III towns.

The roadmap: The banking sector has been strengthened by the best practices that foreign banks operating here bring to the fore. We have sustainable business models in China, Brazil, Mexico, et al. We now wish to replicate these models in a India but with a local flavour.