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10 EGMiM Stories - Rakesh Jha

10 years, 10 questions, 10 profiles, every 10th of the month...

Meet our EGMiM alumnus Rakesh Jha

Faculty members were simply outstanding in the delivery of the content as they helped me build on complex concepts in a simple manner.

Rakesh Jha

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Tell us about yourself.

My career spans 26 accomplished years across various disciplines in Retail and Commercial Banking and Wealth Management in multinational, multicultural, multi-ethnic and challenging environments holding senior leadership positions with leading banks in India, the Middle East and Africa. These include Bank of America, HDFC Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Barclays Bank. I am currently practicing as a Financial Services Consultant in the space of Capital Markets and Wealth Management and have co-founded a fintech platform which promotes the consumption of services on easy instalments.

I was the Managing Director for Barclays Bank of Uganda Limited and responsible for consolidating its position with clients within the market - making it within the Top 3 banks in 2019. During this period the bank has been at the forefront in introducing innovative technology and customer centric innovation in the market. I also served as the Vice Chairman of the Uganda Bankers Association from Oct 2016 until April 2019 and was instrumental in launching an interoperable Agent Banking platform for the industry.

Prior to that, I was the Managing Director of Barclays Bank Seychelles Ltd for three years. I oversaw the digitalisation of the Bank’s services, extending the banks reach to under-banked areas of the country. 

What’s your current job?

After 25 years in the corporate world, I decided to give it up and step into the world of entrepreneurship. I am now involved in a few ventures that are based on my decades of experience in the field of banking and finance.

I am currently boot strapped in a Fintech project in India which is creating a marketplace for merchants and their clients who wish to use of their services on one side and banks and non-banks (lending institutions) as counter parties. We are now operational in two cities within India and will be broadening into new cities and expanding a few new product lines such as small ticket investments and small ticket remittances.

I am also part of a venture in Dubai which provides private wealth solutions through leading banks in Europe and Singapore for Ultra High net worth individuals. I am in the business of raising growth capital, both debt and equity for clients across Africa and Asia.

I am also serving as an advisor on the board of a PE firm focused on Africa based financial services and a blockchain based Islamic Fintech focused on delivering Sharia compliant products, both based out of Dubai.

Why did you choose to study the EGMiM programme?

Two decades after doing my MBA I felt the need to hit the reboot button and refresh my concepts. Since I was the CEO of a large institution based out of Africa, I also felt the need to explore gaps in my leadership. We were also undergoing a huge transition at our group level given the exit of the main shareholder and resultant change in our brand name which would have required me to deliver leadership at a different level.

How has EGMiM benefitted your career?

Being part of the course helped me refresh my concepts in a completely different setting and context. Travelling to Bengaluru and Beijing was a great learning exercise. Some faculty members were simply outstanding in the delivery of the content as they helped me build on complex concepts in a simple manner.

What are your future career plans? 

Given that I am on my entrepreneurial journey I see myself staying committed to the projects and enterprise. My biggest vision through these ventures is to help change lives of people positively and build at least one Unicorn out of these.

What is your best memory of EGMiM?

Many a time in academic programmes the teaching faculties get a lot of credit, and the support crew get ignored. The team (Becky and Cleo) made my experience even sweeter. Their continued involvement during the programme, especially ensuring seamless conduct of the overseas modules, was commendable.

What was your favourite module and why?

The modules on Finance and Marketing were my favourite modules due to simplicity with which complex subject matters were delivered.

Who was your favourite academic and why? 

My favourite academic is Dr. Connson Locke due to the mastery she commands over her subject matter.

If EGMiM was a car, what would it be? 

Rolls-Royce, as the prestige it holds is recognised worldwide. It also has a sense of constant innovation, with a never say die attitude, as even in dire straits, they kept on trying, and are the company they are today.

Name three personality traits of an EGMiM student...

Thinkers, Tenacious, Curious