Vishnu Kant, General Manager of Government and

Corporate Banking at ICICI Bank Shares His Career

Advice on Banking Profession
AUGUST 6, 2018

Insights
1. Banking is a vast field. You have Retail/Branch Banking, Corporate and
Government Banking, Investment Banking etc. Each profession has its own pros
and cons.
 2. As Banking is dependent on Economy, therefore, one should be flexible and
adapt to changing Economy.
3. This profession provides for a lot of money and growth as the world is getting
even more dependent on banking.
4. However, it is a very system-oriented & guidelines-driven profession, so many
may find this profession boring after some years of experience.

Personal Details
Name – Vishnu Kant
Profession – General Manager of Govt. and Corporate Banking at ICICI Bank
Age – 48 years
Gender – Male
City – New Delhi
Industry – Banking
LinkedIn – ​https://www.linkedin.com/in/kantvishnu/

Where have you been born and raised?

I was born and raised in Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. I have one elder brother and one
elder sister. After my schooling, I went to the University of Roorkee (now called ​IIT
Roorkee​) for engineering.
My mother was a school teacher in ​JAV Girls Inter College​. My father served in the UP
government as a Block Development Officer. That is a part of the administration at a
block level.

Who all had the most influence on you and how?

My biggest inspiration was my maternal uncle; a successful businessman who rose
from a very humble background and studied in the best colleges and managed to set up
a global business in those days. That is why I always look up to him.

Please give us a summary of your career.

I did my Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering from IIT Roorkee in 1990. After
which, I worked at ​HPCL​ for two years.
In 1992, I did MBA from ​Faculty of Management Studies​, Delhi University.
Then, I joined as an Assistant Branch Manager at ​GLFL Limited​ where I worked till
October 1998. Then I was a Leasing Manager at ​Xerox​ until August 2000.
Then I joined as Assistant Vice President at ​Citi group​. In 2004, I was promoted to Vice
President and I stayed there till 2006.
Then I joined as Director at ​Standard Chartered Bank​. In May 2010, I joined ​ICICI Bank
as their Joint General Manager in Corporate and government banking.

Which institutes are best for the education/training of this profession?

If one wants to get into banking, one should look at the institutes that give out degrees
in Economics, Commerce or Management. Some of the famous institutes that I can
think of are the University of Delhi and the Indian Institute of Management.

What are the costs associated with the education/training of this profession?
It depends from institute to institute. If it is DU, it should be around INR 15 thousand per
annum. For IIMs, it should be around INR 8 lakhs per annum. Private institutes cost
much higher.
What are the typical entry-level jobs in Banking?
After completing MBA you get various types of jobs at various levels. In banking, you
start as a junior or assistant manager.

What is the range of remuneration one can expect when starting out in your line
of career & industry?
5–10 years’ experience — 15 to 30 lakhs INR per annum
10–15 years’ experience — 50 lakhs INR per annum
20+ years’ experience — 75 lakhs INR per annum

Please describe your work.

I work 10 hours per day for 5 days a week. As a joint manager, my job is to solve simple
business issues and even complex market problems. I am also expected to resolve
team issues. I have to meet clients and government officials on a daily basis and work
towards maximum consumer satisfaction.

What are some of the positives, which would encourage someone to consider
this career/job?
1. One advantage of banking is the wide exposure that this job gives you especially
of the economy and the society.
2. You get an opportunity to manage large teams and large projects. It makes you
handle rough and tough situations.
3. The income is obviously really good.
4. There are several opportunities in this profession, so you will grow.

What are some of the challenges that you would want someone to be aware of
when considering this career/job?
1. I would say it is a little monotonous. It is highly system oriented. Everything is set
in stone and follows a system and you cannot work outside the system.
2. It is not adventure oriented. It does not provide you with the thrill of taking a risk.
3. Travel options are limited. You receive slim to none perks from the government.
 4. If you haven’t managed to reach a managerial level, your work as a clerk is not
only boring but less rewarding.

What are the relevant trends/skills/technologies that are currently commanding a

premium in your job profile?
One must be fully aware of the blockchain technology and fin tech which really helps in
this field.

What kind of person would be happy in your career?

A person who is sincere and disciplined and relatively grounded would definitely enjoy
this job.

Given another choice, what would you do differently as far as your professional
selections are concerned?
I would have set up a business of my own. I don’t really have an idea about what kind of
business though.

What would be your advice to students or professionals who are just starting
their journey on a path similar to yours?
For long-term success, you need deep and sincere efforts with patience that only pays.

​ urabhi Sanghi
Contributing Writer - S

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