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 Punjab National Bank has been a pioneering user of IT among all public sector banks. And leading the charge from the front is RIS Sidhu, General Manager - IT, PNB, who’s making sure that people get the best technology at the cheapest price. Sanjay Gupta and Faiz Askari find more.
Career
progression: A gold medalist in B.Com and MA – Economics, Sidhu also holds CAIIB from the Indian Institute of Bankers (IIB) and PG Diploma in Bank Management from the National Institute of Bank Management, Pune. He joined Punjab National Bank in March 1971 and has since had a rich experience of handling various banking assignments as Chief Manager, Regional Manager, Senior Regional Manager, and Deputy General Manager.
Current assignment: About two years back, Sidhu took charge of his current responsibility of running the bank’s IT division. His core responsibility is to leverage the best possible technology at best possible cost for the organization so that more and more people can use the bank’s services with the help of technology.
Some IT endeavors so far: Expanded the scope of core banking solution (Finacle from Infosys) to cover more than 80% business of PNB; Driven various value additions to alternate delivery channels like ATMs and Internet banking; initiated the Data Warehousing project, one of its only kind amongst public sector banks; launched online trading facility for shares, mutual funds, etc.; multi-lingual screens for ATMs; strengthened information security consistently to safeguard the interest of the customer.
Biggest challenge (banking operations): It was a difficult time when we were facing some tough time in Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir, running banking operations in the toughest areas.
Biggest challenge (technology): Managing the vast network of PNB’s 4,500 outlets. The immediate big challenge is to extend the Finacle platform to cover 100% of banking business. A continuing challenge is to put in place robust and user-friendly technology at low costs both for employees and customers.
Best deployment at PNB: Successful and very useful implementation of enterprise management tool (Unicenter from CA).
Next on agenda: There are several initiatives currently underway at PNB. These include deployment of an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system at its call center; setting up of a Security Operations Center (SOC) and a near-site data center; and extending the reach of banking through handheld terminals to the remotest corners in North India through government-supported “financial inclusion” program.
Reading habits: Sidhu is an avid reader of English literature, especially of books by Charles Dickens.
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