Manish Kothari Resigns from Kotak Mahindra Bank After 31 Years
Manish Kothari has resigned as Group President and Head of Commercial Banking at Kotak Mahindra Bank after nearly 31 years with the group.
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Manish Kothari, Group President and Head of Commercial Banking at Kotak Mahindra Bank, has resigned after nearly 31 years with the group. His resignation will take effect at the close of business on September 30, 2026.
Kothari said in his resignation letter that he plans to pursue opportunities outside Kotak, including a possible entrepreneurial venture. He had discussed his plans with Managing Director and CEO Ashok Vaswani several months ago and worked with the bank’s leadership on the transition.
The bank has integrated the commercial banking portfolio handled by Kothari into its retail and institutional business segments as part of the transition.
Kothari joined the Kotak group more than three decades ago and has been part of its senior leadership for over 15 years. He became head of commercial banking in 2022, overseeing businesses including agricultural and rural finance, logistics and infrastructure finance, microcredit and gold loans.
In his resignation, Kothari said he was leaving with “immense pride” in what he had helped build at Kotak.
The exit comes as Kotak Mahindra Bank is undergoing a broader leadership transition. Vaswani has decided not to seek reappointment after his current term ends on December 31, 2026. The bank has recommended Anup Saha and Paritosh Kashyap as potential successors, subject to regulatory approval.
Manish Kothari, Group President and Head of Commercial Banking at Kotak Mahindra Bank, has resigned after nearly 31 years with the group. His resignation will take effect at the close of business on September 30, 2026.
Kothari said in his resignation letter that he plans to pursue opportunities outside Kotak, including a possible entrepreneurial venture. He had discussed his plans with Managing Director and CEO Ashok Vaswani several months ago and worked with the bank’s leadership on the transition.
The bank has integrated the commercial banking portfolio handled by Kothari into its retail and institutional business segments as part of the transition.
Kothari joined the Kotak group more than three decades ago and has been part of its senior leadership for over 15 years. He became head of commercial banking in 2022, overseeing businesses including agricultural and rural finance, logistics and infrastructure finance, microcredit and gold loans.
In his resignation, Kothari said he was leaving with “immense pride” in what he had helped build at Kotak.
The exit comes as Kotak Mahindra Bank is undergoing a broader leadership transition. Vaswani has decided not to seek reappointment after his current term ends on December 31, 2026. The bank has recommended Anup Saha and Paritosh Kashyap as potential successors, subject to regulatory approval.
