Bank of Baroda digital lending head steps down following RBI ban

In the wake of the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) ban on new customer onboarding on the ‘bob World’ app, Akhil Handa has stepped down from his role as the head of digital lending at Bank of Baroda (BoB). The bank disclosed Handa’s resignation in a regulatory filing. This move comes as a response to significant supervisory concerns raised by the RBI over alleged manipulation of the app.

Following this development, BoB announced Kadgatoor Sheetal Venkatesmurt as Handa’s successor. The bank has also suspended officials implicated in the alleged manipulation, adhering to the RBI directive. This shake-up in leadership and personnel indicates BoB’s commitment to addressing the concerns raised by the central banking institution.

The ‘bob World’ app had been a significant part of BoB’s digital strategy, with Handa leading its operations until his recent resignation. The bank is now expected to work towards resolving the issues that led to the RBI’s ban in order to resume normal operations.

InvestingPro Insights

In light of the recent events at Bank of Baroda (BoB), it’s essential to take a look at some key metrics and insights from InvestingPro. According to InvestingPro data, BoB has a market capitalization of $910.36 million and an adjusted P/E ratio of 194.01 as of Q3 2023. Despite a challenging year, the bank’s stock is trading at 84.27% of its 52-week high, indicating some resilience in the face of adversity.

InvestingPro Tips shed further light on BoB’s performance. The bank has seen accelerating revenue growth and consistently increasing earnings per share, suggesting a strong operational performance. However, analysts have expressed concerns over the bank’s low earnings quality and weak gross profit margins. Despite these issues, BoB is still a prominent player in the banking industry, and its valuation implies a poor free cash flow yield, which could be an area of focus for the new leadership.

InvestingPro’s comprehensive platform offers numerous additional tips and insights for BoB and other companies. These insights can provide valuable context and guidance for investors navigating the ever-changing financial landscape.

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