HDFC Bank Ltd. has appointed Puneet Sharma as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), bringing on board a seasoned banking executive with more than two decades of experience spanning finance, treasury, strategy and capital management. He will assume charge as Chief Financial Officer from December 1, 2026.
Sharma is set to join India's largest private lender after serving as Group Chief Financial Officer at Axis Bank since March 2020. He resigned from the role on Sunday and will continue until August 31, according to an exchange filing.
In his resignation letter, Sharma reflected on his six-year tenure, saying his primary objective was to build a stronger finance function. "My core mandate was to build a strong team with deep functional strength, robust financial controls and reporting discipline, incorporate prudent financial practices, build a resilient balance sheet and improve shareholder trust. These objectives are now largely complete," Sharma wrote.
During his stint at Axis Bank, Sharma played a key role in several strategic initiatives, including the acquisition and integration of Citibank India's consumer business, capital raises that strengthened the bank's balance sheet, and increased investments in technology and digital banking. Besides heading finance, he also oversaw the bank's legal, secretarial, procurement and investor relations functions, becoming a key point of contact for institutional investors and analysts.
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Before joining Axis Bank, Sharma spent over 12 years at Tata Capital, rising to become Group Chief Financial Officer. In that role, he led finance, treasury, taxation, procurement, investor relations and corporate strategy across the Tata Group's financial services businesses.
Earlier in his career, Sharma worked at Citibank, where he handled treasury operations, cash management and risk monitoring, giving him deep exposure to corporate banking and financial markets. He also advised financial services clients as a consultant with Boston Consulting Group before beginning his career at Lovelock & Lewes, the predecessor to PwC in India.
A Chartered Accountant and Cost Accountant, Sharma also holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Mumbai and is an alumnus of the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad.
HDFC Bank said Sharma will serve as a Key Managerial Personnel under the Companies Act and meets the eligibility criteria prescribed under the Reserve Bank of India's Commercial Banks – Governance Directions, 2025 for appointment as chief financial officer. His appointment comes at a time when HDFC Bank continues to focus on post-merger integration, balance-sheet optimisation and sustaining growth in India's increasingly competitive banking sector.
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