slice Small Finance Bank (slice SFB) has appointed retired IAS officer and former IMF Senior Advisor, K.V. Eapen, as an Independent Director on its Board, strengthening the bank’s focus on Northeast India. Mr. Eapen, with 35 years of experience in public administration, financial policy, and institutional governance, has served in key roles across Assam and Meghalaya, including as Secretary of the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER) and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, overseeing national financial inclusion programmes.
His international experience at the International Monetary Fund, coupled with prior board positions in public sector banks like Union Bank of India, positions him to provide strategic guidance on governance, policy, and sustainable growth. “slice’s mission to expand banking access in the Northeast through digital innovation and local presence is a powerful model for inclusive growth,” Mr. Eapen said.
slice SFB has rapidly expanded in the region, creating over 400 jobs and opening branches in Wokha, Bawngkawn, and Serchhip, while deepening outreach to MSMEs, women, youth, and first-time borrowers. The bank has witnessed strong local uptake, with urban and semi-urban customers increasingly leveraging digital banking solutions alongside branch-based services, reflecting a growing demand for accessible, regionally tailored financial products. MD & CEO Satish Kumar Kalra added that Mr. Eapen’s appointment reinforces slice SFB’s commitment to inclusive, future-ready banking with regional empathy and national impact.