Slice said it has appointed Eugene Emmanuel Karthak, former executive director of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), as part-time chairman and independent director on its bank's board.

Karthak earlier served on the board of slice’s parent company Garagepreneurs Internet Pvt Ltd (GIPL) prior to its banking merger with North East Small Finance Bank last year.

Karthak's "continuation with the bank shows stability during a critical growth phase for the company," said slice in a statement.

With over 30 years at the RBI, he held leadership positions across the Information Technology and Corporate Services departments, and also served as Regional Director in Delhi and Bengaluru, strengthening compliance and policy execution across multiple institutions. During his career, he also participated in several high-level committees of the central bank.

Beyond RBI, Karthak has held governance roles at Andhra Bank (as RBI Nominee Director) and Jana Small Finance Bank (as Independent Director). 

Currently, Karthak heads the Indian Institute of Bank Management, and sits on the Governing Council of CAFRAL, Mumbai, both key institutions in India’s financial training and research ecosystem.

Slice was founded by Rajan Bajaj in 2016. Slice started as a fintech simplifying credit for young Indians and has since grown into a digital-first bank, offering UPI credit cards, branches in major cities, and inclusive financial services nationwide.

The appointment comes as slice expands its banking footprint with recent physical branches in Bengaluru and Gurugram, alongside the rollout of its UPI-linked credit card.

 "slice’s vision of digital-first, inclusive banking represents a transformative opportunity," said Karthak.

Rajan Bajaj, founder and executive director of slice, said the addition of Karthak brings unmatched expertise in regulation, governance, and inclusion.

 

"His guidance will help us strengthen trust, compliance, and innovation as we continue building India’s most loved bank," he noted.