Vikram Sahu, who quietly assumed the role of India Country Executive on June 1, has now been formally elevated to Chief Executive Officer of Bank of America N.A. (BANA) in India following RBI approval, as revealed in an internal memo circulated to employees. He succeeds Kaku Nakhate, the long-serving CEO who led the franchise for 15 years and shaped its growth in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets. Sahu will report directly to Jin Su, president of Asia Pacific at Bank of America, and continue overseeing the bank’s strategic roadmap in the country.

In his expanded role, Sahu will chair BANA’s local management team (LMT), remain a member of the Asia Pacific Executive Committee, and retain chairmanship of the India Country Leadership Team (CLT). Since June, he has already been steering governance, regulatory engagement, client outreach, and the bank’s “responsible growth” agenda across the India franchise. The internal communication praised his leadership in guiding the country leadership team during the transition period.

Kaku Nakhate, a veteran of Indian investment banking, transitions to the ceremonial yet strategic role of Chair of BofA Securities India, where she will focus on nurturing relationships with marquee clients. Nakhate had joined Bank of America in 2010 after a one-year stint at JP Morgan and nearly two decades at DSP Merrill Lynch. Her 15-year tenure as CEO coincided with significant expansion of Bank of America’s footprint in corporate banking, markets, and transaction services in India.

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Sahu brings over 25 years of global markets experience, having previously headed global equity research for Bank of America in New York. A St Stephen’s College and US master’s degree alumnus, he has worked across Hong Kong, the United States, and Europe before returning to India. Business Standard had first reported in March that Sahu was slated to take the top job, though RBI clearance for the CEO title was pending until now.

Bank of America operates in India through three entities: Bank of America N.A. India (the banking branch), BofA Securities India (the brokerage arm), and B.A. Continuum India (the technology and operations center). With Sahu now formally at the helm, the US Banking Giant signals continuity and renewed ambition in the world’s fifth-largest economy.

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