Experience & Activities

Narendra Deshmukh is a seasoned business leader with over 36 years of experience spanning banking, fintech, education, and technology services. An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad and VJTI Mumbai, and a certified Independent Director from IICA, he combines strategic insight with operational excellence. As Co-founder of Optima Knowledge Ventures, he currently advises organizations and mentors entrepreneurs, supporting business growth and leadership development.

Narendra has held senior leadership roles at Standard Chartered Bank, Electronic Payment Services, and Nucsoft, where he led pan-India operations, large-scale digital transformation initiatives, and strengthened governance frameworks. His deep understanding of risk, technology integration, and cross-functional leadership has consistently driven sustainable results.

A strong advocate of capability building, Narendra is also an active speaker, mentor, and published writer on leadership and innovation. His collaborative style, integrity, and foresight make him well-positioned to lead an organization through transformation, stakeholder alignment, and long-term value creation.