For many banking organisations, he not only charted the path towards progress, but also lent a vision that promises to reap in benefits for a long way to come. Meet the visionary, M.V. Nair, CMD, Union Bank of India. A professional Banker with more than three decades of experience in Banking Mavila Vishwanathan Nair took over as Chairman & Managing Director of Union Bank of India on 1st April 2006.

He has worked up the ladder of success through his sheer tenacity, hardwork and dedication. He began his career at Corporation bank where he traversed through several rungs, holding key positions in the operational banking as the Regional Head & Zonal Head and later as General Manager (Marketing) at their Corporate Office. He has to his credit a unique feat of introducing and implementing 'Cash Management System', for the first time in Indian Public Sector Banks. Nair, always a man of few words and more actions, had also successfully piloted various initiatives, while at the Bank, viz. establishing the ATM network & other Electronic Delivery Channels, tie up with Life Insurance Corporation of India & foray into selling of third party products, to name a few.

During his tenure of over 20 months from August 2004 at Dena Bank, both as Executive Director and later as Chairman & Managing Director, he had led the team in successfully making a turnaround in the bank, having conceptualized three Growth Engines viz. Agriculture, Retail & SME, supported by well laid strategies on Human Resources Management and Monitoring of Advances. The strategies had yielded remarkable results in the shortest possible time, which had enabled the bank not only in achieving phenomenal growth in these segments but also in improving financial results.

The landmark achievement, though, during his stint at Dena Bank was a successful reengineering of the Human Capital to build a strong base for future growth and survival in a highly competitive service industry. The innovative 'Memorandum of Understanding' with the Staff Unions & Associations of the bank, on employee participation in business growth was adjudged as one of the best practices in the Public Sector Banks. The initiative on employee participation was further carried forward in building a shared Vision of the Bank for the year 2010 i.e. to 'Position the Bank as the most preferred bank of customer choice in its area of operations by its reputation & performance'. The Vision 2010 was formally adopted and launched by the Bank on 15th Feb 06.

The innovations in Banking were further exemplified by Nair, through several key strategic initiatives that are not only envisaged to further the development in rural areas but will also immensely help positioning the bank, also as a trusted Bank for Rural Masses. Nair can now look at turning the fortunes of the Union Bank of India. And with the financial prudence that he possesses, that should not be a difficult at all.