Five Chartered Accountants in India who became successful CEOs
In India, Chartered Accountancy (CA) is one of the most sought-after career options. The three-level CA program is offered by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). It is a prestigious and rewarding profession. A career in accountancy is also considered one of the best routes to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) role. Here are five CAs who became successful CEOs in India.
Naina Lal Kidwai, one of India's most powerful women in finance and a well-known Chartered Accountant, is the former CEO and Country Head of HSBC India. She is also a former President of the FICCI. She is currently the Chairman of Altico Capital and Max Financial Services. Kidwai was honored with the Padma Shri in 2007 for her contributions to trade and industry.
Keki Mistry, the Vice Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), is a Fellow Member of the ICAI (FCA). Mistry, who began his career with the leading hotel chain, The Indian Hotels Company, joined HDFC in 1981. After serving in various roles at the Mumbai-headquartered financial services company, he was appointed as the Vice Chairman & CEO in 2010.
Aditya Puri, Managing Director & CEO of HDFC Bank, is also a Chartered Accountant. He is ranked among the world's top CEOs and powerful bankers. He has been working in the banking sector for over four decades in India and several other countries. He also served as the CEO of Citibank in Malaysia from 1992-94 before returning to India as HDFC Bank's Managing Director.
Krish Iyer, the President & Chief Executive Officer of leading global retail chain Walmart's India unit, is an Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) of the ICAI. Before becoming the CEO of Walmart India, he also served as the Senior Vice-President at Walmart International in the US. Notably, he is also an Associate Company Secretary (ACS) of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI).
Rajesh Magow is the co-founder and CEO (India) of MakeMyTrip, India's leading online travel company headquartered in Gurugram. He is also a qualified Chartered Accountant. Before taking over the role of the CEO, he had served in many senior positions at the travel company, including the CFO and COO. Notably, he is also an Independent Director at Flipkart, the country's leading e-commerce company.
