Rajendra Bhalerao has taken over as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Central Bank of India, marking a significant addition to the bank’s leadership team. In his new role, Bhalerao will oversee the bank’s information security strategy and implementation, helping to fortify its cybersecurity infrastructure in an increasingly digital financial landscape. With over 20 years of deep-rooted experience in information security, risk management, and digital payment security, he is expected to play a key role in strengthening the bank’s overall cyber resilience.
With a strong track record of leading cybersecurity strategy in both private and public financial institutions, Bhalerao’s appointment is seen as a move to further enhance Central Bank of India’s information security maturity and readiness. His vast experience in securing complex banking environments positions him well to tackle evolving threats in the financial services sector.
Before joining Central Bank of India, Bhalerao served as the CISO at Scotiabank for more than four years. During his tenure, he was instrumental in advancing the bank’s security posture through various initiatives tailored to meet global cybersecurity standards. Prior to that, he held the same position at SBM Bank (India) and Paytm Payments Bank, where he led several initiatives focused on enhancing security governance and digital risk frameworks.
He also had a notable stint at the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), where he contributed to the security of the country’s fast-growing digital payment ecosystem. His work at NPCI helped bolster the organization’s defenses against cyber threats at a time when digital transactions were gaining rapid momentum.
Earlier in his career, Bhalerao held leadership roles at IndusInd Bank, where he was actively involved in implementing robust security controls. In addition to his corporate responsibilities, he was closely associated with the ISACA Mumbai Chapter. There, he spearheaded initiatives related to key cybersecurity standards and technologies, including PCI-DSS compliance, Security Operations Center (SOC) management, Web Application Firewall (WAF) deployment, and ISO27001 certification support.
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