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Shikha Sharma (Banker) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 14, 2026 • 4 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth19 November 1958

Age66 Years

ProfessionEconomist, Banker

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseSanjaya Sharma

FamilyChildren: Tilak Sharma (son), Tvisha Sharma (daughter)

Shikha Sharma (Banker) Biography

Shikha Sharma is an Indian economist and banker best known for leading Axis Bank as Managing Director and CEO from 2009 to 2018. A long-serving banking CEO

Early life and background
Shikha Sanjaya Sharma was born on 19 November 1958. The daughter of an Indian Army officer, she spent her childhood moving between schools and completed her schooling at Loreto Convent in Delhi. She holds a B.A. (Honours) in Economics from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Software Technology from the National Centre for Software Technology in Mumbai, and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Career
Shikha Sharma began her professional journey with the ICICI group in 1980 and built a nearly three-decade association with the organisation. During her time there she took on a range of roles across investment banking and retail finance, helped establish personal services units, and was involved in setting up ICICI Securities as a joint venture with J.P. Morgan. She later led ICICI Prudential Life Insurance as Managing Director and CEO from December 2000.

In June 2009 Sharma moved to Axis Bank, succeeding the outgoing CEO and taking on the role of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. Over her nine-year tenure she guided the bank’s transformation from a lender focused mainly on corporate lending and retail liabilities into a full-service financial institution with an emphasis on sustainable, profitable growth. Under her leadership Axis Bank achieved industry recognition and several corporate honours.

Her time at Axis also included rises in reported non-performing assets; gross NPAs increased from under 1 percent in March 2009 to over 5 percent by December 2017. Regulatory scrutiny and audits of reported loan figures occurred during her leadership, and the bank faced enforcement and investigatory activity around that period.

Sharma held multiple leadership roles beyond Axis Bank. She chaired Axis Bank UK Limited and several Axis Group companies including Axis Asset Management Company Limited, Axis Private Equity Limited, and Axis Capital Limited. She chaired the CII National Committee on Banking, served on RBI advisory committees related to financial inclusion and services for small businesses and low-income households, and was Co-Chairperson of FICCI’s Banking and Financial Institutions Committee for 2013–15. She also served on corporate boards as an independent director, including Tech Mahindra, Tata Global Beverages, Ambuja Cement, and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, and was a member of Visa’s Senior Client Council for the APCEMEA region.

Awards and recognition
During her career Sharma received numerous industry awards and recognitions. Honors listed for her include Banker of the Year by Business Standard, Best CEO - Private Sector at the Forbes India Leadership Awards, the AIMA JRD Tata Corporate Leadership Award, Business Today’s India’s Best Woman CEO, and multiple listings in rankings of powerful and influential businesswomen by outlets such as Forbes, Fortune, and Business Today. Axis Bank also received institutional awards and acknowledgements while she was CEO, including recognition for corporate governance and an industry ‘Bank of the Year’ accolade.

Later roles
The Reserve Bank of India did not grant an extension for a fourth term as Axis Bank’s MD, and Sharma stepped down from the CEO role on 31 December 2018. Shortly after leaving Axis Bank she took on advisory roles in the private sector: in February 2019 she joined global private equity firm KKR as an adviser, and the following year she was appointed as an adviser to Google Pay India.

Public profile
Shikha Sharma is known for a low-key, professional public persona. Her career has placed her in the spotlight as a long-serving female CEO in India’s banking sector. She has spoken publicly about the comparisons and pressures faced by women leaders and has been profiled in academic and business case studies recognizing corporate change under her leadership. Her personal interests listed include watching Hindi cinema, swimming, maintaining fitness, and short family holidays.

Personal life
Shikha Sharma married her IIM-A batchmate Sanjaya Sharma in 1982. The couple have two children: a son, Tilak, and a daughter, Tvisha. Her husband has held senior roles in industry, including leadership at Tata Interactive Systems and advisory responsibilities at KPMG India. Sharma’s family background includes two younger brothers who practice cardiology.

Latest updates
After leaving Axis Bank Sharma moved into advisory roles with major global and technology-focused organisations, joining KKR in early 2019 and later advising Google Pay India. In 2020 her daughter’s wedding was attended by several corporate leaders and former colleagues from the banking industry.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Shikha Sharma (Banker), send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Adviser, KKR & Co.

Joined global private equity firm KKR as an adviser in February 2019.

2019
Adviser, Google Pay India

Appointed adviser to Google Pay India in 2020.

2020
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Career Highlights

  1. Managing Director and CEO of Axis Bank Ltd. (2009–2018)
  2. Led Axis Bank’s transformation into a full-service financial institution
  3. Chair, CII National Committee on Banking; member of multiple RBI advisory panels
  4. Independent director on boards including Tech Mahindra, Tata Global Beverages, Ambuja Cement, and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories
  5. Recipient of multiple industry awards recognizing leadership in banking
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Shikha Sharma (Banker) born?

Shikha Sharma (Banker) was born on 19 November 1958.

What is Shikha Sharma (Banker) known for?

Shikha Sharma (Banker) is known for economist, Banker.

What is Shikha Sharma (Banker)’s marital status?

Shikha Sharma (Banker)'s marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Shikha Sharma (Banker) married to?

Shikha Sharma (Banker) is publicly listed as married to Sanjaya Sharma.