K. Ramakrishnan, Chairman and Managing Director of Andhra Bank has been a banker for last 35 years. In this vast career span, Ramakrishnan has held various assignments in Bank of India and rose to the position of General Manager. He took over as Executive Director of Bank of Baroda in August 2004. During his tenure in Bank of India, he worked in various branches in Hyderabad and parts of Andhra Pradesh. At senior level position at Bank of India, he was in charge of Information Technology department, operations, corporate services, subsidiary services etc. He was also Principal, Bank of India staff college, Andheri. A widely traveled man with academic bent of mind, Ramakrishnan had attended programmes at National Institute of Bank Management, Pune and Institute for Development Policy and Management, University of Manchester, UK. Prior to joining Andhra Bank, Ramakrishnan was the Chairman, Bank of Baroda (Kenya) ltd. and Chairman, Bank of Baroda Housing Finance Ltd. Andhra Bank, that was founded by Dr.Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya and registered on 20th November 1923, today boasts of business at over Rs.49,000 Crores with a Clientele base over 1.30 Crores. Ramakrishnan now oversees the bank's through its 1713 Business Delivery Channels, consisting of 1,179 branches, 142 Extension Counters, 354 ATMs and 38 Satelite Branches, spread over 21 States and 2 Union Territories.

The Bank has entered into Sharing Arrangements with State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, IDBI Bank, Indian Bank and UTI Bank, offering over 9,000 ATMs spread across the Country for use by Customers. Instant Funds Transfer Facility is provided through Branches. All the Branches computerized, 850 branches networked under core banking solution providing 'Anywhere Banking'. This goes hand in hand with the theme of bank's logo that is 'Togetherness'. He said that the bank also intended to set up a branch in the US jointly with another bank though the location and the partner are yet to be decided. He is also planning to open an office in Dubai. During the current year, 20-25 branches may be opened in the country. The bank that already sells insurance products, will soon sell LIC products too. Andhra Bank will launch a mobile ATM bus, which will also open its window to customer banking soon. Unlike most people who would contend with personal success, Ramakrishnan is looking forward to an integrated growth for the country and not just the bank. Taking a step in that direction, he plans to set up three more institutes for rural development - two in Andhra Pradesh and one in Orissa, in addition to the existing six. The new institutes would be located at Eluru and Guntur in Andhra Pradesh and Berhampur in Orissa. At present, the bank has five such institutes in Andhra Pradesh and one in Kerala. Farmers are trained in the latest technologies at these institutes and the rural women are imparted the requisite skills for self-employment.