Target Group has appointed Shashi Bhat as chairman to oversee its next phase of growth across financial services and other regulated sectors.

Bhat (pictured) brings more than 30 years of experience in financial services, with a particular focus on digital transformation, business strategy and operational change.

He spent much of his career with Citibank, where he twice held senior roles including head of digital banking for the EMEA region.

During his time at Citi, Bhat led large-scale digital transformation projects across 10 countries, encompassing both retail and wealth management divisions. These included a complete overhaul of the bank’s technology infrastructure and a shift from physical distribution to digital self-service.

He left the bank in 2017 to establish his own consultancy, advising tier one banks, wealth managers and start-ups on digital and operational transformation. He also works with firms on product development and go-to-market strategies, and has acted as an adviser to Tech Mahindra – Target Group’s parent company – on its banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) operations.

In his new role, Bhat will work closely with Target’s executive committee to help the business achieve its strategic objectives and expand its reach in the UK and internationally.

Speaking on his appointment, Bhat said: “I am excited to join Target and help realise the fabulous potential the business has to offer. There is so much going for it with its breadth of capabilities and there’s much we can achieve, particularly with such a great culture and a strong and motivated team in place.

“On top of that is the depth – not just as an FCA-regulated entity, but also of its understanding of BFSI being stronger than most outsourcers will have.”