Prachanda Bahadur Shrestha elected CBFIN president

KATHMANDU: Prachanda Bahadur Shrestha, chairman of Himalayan Bank, has been unanimously elected president of Confederation of Banks and Financial Institutions Nepal (CBFIN). At the same meeting the executive committee also unanimously nominated NMB Bank Chairman Manoj Kumar Goyal as general secretary, and Laxmi Sunrise Bank Chairman Raman Nepal as treasurer.

The presidency became vacant after former president Upendra Prasad Poudel ceased to be a board member of Nabil Bank following that bank’s mid‑January general meeting; under CBFIN statute, executive committee membership ends when an individual is no longer on the board of their bank or financial institution.

Shrestha was nominated for the remainder of the term at the 15th executive committee meeting on January 20, which was chaired by acting president Rajesh Upadhyay. The 16th executive committee meeting, held the same day under Shrestha’s chairmanship, confirmed the appointments to the posts of general secretary and treasurer. The general secretary post was vacated by Shrestha’s elevation to president; the treasurer’s post had been vacant since the resignation of then‑NIC Asia Bank chairman Tulsiram Agrawal.

On taking office, Shrestha thanked the committee for its trust and said he would seek to uphold the legacy of Founding Chairman and President Emeritus Pawan Kumar Golyan and his immediate predecessor. He warned of growing challenges and insecurity in the banking sector and said CBFIN would prioritise close coordination with the Government of Nepal, the Ministry of Finance, Nepal Rastra Bank and private sector to protect common interests, restore public confidence and promote financial stability and sustainable development.

Goyal, a former executive committee member, brings extensive banking leadership experience, including senior roles at Nabil Bank, the former Bank of Kathmandu, Clean Energy Development Bank and the former Nepal Merchant Banking and Finance Company. Treasurer Raman Nepal, also a former committee member, has held senior positions such as director at Nepal Rastra Bank, director at the former Laxmi Bank and executive director of the Citizen Investment Trust.

CBFIN said the appointments were made in accordance with its statute, which requires vacant executive positions to be filled from among existing executive committee members of the relevant group or, if not possible, from the chairpersons of member banks and financial institutions.