DBS Bank has appointed Kanika Pal as Senior Vice President and Head – Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), bringing extensive experience across sustainability, corporate social responsibility, livelihoods and policy leadership to the banking sector.
Pal joins DBS Bank following nearly five years with the World Economic Forum (WEF), where she most recently served as a Policy Leadership Council Member. Her experience at the global organisation adds a policy and stakeholder-engagement dimension to her new role, as she takes responsibility for driving the bank’s CSR initiatives.
Prior to her stint with the World Economic Forum, Pal spent more than eight years at Unilever, where she served as Sustainability Director (Social).
During her tenure at Unilever, she was involved in developing and evolving the company’s CSR livelihoods strategy, giving her significant experience in designing and implementing initiatives focused on social impact and sustainable livelihoods.
Her professional experience also includes participation in the broader corporate responsibility ecosystem. Pal serves as a Member of the CII National Committee on CSR, connecting her with industry-level discussions around corporate social responsibility and its role in community development.
Experience across journalism, policy and sustainability
Pal’s career has spanned multiple areas, including journalism, public policy and corporate sustainability.
Her move to DBS Bank brings these experiences together in a role focused on CSR, where her background in sustainability strategy, livelihoods and policy can contribute to the development of the bank’s social-impact initiatives.
The appointment comes at a time when corporate CSR programmes are increasingly being linked with broader sustainability goals, community development and livelihood creation. For financial institutions, CSR initiatives can also play a role in supporting communities through programmes focused on areas such as education, skills, financial inclusion and sustainable livelihoods.
With her experience across both corporate and global policy platforms, Pal is expected to bring a cross-sector perspective to DBS Bank’s CSR function.
Her previous work at Unilever provided direct experience in corporate sustainability and livelihoods, while her time at the World Economic Forum exposed her to international policy and leadership discussions. Her involvement with the CII National Committee on CSR has further strengthened her engagement with India’s corporate responsibility ecosystem.
A new leadership role in banking
As Senior Vice President and Head – CSR at DBS Bank, Pal will lead the organisation’s CSR initiatives and bring together her experience in social sustainability, corporate responsibility and policy leadership.
Her appointment marks a transition from roles focused on sustainability strategy and global policy engagement into a dedicated CSR leadership position within the banking sector.
The move also adds to DBS Bank’s leadership capabilities in the social-impact space, with Pal bringing more than a decade of experience across corporate sustainability, livelihoods, policy and related areas.
Pal’s career trajectory, from journalism and policy to corporate sustainability and now banking, reflects the increasingly interconnected nature of CSR, sustainability and social development in the corporate sector.
Author
About the Author
