V. Shankar is Group Executive Director and a member of the Board of Standard Chartered PLC. Based in Dubai, he is the CEO – Europe, Middle East, Africa and Americas. He also serves as Executive Chairman of Principal Finance and Chairman of the Private Bank. He is Non-Executive Director of Majid Al Futtaim Holdings LLC.

Before joining Standard Chartered Bank in September 2001, Shankar was with Bank of America in Asia and USA for 19 years and his last position was as Managing Director - Head of Asia-Pacific Investment Banking and Chief Executive Officer of BA Asia Limited based in Hong Kong. 

Shankar completed his Masters in Business Administration at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and a Bachelors degree majoring in Physics at the Loyola College, Madras. He was a member of the task force constituted in 1995 by the Treasurer of the State of California to solidify the State's position as a financial centre for the Pacific Rim. 

In addition to his responsibilities at Standard Chartered, Shankar is a member of the Board of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore and Board of Trustees of SINDA. He is also a member of the Singapore Government’s National Integration Council.  

Shankar is married with one son and his interests include golf, cricket, tennis and modern art.