KURIAN JACOB
Head of NBK card division

-- By N.C.Mohandoss & Ashok kumar

“My Strength is a unique expertise in the Credit Card Business” says, Mr. Kurian Jacob, Head of NBK card division.

Kurian is from Kottayam District of Kerala, born in the Vellukunnel family with a plantation background. Father late Mr. V.V Jacob was himself a planter and even produced tea in the family owned tea factory.

After completing his M Sc (Physics) from St. Thomas College, Palai, Kurian joined Federal Bank in 1973, starting with Kerala based assignments. Later he moved to the Bank’s offices in Calcutta, Assam and Bombay, where he changed the job to join the credit card company Diners Club India in 1987. He then shifted to Standard Chartered Bank and was based in Bangalore to start the credit card business for the Bank. The success of the project led him to get into the international cadre accreditation in 1996 and was posted by the Bank in Manila, Philippines to start credit card business there.

In 1998, he was transferred to Hong Kong to handle the Y2k preparations of the Bank. Latter he was shifted to London as Head of credit card business in the Africa region. During his stay in London he had the opportunity to be in the Advisory Board of ‘CEMEA’ region of Visa International.

In 2002, he moved to his present employer NBK as Head of credit card division which is now the leading card business in the region. He is a steady, level headed person and ‘walk the floor’ is his management style. Direct staff contact and regular staff motivation is the highlights of his functional style.

Fishing is his hobby now, though he was quite active in sports during his college days with University level involvement in water polo. He also carried out numerous social service activities in India through Rotary club. He wishes to continue the good work to the Indian society when returning back to his native place while getting back into the plantation roots.

His wife Mrs.Sunu is no lesser a person in credentials. She is from a family of Chief Secretaries; her father Mr. T.A.Verghese (ICS) and her brother Mr.T.V.Antony (IAS) both of whom served as Chief Secretary in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. She herself with M.A. (Economics) & B.Ed was a respected teacher in India, Philippines, Hong Kong and London. Sunu is also actively involved in social activities in Kuwait.

Sunu has emerged as a known specialist in the art of vegetable carving and conducts classes for those interested in learning the art with just basic tool as the kitchen knife. Her works were exhibited in various ladies organizations and have attracted special coverage in local newspapers

Their elder daughter Anu is working in London’s Lloyds bank. She is married to Roby an anesthetist doctor of Kerala origin working in London. The younger daughter Nisha is also in London, pursuing her Architectural studies.