What Happens Next After GXBank Hands the Keys to Kaushik Chowdhury?
In this exclusive interview, Kaushik reveals how he plans to evolve GXBank from rapid scale to purpose-driven impact, while staying grounded in his founding team’s values and passion.
To him, it’s a continuation of something he’s been helping build from the inside. From shaping its earliest strategies to embedding the culture that drives the bank today, Kaushik has been part of GXBank’s DNA long before the title became official.
“I’ve already had a prolonged dry run,” Kaushik admitted with a smile when asked about the transition.
Kaushik Chowdhury
“Everyone says, ‘big shoes to fill’, but honestly, Pei-Si manages with such artistry, it’s intimidating. So what I’ll try and do is to just be the best version of me.”
That humility is typical of Kaushik, but so is clarity.
And when it comes to GXBank’s next chapter, he has a very deliberate blueprint for what must come next: sustainable growth, deeper user engagement, and relentless focus on Malaysia’s underserved.
Now, It’s Kaushik’s Turn
GXBank quickly became Malaysia’s digital banking poster child, gaining over 1 million customers and RM2.16 billion in deposits. But Kaushik is quick to shift the narrative away from vanity metrics and toward long-term value.
“The job now gets really tough,” he said. “It’s no longer just about building trust and scale. We’ve done that. Now it’s about sustainable, productive growth.”
That next stage, he believes, won’t be won by flashy deposit rates or promotional gimmicks.
Kaushik highlighted that GXBank is perhaps the first bank that could offer a four- or five-minute digital account opening, a statement which he recalled proudly.
“However, it wasn’t the incentives that got us scale, it was removing friction,” he continued.
Even as incentives were scaled back and competitors like AEON Bank and Boost Bank entered the market, GXBank has continued to see consistent daily and monthly usage, a sign that Kaushik’s predecessor, Pei-Si Lai who is now taking the role as Group CEO of GXS Bank believes, that users are genuinely finding value in what the bank offers.
“It’s what’s going to stand us in very good stead over the years,” Pei-Si said.
One of Kaushik’s most consistent refrains is his obsession with user-centricity, specifically for those long overlooked by legacy financial institutions.
In Malaysia, GXBank is super focused on two things, the newly appointed CEO of GXBank said.
“One is gig workers, they’re very much part of our Grab ecosystem. The other is micro-merchants. A lot of them don’t have credit profiles, but if you can see their sales or GMV on platforms, that’s a credible way to do credit underwriting.”
These aren’t just aspirational goals. Under Kaushik’s leadership, GXBank is launching a fully digital SME account opening flow that includes instant credit, completed in under 8 minutes.
It’s a significant shift from how traditional banks have served, or failed to serve ,these segments. And it’s one Kaushik sees as deeply aligned with GXBank’s founding mission.
His aim is to solve not just for access, but also with an emphasis on economic productivity.
“If we get it right, and I hope all digital banks do, we’ll be in a very different position in a couple of years,” Kaushik hoped.
GXBank Runs on Tech-Team
For all the technology and strategy, Kaushik remains unwaveringly focused on people.
“Proprietary tech can be copied. What can’t be copied is the purpose and passion your team has,” he reflected. “That’s been Pei-Si’s biggest success, and one that I hope to live up to.”
His wordplay, “Retail is about detail,” caught my attention.
It was more than a clever line in my eyes, as it reflected how much emphasis he places on the day-to-day discipline and human collaboration behind GXBank’s operation.
“And it’s about teamwork. No one can do this alone, not even Pei-Si,” Kaushik emphasised.
Kaushik’s North Star for GXBank
As GXBank looks ahead, Kaushik Chowdhury is laser-focused on what he calls the “North Star”: the intersection of user love, commercial viability, and technological feasibility.
“If you just do what users love, you may not be commercially viable,” he explained. “If you just do what tech can build, it may not matter to anyone. But if you can balance those three, you’ll have a profound impact, on users, on the team, and on the industry.”
He believes the bank is on track to break even in Malaysia by 2027, a goal that’s more than financial. “The moment you break even, then you can invest in growth and solve deeper, wider problems,” he said.
And that’s ultimately why he took the job.
Kaushik then talked about how he came across a simple but powerful framing that continues to shape how he thinks about GXBank’s path forward.
It’s a three-part lens, he explained, that balances user experience, business viability, and tech feasibility.
“There’s a framing I love,” Kaushik said. “What users love. What tech can build. What makes commercial sense. That’s the North Star.”
For Kaushik, It’s Personal
For Kaushik, this isn’t just another executive post. It’s a personal mission, built on belief in the people around him and the market ahead.
“Most of the team is still here after two and a half years. That’s our strength. If we can keep that passion, we’ve already won half the battle.”
And as for his predecessor?
“There can’t be a better human being with a bigger heart than Pei-Si,” he said.
“I have no illusions, I’m not trying to be her. I’m just trying to be me. And keep this team delivering something truly valuable to Malaysians,” Kaushik Chowdhury, the CEO of GXBank said, enthusiastically.
Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Malaysia, based on image by digitizesc via Freepik
