Ajay Banga: Leading Through Service, Not Ego
- andres8314
- May 27
- 2 min read
Ajay Banga, now President of the World Bank and formerly CEO of Mastercard, never led by trying to be the smartest person in the room. What set him apart was his belief that leadership is fundamentally about service. Early in his life, growing up in India as the son of an army officer, Banga learned the value of discipline and humility—lessons he carried with him as he rose through the corporate world. He often credits his family’s values for teaching him that leadership isn’t about hierarchy—it’s about lifting people up.
When he took over Mastercard in 2010, Banga didn’t just focus on growth. He set out to expand financial inclusion around the world. Under his leadership, the company helped bring 500 million previously unbanked people into the financial system. He shared stories of poverty he had seen firsthand and never shied away from talking about inequality. It wasn’t charity—it was strategy rooted in humanity. His openness about why this mattered to him personally gave others the courage to care out loud, too.
Banga’s style was quietly radical. He brought empathy into shareholder meetings and inclusion into the language of innovation. And because he wasn’t afraid to show what he cared about, others felt safe doing the same. He showed that being human as a leader isn't a weakness—it's the very thing that earns trust, builds bridges, and scales impact.
Has your leadership ever been shaped by something deeply personal? What do you lead for? If you’d like to share that journey, we’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment or connect with us at Storia Connect.
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