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North East Small Finance Bank to rebrand as Slice Small Finance Bank

Entrackr · 5d

North East Small Finance Bank Limited (NESFB) is set to undergo a rebranding initiative with a proposed name change to Slice Small Finance Bank Limited (Slice SFB), according to a company extraordinary general meeting (EGM) notice. The name change has already received a “no objection” letter from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on January 16, 2025, and is subject to final approval by the Registrar of Companies. Slice had announced the completion of the merger in October last year, following approval from the NCLT. The deal originated in March 2023, when Slice acquired a 5% stake in the Guwahati-headquartered bank for around $3.42 million. This merger combines the operations, assets, and brands of both companies, forming a unified, tech-driven banking institution. Post-merger, the bank’s net worth has surged to Rs 912.58 crore, while its CRAR has risen to 23.67%, according to the EGM notice. Additionally, the NNPA has improved from 6.69% to 4.62%. Slice is also in talks to raise $250-300 million. Last year, the company raised nearly $8.6 million from its founder and CEO, Rajan Bajaj, via partly paid-up shares and over $36 million in a debt funding round. Slice saw threefold growth in revenue to Rs 847 crore in FY23 from Rs 283 crore in FY22. However, this rapid growth came at a cost, as the company’s losses increased by 59.8% to Rs 406 crore during the period.