Sebi appoints corporate law veteran KVR Murty as its whole-time member

Capital markets regulator Sebi announced the appointment of KVR Murty as its new Whole Time Member, marking a key addition to its leadership at a time of increasing regulatory complexity and market expansion. Murty assumed charge in Mumbai earlier today bringing with him over three decades of experience across public finance, corporate regulation and national security-linked financial oversight, according to the official release.

Prior to joining Sebi, Murty served as Additional Controller General of Defence Accounts in the Ministry of Defence, where he was involved in overseeing financial systems linked to defence operations. He holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics, adding an academic grounding to his administrative experience.

His career spans multiple high-impact roles within the government, including positions as Principal Integrated Financial Adviser to the Indian Air Force, Financial Adviser to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

At the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Murty played a central role in shaping corporate law frameworks and advancing e-governance initiatives.

Notably, he led efforts to decriminalise certain provisions under corporate law, a reform that later informed the government’s broader Jan Vishwas legislative push aimed at improving ease of doing business and reducing compliance burdens.

His experience also includes quasi-judicial functions, having adjudicated cases involving schemes of arrangement, mergers and amalgamations of government companies—areas closely aligned with Sebi regulatory mandate over corporate restructuring and market integrity.

Murty is not new to Sebi’s institutional ecosystem. He has previously served as a part-time member on the board as a government nominee, providing him with familiarity with the regulator’s policy environment and operational framework.In addition, he has held board-level roles at key regulatory and professional bodies, including the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) and the councils of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), and the Institute of Cost & Management Accountants of India (ICMAI).

He was awarded the Raksha Mantri Award for Excellence in 2024 for his contributions to improving operational readiness within the Indian Air Force’s financial systems, underscoring his track record in implementing institutional reforms.