Varun Sridhar, CEO of Paytm Services, a subsidiary of fintech giant One97 Communications, has resigned after nearly five years at the helm.

Sridhar played a pivotal role in building Paytm’s financial services arm and steering Paytm Money into profitability. He joined the company during its pre-IPO phase, shaping its operating model ahead of the listing.

At Paytm Money, he introduced key initiatives such as:

• Daily mutual fund SIPs

• Expansion of digital gold offerings

• Conceptualization of secured lending products

Before Paytm, Sridhar spent 8 years at BNP Paribas, where he led the acquisition and integration of Sharekhan. His career spans two decades across banking, wealth management, and fintech.

Currently based in Goa, Sridhar shared in a LinkedIn post that he will take time to reflect after working non-stop for over 20 years. He is considering options such as:

• Launching a wealthtech venture

• Exploring AI-driven education opportunities

• Taking a sabbatical before returning to the startup ecosystem

Meanwhile, Paytm Money, now led by Sandiip Bharadwaj, reported Rs 195.7 Cr revenue and Rs 71.6 Cr profit in FY24, though it still trails Groww, Zerodha, and Dhan in user growth.

By: Arushi Agarwal