Varun Sridhar has called it quits at Paytm after five years, leaving his role as CEO of Paytm Services to chase his entrepreneurial dreams in the wealthtech space. This isn’t exactly a surprise move – he’s already been through the leadership shuffle once before when he stepped down as Paytm Money CEO last year.
The timing’s interesting, coming right as Paytm announced a hefty Rs 455 crore investment across its subsidiaries. While the company’s pouring more money into Paytm Services (Rs 155 crore) and Paytm Money (Rs 300 crore), Sridhar’s heading in the opposite direction.
So what’s next for him? He’s planning to build something new in wealthtech, though he admits the exact concept is still “a work in progress”. Currently based in Goa, Sridhar says he wants to take his time figuring out the next move after more than two decades of non-stop work. He’s considering everything from AI-driven education to taking a proper sabbatical before diving back into startup life.
“The Indian wealthtech opportunity is large, growing fast and something I love doing, hence I believe this will be the perfect time to startup in this space,” Sridhar explained.
His departure marks another chapter in Paytm’s ongoing leadership changes. The company’s had quite a bit of executive reshuffling lately, including the earlier exit of COO Bhavesh Gupta and various changes at Paytm Money. Sandiip Bharadwaj has reportedly taken over as the new CEO of Paytm Money.
Sridhar joined Paytm during its pre-IPO phase and played a key role in shaping the company’s operating model before it went public. Before Paytm, he spent nearly eight years at BNP Paribas, where he handled the Sharekhan acquisition. His career spans over 20 years across banking, wealth management, and fintech.
