MAM
Paytm CMO Sidharth Shakdher exits after less than a year
Marketing veteran departs after nine months, marking Paytm’s second CMO exit in two years
MUMBAI: The marketing chair at Paytm is spinning once again. Sidharth Shakdher has exited Paytm as Chief Marketing Officer and Business Head, ending a stint of less than a year and marking the fintech company’s second change at the top of its marketing function in under two years.
Shakdher joined Paytm in October 2025 after leaving Ola Mobility, where he spent nine months steering profitability in the ride-hailing business while launching a consumer loans division, introducing the Ola Loyalty programme and overseeing the rollout of the company’s ONDC-powered food delivery service.
His departure comes roughly nine months after joining Paytm, although the company has not announced a successor. Sources have confirmed the exit, but there is no clarity yet on his next move, and the reasons behind his departure remain undisclosed.
Paytm has also not issued an official statement on the development. Shakdher did not respond to requests for comment till the time of publication.
Before Ola, Shakdher spent nearly eight years at Disney+ Hotstar, where he held several leadership roles. He joined the streaming platform in 2016 as Senior Vice-President and Growth Head, was elevated to Executive Vice-President and Business Head in 2018, and became Executive Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer in 2021, helping drive the platform’s growth during India’s streaming boom.
His career spans more than 25 years across technology, consumer goods and digital businesses. Before Disney+ Hotstar, he led marketing and growth for Amazon’s US third-party marketplace and managed the US launch of Reckitt’s Dettol brand. He has also held leadership positions at Samsung, Canon, HP and Xerox.
Shakdher’s exit follows the departure of former Paytm CMO Sumit Mathur, who left the company to join Glanbia Performance Nutrition as Country Head for India and South Asia. Shakdher had joined Paytm around six months after Mathur’s exit.
The latest leadership change comes as Paytm continues to navigate a period of strategic transition, with senior management reshuffles becoming a recurring feature as the company sharpens its focus on rebuilding growth and strengthening its core financial services business.
