MAM
Paytm hires ITC’s Varun Khullar as head of partnerships – payments bank
MUMBAI: Paytm has hired former ITC executive Varun Khullar for its payments bank business.
Khullar will lead the partnerships division and will be responsible for building relationships with potential partners such as insurance companies, banks and non-banking financial institutions.
Prior to joining Paytm, Khullar, an alumnus of IIT Madras and Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, worked with companies like Boston Scientific Corporation, McKinsey & Co and ITC.
Paytm vice president Amit Sinha said, “We are looking at building a robust leadership team for our Payments Bank business over the next three – four months. Varun’s professional career, his rich experience and demonstrated dynamism in an evolving business eco-system is the perfect combination for us at this juncture. We’re pleased to have him on board to head the partnerships division of our upcoming business.”
Khullar added, “Paytm’s proposed Payments Bankis in sync with the national vision of a cashless economy with greater financial inclusion for all. It is indeed an honour to be a part of this vision. I’m thrilled to come on board at one of the fastest scaling m-commerce and payments platforms in the country and look forward to a mutually successful tenure at Paytm.”
Khullar’s appointment comes three weeks after Paytm brought Amazon India’s Vikas Purohit on board in a similar leadership position for its Payments Bank. The company aims to recruit 3,000 people for the business and has also enlisted the services of management consulting majors, Ernst & Young and McKinsey& Co to help in the rollout.
Brands
Magellanic Cloud names Syed Ameeruddin CEO of e-surveillance arm
Keeping a sharper eye on the future, Magellanic Cloud is putting a seasoned watcher in charge.
MUMBAI – Magellanic Cloud Ltd. has elevated Syed Ameeruddin as Chief Executive Officer of its e-surveillance business, bringing its iVIS and Provigil operations under a unified leadership to accelerate growth in intelligent monitoring and infrastructure solutions.
Ameeruddin, a nearly two-decade veteran of the company, steps into the role after leading the e-surveillance vertical. His career trajectory—from Business Development Manager to the top of the vertical—reflects a steady climb built on operational depth, client engagement, and strategic execution across multiple subsidiaries.
Over the years, he has played a central role in expanding the company’s footprint, strengthening client relationships, and streamlining operations. He has also been instrumental in integrating acquisitions, helping align new businesses with Magellanic Cloud’s long-term strategy while stabilising performance across diverse domains.
More recently, Ameeruddin has contributed to securing key mandates spanning railways, the National Highways Authority of India, and the BFSI sector—wins that have bolstered the company’s order book and deepened its presence in critical infrastructure.
Commenting on the move, Joseph Sudheer Thumma said Ameeruddin’s leadership has been “pivotal in shaping the e-surveillance business,” citing his ability to drive growth, build teams, and deliver strategic wins as key to the company’s journey. His elevation, Thumma added, is expected to further accelerate expansion in AI-driven surveillance and infrastructure solutions.
The transition comes as demand surges for AI-enabled monitoring, centralised command systems, and large-scale deployments across mission-critical environments. Magellanic Cloud’s e-surveillance segment—anchored by iVIS and Provigil—has emerged as a significant growth engine, delivering projects across banking, transport, highways, and public infrastructure.
In his new role, Ameeruddin will focus on scaling platform capabilities, expanding deployments in complex environments, and developing integrated solutions that enhance real-time intelligence and operational resilience. He will continue to serve as Chief Operating Officer of the company alongside his new responsibilities.
With this leadership shift, Magellanic Cloud is doubling down on its ambition to stay ahead in India’s rapidly evolving surveillance ecosystem—where seeing, increasingly, is not just believing, but predicting.
