Pocket FM CFO Anurag Sharma exits after four-year stint
During his tenure, he led the company’s financial strategy, investor relations, compliance, and operational planning as Pocket FM expanded globally and scaled monetisation efforts across markets, including the US.
Audio entertainment platform Pocket FM has announced the departure of its Chief Financial Officer Anurag Sharma, who has stepped down from his role to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities.
The company confirmed the development in an official statement and thanked Sharma for his leadership and contributions during his tenure.
Founded in 2018 by Rohan Nayak, Nishanth KS, and Prateek Dixit, Pocket FM operates an audio streaming and entertainment platform offering audio series, podcasts, and storytelling content across multiple languages and genres. The company competes with platforms such as Kuku FM and Audible in India’s growing audio OTT market.
Anurag Sharma joined Pocket FM in 2021 as Vice President of Finance and was elevated to the role of CFO in 2023. During his tenure, he led the company’s financial strategy, investor relations, compliance, and operational planning as Pocket FM scaled globally and expanded monetisation across markets including the US.
Before joining Pocket FM, Sharma held leadership roles at organisations including BK Birla Group, Busana Apparel Group, and agritech startup Ninjacart.
Backed by investors including Lightspeed, StepStone Group, Tencent, and Times Internet, Pocket FM has raised nearly $196 million to date. The startup was last valued at around $750 million during its $103 million Series D funding round in 2024.
Last month, Pocket FM Co-founder and CEO Rohan Nayak stated that the company’s annual recurring revenue (ARR) touched $430 million (around Rs 4,000 crore) in March 2026. He also said the company had achieved free cash flow positivity with EBITDA margins nearing 5%.
According to the startup, its revenue grew 68% year-on-year to Rs 1,768 crore in FY25 from Rs 1,052 crore in the previous fiscal. Pocket FM has also been expanding aggressively in international markets, particularly the US, where AI-assisted content localisation and creator monetisation have emerged as key growth drivers.
Meanwhile, Pocket FM competitor Kuku FM is reportedly preparing for a potential $200 million IPO and has appointed Kotak Mahindra Capital, Axis Bank, and Morgan Stanley as bankers for the proposed listing process.