Audio entertainment platform Pocket FM has confirmed that its chief financial officer, Anurag Sharma, is leaving the startup to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities.
'Anurag Sharma has decided to move on from Pocket FM. He has been an important part of the company's journey and has made meaningful contributions over the years. We thank him for his partnership and leadership during his time here, and wish him the very best as he explores entrepreneurial opportunities ahead,' the startup said.
Sharma joined Pocket FM in 2021 as vice-president of finance and was promoted to chief financial officer in 2023. During his tenure, he oversaw the startup's financial strategy, investor relations, compliance, fundraising and strategic partnerships.
Before joining Pocket FM, he held senior roles at companies including Ninjacart, BK Birla Group, EY and PwC.
The leadership change comes weeks after reports said Pocket FM had let go of around 100 employees, although the startup disputed the characterisation and said it was not undertaking company-wide layoffs.
Founded in 2018 by Rohan Nayak, Nishanth KS and Prateek Dixit, Pocket FM offers multilingual audio series and entertainment content across several genres. It has expanded internationally, including into the US market.
Backed by investors including Lightspeed, StepStone Group, Tencent and Times Internet, the startup has raised nearly $196 million to date. It was valued at about $750 million during a $103 million Series D funding round in 2024 and is now reportedly seeking to raise a further $100 million - $120 million at a valuation of up to $2 billion.
Pocket FM said its revenue rose 68% year-on-year to Rs 1,768 crore in the 2024-25 financial year, while CEO Rohan Nayak recently said the startup had reached annual recurring revenue of $430 million in March 2026. He also said the business was free cash flow positive at nearly 5% EBITDA, although no specific period was disclosed.