Chintan Thakkar, the Financial Chief of Info Edge, steps down to assume the position of Group CEO at IAN Group.

In a significant move, Chintan Thakkar has stepped down as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Info Edge, a leading internet company in India, and will be taking over as the Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at IAN Group, formerly known as India Angel Network.

Thakkar's departure from Info Edge marks the end of a 13-year tenure during which he served as a Whole-time Director and CFO. Ambarish Raghuvanshi, who has been a Co-Promoter of Info Edge, will join as Interim Chief Financial Officer at the end of Thakkar's notice period.

Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Founder and Vice Chairman of Info Edge, has praised Thakkar's work, considering his job of saving the founder from himself as admirable. Thakkar's contributions at Info Edge included strategic investing, capital market, M&A, start-up portfolio management, risk management, treasury management, tax, and corporate governance. He played a crucial role in elevating the finance, investor relations, regulatory, legal, and secretarial functions as the business grew and became more complex.

Thakkar will remain with Info Edge for the next three months to complete his notice period. During this time, he will continue to provide guidance and support to the company. Thakkar and Bikhchandani have agreed to remain friends and trusted advisors even after Thakkar's departure.

IAN Group, one of India's oldest and largest platforms for early-stage investing, welcomed Thakkar as its new Group CEO and Senior Managing Partner at IAN Alpha Fund. The IAN Alpha Fund invests between $1 million and $5 million in early-stage startups.

The transition of Thakkar to IAN Group is part of a broader strategy to strengthen leadership. IAN Group transitioned into a venture capital firm in 2017 with the launch of its first fund, a Rs 375 crore vehicle. The second fund held its first close at Rs 355 crore in 2023 and is yet to mark its final close, with a target of Rs 1,000 crore.

IAN Group has invested nearly Rs 900 crore in over 225 startups, with companies like Zypp, Propelld, and Wooden Street in its portfolio. The firm was founded in 2006 by Saurabh Srivastava, Raman Roy, Mohit Goyal, and Padmaja Ruparel.

Kapil Kapoor, Chairman of Info Edge, found Thakkar's advice and insights to be extremely valuable. The IAN Alpha Fund's appointment of Thakkar is expected to further strengthen the firm's leadership and investment strategies.

With Thakkar at the helm, IAN Group is poised to continue its growth and success in the Indian startup ecosystem.

Chintan Thakkar, the Financial Chief of Info Edge, steps down to assume the position of Group CEO at IAN Group.