Godrej Wealth, the wealth management business of the Godrej Industries Group, has announced a series of senior leadership appointments across technology, investments, digital, product, business and human resources functions as the newly launched firm strengthens its executive team.
The appointments come as Godrej Wealth, led by Kunal Karnani, works to establish a technology-enabled wealth management platform and advance its long-term objective of building a ₹1,00,000 crore assets under management (AUM) business by 2031.
The company said its newly formed leadership team collectively brings more than a century of experience across wealth management, banking, private credit, investments, technology, digital transformation and talent management.
Leadership team takes shape across core functions
The appointments include:
• Neeraj Mahajan as Chief Business Officer (CBO)
• Sandip Jha as Chief Product Officer (CPO)
• Parag Khachane as Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
• Ankit Dhadda as Chief Digital Officer (CDO)
• Pavan Manchala as Chief Investment Officer (CIO) - Private Credit
• Shuchi Arora as Head of Human Resources
The hires mark a significant step in the development of Godrej Wealth's operating structure following its recent launch, with the company placing leadership across business growth, product development, technology infrastructure, investment management and workforce strategy.
Executives bring experience from banking, technology and financial services
Several members of the leadership team join with extensive experience from established financial institutions and technology companies.
Neeraj Mahajan, who takes over as Chief Business Officer, brings more than 23 years of experience in banking and wealth management. He spent over 18 years at Kotak Mahindra Bank, where he held leadership positions across private and affluent banking operations.
As Chief Product Officer, Sandip Jha brings more than two decades of experience spanning wealth management, private banking, investment products and capital markets. His previous roles include senior leadership positions at Motilal Oswal Financial Services, Kotak Securities and Kotak Mahindra Bank.
Parag Khachane, appointed Chief Technology Officer, has close to 20 years of experience in technology and product design. He previously spent nearly seven years with Godrej Capital, where he helped build and expand the organisation's technology capabilities.
For digital operations, Godrej Wealth has appointed Ankit Dhadda as Chief Digital Officer. Before joining the company, Dhadda led product partnerships and marketing initiatives at Meta, working on business growth through digital platforms and technology-led engagement.
The investment function will be overseen by Pavan Manchala, who joins as Chief Investment Officer for Private Credit. Manchala brings more than 24 years of experience in financial services and previously spent over two decades with the Kotak Group, where he led the Alternate Asset Group.
Meanwhile, Shuchi Arora has been named Head of Human Resources. Arora has more than 14 years of experience across HR strategy, organisation design, rewards and performance management, with previous leadership roles at HSBC, Aon, ICICI Bank and DCM Shriram.
Focus on technology, research and client engagement
Commenting on the leadership appointments, Manish Shah, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Godrej Capital, said wealth management increasingly requires a combination of research capabilities, technology and experienced judgement to support clients navigating complex financial decisions.
Kunal Karnani, Chief Executive Officer of Godrej Wealth, said the newly assembled leadership team brings the expertise required to build a scalable wealth management platform focused on long-term client relationships and changing investor requirements.
The appointments underline Godrej Wealth's efforts to establish leadership depth across critical business functions as competition intensifies in India's wealth management sector. With senior executives now in place across technology, investments, digital, product and human resources, the company is positioning itself for the next stage of expansion as it works towards its 2031 AUM target.