New Delhi, Delhi, India, July 2025 — PhonePe, India’s leading digital payments and fintech platform, has appointed Shivnath Thukral as Vice President, Public Policy & Government Affairs. In his new role, Thukral will report directly to the company’s founders and lead critical policy engagement efforts, especially as PhonePe advances towards its much-anticipated IPO.
Thukral brings with him over two decades of experience at the intersection of public policy, strategic communication, and digital transformation. Prior to joining PhonePe, he was associated with Meta for nearly eight years, most recently as Vice President, Public Policy, and earlier as Director & Head of India Public Policy. At WhatsApp, he served as Public Policy Director, India, steering key regulatory engagements and platform safety initiatives.
Before his time at Meta, Thukral was Managing Director at Carnegie India, where he was instrumental in shaping public policy research and global partnerships. His earlier corporate experience includes his role as Group President – Corporate Branding & Strategic Initiatives at the Essar Group, where he handled branding, communications, and high-stakes government affairs across multiple industries.
In the media domain, Thukral was a prominent editorial leader at NDTV, where he served as Managing Editor of NDTV Profit and later as Group Business Editor & Advisor. His ability to communicate complex economic narratives with clarity positioned him as a trusted voice in Indian business journalism.
Thukral holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Delhi University. He also earned a Master of Arts in Telecommunications from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.
In joining PhonePe, Thukral will play a pivotal role in driving strategic partnerships with government stakeholders, helping navigate the evolving regulatory landscape, and strengthening the company’s public policy architecture as it scales its financial services and consumer tech verticals.
PhonePe
PhonePe Group is India’s largest digital payments platform and a trusted name in the fintech ecosystem. With over 600 million users, a growing merchant network, and innovations across insurance, lending, wealth management, and e-commerce, PhonePe is reshaping digital finance in India. Its vision is to empower every Indian with easy, secure, and inclusive access to financial services.
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