Sameer Gandhi - Chief Financial Officer, Cashfree Payments
Sameer Gandhi joined Cashfree Payments as Chief Financial Officer in April 2026, bringing more than two decades of experience across financial planning, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, investment banking and consulting.
Before joining Cashfree, Gandhi served as Head of Finance at Visa India, where he led financial operations and financial planning. His professional experience also includes roles at Vodafone, ING Australia, Crisil and Citigroup.
Cashfree Payments provides digital payment solutions and payment infrastructure to businesses across industries. Its services include payment acceptance, payouts, cross-border payments and identity verification solutions. The company is also strengthening its regulatory and technology capabilities as it expands its presence in India's digiatl payments ecosystem.
Sameer Gandhi's appointment comes as Cashfree focuses on sustainable growth and profitability. His responsibilities include supporting financial strategy, operational efficiency and revenue planning while ensuring that the company's expansion is backed by disciplined financial management.
Speaking about his appointment, Sameer Gandhi said: “I am excited to join Cashfree Payments at a pivotal phase where ambition meets discipline and the path to profitability begins to take clear shape.”
He also highlighted the opportunity in India's digital payments sector and the importance of balancing cost discipline with investment in innovation. His perspective reflects the growing demand for finance leaders who can support technology investments and business expansion while strengthening financial foundations and governance.
Deena Jacob – Co-founder and CFO, Open Financial Technologies
Deena Jacob is the co-founder and Chief Financial Officer of Open Financial Technologies, a Bengaluru-based company focused on simplifying banking and financial management for businesses. She has played a central role in building the company's finance function and supporting its fundraising and treasury operations.
Before co-founding Open, Deena Jacob held senior finance positions at TaxiForSure and Tapzo. Her experience across high-growth businesses provided exposure to financial management in startup environments before she joined Open in 2017.
Open provides digital banking and financial management solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises. Its platform brings together business banking, payments, cash-flow management and related financial tools, helping businesses manage their financial operations through technology.
As CFO, Deena Jacob leads finance, fundraising and treasury functions. These responsibilities require close coordination between financial planning, product development and business expansion, particularly as the company serves businesses with varied banking and cash-flow requirements.
In an interview CFO, Deena Jacob described the responsibilities associated with the role: “A custodian and confidante of every stakeholder who deals with the entity you represent.”
She also emphasised the importance of fairness, integrity and boldness in financial decisions. Her perspective highlights the relationship between finance, governance and stakeholder confidence. Jacob's leadership journey also reflects the contribution of women entrepreneurs and finance professionals to India's financial technology ecosystem.
