Info Edge Appoints Industry Veteran Himanshu Agarwal as CFO to Lead Next Phase of Growth

NEW DELHI — Info Edge (India) Limited, the stalwart of India’s internet economy and the parent company of iconic platforms such as Naukri.com, has officially announced the appointment of Himanshu Agarwal as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The appointment marks a significant milestone for the Delhi-headquartered conglomerate, ending a nearly year-long search for a permanent financial leader to helm its complex ecosystem of consumer internet brands and aggressive venture capital portfolio.

The transition, confirmed via a formal exchange filing, is slated for September 17, 2026. Until that time, the company will continue to be steered by interim CFO Ambarish Raghuvanshi, who stepped into the role following the resignation of long-time finance chief Chintan Thakkar in August 2025.

The Appointment: A Strategic Injection of Financial Leadership

Himanshu Agarwal joins Info Edge with a pedigree that spans over 15 years in high-stakes financial management. Currently serving as a Whole-time Director and CFO at the pharmaceutical giant Cohan Lifesciences—a role he has held since January 2024—Agarwal brings a wealth of experience in navigating diverse regulatory and market environments.

His appointment is not merely a lateral move but a strategic expansion of the Info Edge board. Upon his commencement in September, Agarwal will join the company’s board as a Whole-time Director for a five-year term. This dual responsibility underscores the board’s intent to integrate financial oversight directly into the long-term strategic decision-making process.

Agarwal is a multi-disciplinary expert, holding qualifications as a Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary, and Cost and Management Accountant. His previous tenures include serving as the CFO of Bennett Coleman & Co Ltd (the parent of The Times of India), as well as leadership roles at multinational corporations such as Huhtamaki, AkzoNobel India, and AstraZeneca Pharma India.

Chronology: The Road to the New CFO

The path to finding a permanent successor for Chintan Thakkar was characterized by a period of steady stewardship under Ambarish Raghuvanshi.

• August 2025: Chintan Thakkar, a seasoned veteran, stepped down from his role at Info Edge to transition into the position of Group CEO at the IAN Group (formerly India Angel Network). This left a significant void in the company’s C-suite.
• August 2025 – September 2026: Ambarish Raghuvanshi assumed the role of interim CFO. During this year-long transition, Raghuvanshi maintained financial discipline, overseeing the company’s robust fiscal performance and its continued expansion into the AI and deeptech investment sectors.
• June 2026: Info Edge formally announced the selection of Himanshu Agarwal. The lead time of three months before his official start date is indicative of the company’s commitment to a seamless transition and a structured handover process.
• September 17, 2026: Official effective date for Himanshu Agarwal to assume the CFO office and join the Board of Directors.

Supporting Data: An Ecosystem Built on Scale and Diversification

Info Edge remains a bellwether for the Indian digital landscape. Beyond its core recruitment business, Naukri.com, the company operates a diverse portfolio that includes real estate marketplace 99acres, matrimonial platforms Jeevansathi and Aisle, and the edtech portal Shiksha.

However, in recent years, Info Edge has successfully pivoted into a dual-engine entity: a profitable consumer internet business and a prolific venture capital firm. The company’s investment portfolio has become a cornerstone of its valuation.

The AI and Deeptech Investment Thesis

According to internal data released this week, Info Edge has deployed a staggering ₹1,003 Cr across 54 AI and deeptech startups between 2020 and March 31, 2026. The performance of these assets highlights the company’s prowess in identifying high-growth technology vectors early:

• AI Portfolio: With an investment of ₹614 Cr across 28 companies—including firms like Aftershoot, Gnani.ai, Jurisphere, Pascal AI, and Phot.ai—the valuation of this specific segment has surged to ₹1,268 Cr. This represents a 2.1X internal rate of return (IRR) and a gross IRR of 31%.
• Deeptech Portfolio: The company currently backs 30 startups in the deeptech space (26 active), ranging from robotics innovators like Anscer Robotics and Unbox Robotics to niche engineering ventures like CynLr.
• Consumer Tech Supremacy: The core of the investment thesis remains consumer technology. With a portfolio worth ₹2,755 Cr spanning 45 consumer-AI and tech startups, the company has seen an extraordinary 13.5X growth in its bets, pushing the gross IRR value to approximately ₹37,214 Cr by the end of FY26.

Financial Health

The company’s ability to fund these investments stems from a robust balance sheet. For the fiscal year ending March 2026:

• Net Profit: Rose by 35% to ₹1,762.8 Cr, up from ₹1,309.9 Cr in FY25.
• Revenue: Recorded a steady 15% year-on-year growth, reaching ₹3,284.7 Cr.
• Dividend: The company recently declared a dividend of ₹3.60 per share, rewarding shareholders amidst its growth phase.

Implications: What This Means for the Future

The appointment of a CFO with deep experience in large-scale corporate management like Agarwal signals that Info Edge is preparing for a new phase of maturity.

1. Strengthening Governance in an Era of AI

As Info Edge accelerates its investments in AI and deeptech, the complexity of valuing these assets—and managing the risks associated with early-stage technology—requires a CFO with both a rigid compliance mindset and a forward-looking investment acumen. Agarwal’s background at major conglomerates suggests he will focus on standardizing financial reporting across the diverse startup portfolio while maintaining the core business’s high margins.

2. Continued M&A and Capital Allocation

The recent commitment of ₹250 Cr to the B8 Fund I indicates that Info Edge has no intention of slowing down its venture activity. Agarwal will likely play a key role in the capital allocation strategy for this fund, ensuring that the company’s cash flow from its core internet businesses is effectively channeled into the next generation of Indian unicorns.

3. Stability and Institutional Trust

For investors, the appointment provides much-needed certainty. After a year of interim leadership, the arrival of a permanent, high-profile CFO reinforces the company’s commitment to stable leadership. The move to add Agarwal to the Board as a Whole-time Director is a strong signal to the markets that the company’s financial strategy is now aligned with its long-term vision of becoming a permanent institutional backer of Indian innovation.

Looking Ahead

As Himanshu Agarwal prepares to take the reins, the broader market will be watching to see how he balances the "cash-cow" nature of Naukri and 99acres with the volatile, high-reward nature of the company’s massive venture capital portfolio.

Info Edge has managed to survive and thrive through two decades of internet evolution in India, from the early days of job portals to the current age of generative AI. By bringing in a leader with extensive experience in traditional corporate sectors, the company is effectively bridging the gap between old-world financial discipline and new-age digital agility.

With the financials at an all-time high and a massive investment portfolio currently showing exceptional IRRs, Agarwal inherits a ship in full sail. His challenge will be to navigate the increasing regulatory scrutiny surrounding AI and the tightening capital markets while maintaining the growth trajectory that has made Info Edge a quintessential component of the Indian tech narrative.

For now, the transition period remains business-as-usual. Ambarish Raghuvanshi’s tenure has been characterized by steady growth and improved profit margins, providing a solid foundation for Agarwal to build upon when he steps into the office this September. The industry remains optimistic that this appointment will provide the necessary institutional stability to carry Info Edge through its next, perhaps most ambitious, decade of growth.