Growth, Grit & Gratitude: My Journey with CARS24

April 2021 marked the beginning of an extraordinary chapter—one filled with growth, innovation, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence. I joined CARS24 as the Head of Finance for International Business, working alongside some of the sharpest minds, including the Co-founders Mehul Agrawal and Ruchit Agarwal. 

From day one, the sheer energy and ambition of this organisation were palpable. The rapid evolution, depth of strategic thinking, and culture of fearless execution turned every challenge into an opportunity. Over the next three years, I had the privilege of shaping financial strategies for our international markets, building scalable frameworks, and optimising cross-border financial operations. The dynamism at CARS24 ensured that no two days were the same, and every milestone became a stepping stone to something even bigger.

A New Horizon: 2024 & Beyond

April 2024 marked a pivotal moment in my journey as I took on the role of Head of Business Finance, FP&A, and Supply Chain Management for the Group. This transition expanded my responsibilities to overseeing financial planning and strategy at a broader scale, ensuring alignment with CARS24’s long-term vision spearheaded by our Founder and CEO, Vikram Chopra. 

Managing the financial ecosystem of a company that thrives on reinvention requires a fusion of agility, foresight, and precision—skills that I’ve been fortunate to cultivate in this dynamic environment. Throughout these four years, one thing has remained constant: the ambition to build, refine, and scale. CARS24 thrives on pioneering change, and being part of the leadership team that challenges conventional methods while driving transformation has been an experience which is second to none.

Lessons in Leadership

One of the most profound realisations along this journey has been that “Leadership is driven by influence, not authority.” True leadership is about inspiring teams, fostering innovation, and driving change through collaboration rather than hierarchy.

CARS24 has taught me the power of strategic thinking, adaptability, and calculated risk-taking. Every challenge has reinforced my belief in resilience and continuous evolution, shaping me and my team both professionally and personally.

Hard Problems solved during the year

The biggest challenge in data analysis across multiple business lines was the complexity arising from diverse revenue streams and operational metrics. The company operates in various lines of businesses, each with distinct performance indicators, yet interconnected through certain commonalities. This made it difficult to achieve a unified analytical framework.

Over the past fiscal year, efforts were focused on defining and presenting the right data points and key performance indicators (KPIs) for both revenue and consolidated costs across different profit and loss (P&L) statements. The key to generating meaningful insights lies in ensuring data availability, accuracy, and standardisation across all P&Ls. Only when these financial statements present a consistent and precise view can stakeholders gain a comprehensive understanding of business performance at the group level.

The Vision for 2025 and beyond

The roadmap ahead is as exciting as ever, with a sharp focus on:

✅ Scaling with intelligence – Leveraging smart strategies, technology, and data-driven decisions to grow sustainably. The goal is to enhance productivity while maintaining quality and innovation.

✅ Efficiency, consistency, transparency, and adaptability – Establishing robust, transparent, and adaptable systems across all business lines. Embedded finance solutions will integrate transactions, lending, insurance, and value-added services, creating a frictionless customer experience while ensuring the highest levels of accuracy in business reporting.

✅ Unleashing the full power of financial transformation – Driving initiatives that infuse cutting-edge technology, data intelligence, and automation into financial operations.

✅ Entrepreneurial thinking at every level – Entrepreneurship isn’t just for founders; it should be embraced by leaders, intrapreneurs, and high-impact team players in Business Finance, FP&A, and SCM to drive exponential impact.

My journey at CARS24 has been all about transformation, ownership, and unparalleled learning. The best part? We’re only just getting started.

Here’s to more milestones, greater impact, and an ever-expanding vision for the future! 🚀