PhonePe appoints Shivnath Thukral as VP for Public Policy and Govt Affairs

Fintech major PhonePe has appointed Shivnath Thukral as Vice President for Public Policy and Government Affairs.

In his new role, Thukral will lead PhonePe’s external communications with policymakers and regulators, driving strategic initiatives and shaping policy dialogue. He will work closely with founders Sameer Nigam and Rahul Chari as part of the leadership team.

Thukral joins PhonePe after a notable stint at Meta, where he served as VP of Public Policy, leading regulatory advocacy around technology and financial inclusion. He has also held influential positions at major industry associations including BIF, USISPF, and PAFI, establishing himself as a key voice in India’s policy ecosystem.

“We are delighted to have Shivnath join the PhonePe team,” said Sameer Nigam, co-founder & CEO, PhonePe. “He brings rich experience and deep insights into regulatory frameworks and public policy that will be invaluable as we scale further.”

The development coincides with PhonePe's plan to go public. The Bengaluru-based company is reportedly planning to file preliminary documents for a $1.5 billion IPO, targeting a valuation of $15 billion.

PhonePe is one of India’s leading fintech platforms with over 600 million users, processing over 330 million daily transactions and an annual TPV of over Rs 150 lakh crore. 

Beyond payments, PhonePe has expanded into insurance, lending, wealth, and consumer tech through Pincode and Indus Appstore.