Varun Khare Named COO As Paytm Insider Fortifies Leadership Team

Paytm Insider, one of India’s leading entertainment experiences platforms, announces the elevation of Varun Khare to Chief Operating Officer . In his new role, Varun will lead the company's operational strategies, driving growth and innovation across all facets of the business. Having been with the organisation for four years, Varun as the business head showcased exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and a deep understanding of the evolving needs of the customers and partners. Under his management, Paytm Insider witnessed over 100% growth in GMV each year over the last 2 years whilst quadrupling the revenue in the last 2 years. With a clear understanding of the brand's vision and the need to build the event’s infrastructure in India, Varun was instrumental in making significant inroads into Tier 2 and 3 markets by collaborating with artists, organisers, and promoters to enhance live event experiences.

Before joining Paytm Insider, Varun worked with Fountainhead MKTG and eventually Oranjuice Entertainment. With a robust background spanning 17 years in the live events and entertainment industry, he specialises in meticulously crafting and executing intellectual properties.

Talking about his new position, Varun Khare, COO said, “When I moved to Paytm Insider, the intention was to scale up and work with a brand whose value system and culture resonated with mine. Working with a team of ~150 exceptionally talented individuals and earning their respect has been one of the most gratifying and significant achievements of my career. We have successfully expanded to over 170 cities having reached a diverse customer base across genres making my journey both challenging and rewarding.”

Talking about Varun’s promotion Shreyas Srinivasan, Founder & CEO of Paytm Insider, expressed, “Paytm Insider was founded with the vision of making events a preferred choice for entertainment in India. Over the last 5 years we have built a full fledged platform which supports organisers with a range of services which spans Ticketing, Sponsorship, Artist Booking, Marketing and more. Varun has been instrumental in this build out, his vast experience across all aspects of organising an event has allowed us to build a platform which will champion events and organisers across this country. I am super confident that this team has the right mix to make Insider the dominant events platform in India.

Industry experts share their views on Varun Khare’s elevation to COO

Aalap Gosher, Co-founder &  Director TM Ventures, “The one thing that perfectly encapsulates Varun's current
role: he is always in solution mode. He consistently listens to people, provides effective solutions, and makes
things happen. From my experience of working with him as the promoter, producer, and ticketing partner, this
quality is invaluable. It fosters a great partnership, where he ensures the focus is on resolving issues and achieving
outcomes. As an artist manager, there is nothing more desirable.

Akshat Rathee, Co-founder - NODWIN Gaming, “To someone I’ve come to enjoy spending a lot of time with,
discussing life, work, the industry, ticketing, and our growth strategies – this is a fantastic moment to wish you a
very hearty congratulations on becoming the Chief Operating Officer. This promotion is thoroughly deserved.
Your achievement is a personal validation of my belief in what Insider has been doing and what Shreyas has built.
Varun, I'm incredibly proud of you. Congratulations again, and I look forward to continuing our conversations and
collaborations.

V G Jairam, Founder - Hyperlink Brand Solutions, “I am thrilled to hear about Varun’s recent appointment as the
COO of a prestigious ticketing firm! His unwavering dedication, hard work, and relentless pursuit of excellence
have always set him apart. I have no doubt that Varun’s leadership skills will inspire and propel the team towards
new heights of success. I wish him all the best in this new chapter of his career. I am confident that he will continue to make us proud!”

Aayushman Sinha, Founder & CEO - REPRESENT, “Our heartfelt congratulations go out to Varun and the entire
team at Paytm Insider on his well deserved promotion to Chief Operation Officer. Insider has been an incredible
partner to our artist ecosystem and acted as a catalyst in building experiential growth! We are excited to witness
his continued leadership and contributions to the future of ticketing and live events."

Akshat Kumar, Co-Founder - WMS Entertainment, “If I had to describe Varun in a few words - he is the king of
spreadsheets and good times. But a few words would not do justice to what he is and what all he has achieved in
this short span at Insider. A dedicated leader with no weekends where he is not working to take everyone’s stress
away and a motivator that pushes everyone to achieve the impossible.”

Brian Tellis, Former president - EEMA & former CEO, Fountainhead MKTG, “Firstly, I would like to extend my
congratulations to Varun on his appointment as the Chief Operating Officer at Paytm Insider. This recognition is
thoroughly well-deserved. I have always admired his ability to combine astute business acumen with being an
incredible people's person, enabling him to endear himself to those around him. What truly distinguishes Varun is
his relentless drive to achieve greater heights. While this appointment does not come as a surprise, I would like to
reiterate my heartfelt congratulations.”

Kokilla Uppal, AGM, Marketing at Pernod Ricard, “It is truly a well-deserved promotion for Varun! His sheer
presence, understanding of the brand, and unwavering focus on building IPs for the future, makes working with
him such a pleasure. I look forward to creating many successful events and moments together.”