Abhilash Padival is set to take over as Chief Financial Officer of Pocket FM, marking a major leadership transition for the company as it accelerates its global growth ambitions in the digital entertainment sector. Padival will step down from his role as Director of India Investment Banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch to join the audio platform’s executive leadership team.
Based in Bengaluru, Padival will oversee Pocket FM’s global financial strategy, including large-scale capital allocation, international financial operations, and cross-border monetisation initiatives aimed at supporting the company’s aggressive international expansion plans. His appointment comes at a time when digital entertainment platforms are increasingly focusing on scaling subscription models, expanding global user bases, and strengthening revenue diversification strategies.
Padival brings more than two decades of experience across investment banking, corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and technology-driven business transformation. During his seven-year tenure at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, he led the India Internet and Consumer Internet Investment Banking practices, playing a central role in several landmark public market listings involving major Indian internet companies including Zomato, Swiggy, Nykaa, and Delhivery.
Before his investment banking leadership role, Padival served as Investment Director at Quess Corp Limited, where he managed significant institutional fundraising efforts and executed major acquisition transactions, including Tata Business Support Services and Monster’s business operations across India and Southeast Asia. His expertise in transaction structuring, institutional finance, and strategic growth has made him a widely recognised figure within India’s capital markets and technology ecosystem.
His earlier professional journey also included leadership and strategy roles at Altisource, Avendus, Cyient, and foundational engineering experience at Infosys.
Padival’s appointment signals Pocket FM’s growing focus on global financial scalability, strategic capital management, and international business expansion as competition intensifies across the rapidly evolving digital audio and entertainment industry.
