In the world of ever-changing finance, a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is no longer just someone balancing the books but instead driving a company’s financial health to growth and innovation. Here comes Anand Chaturvedi, CFO at Pulse. In pursuit of a bright future, along with a wide-ranging background in finance, the leader is pioneering the transformation process of Pulse to become a technology powerhouse, fuelled by rapidly emerging technologies and Machine Learning to Artificial Intelligence, among others. We discussed his finance career, leadership mantra, and strategy for Pulse’s growth and direction.

Early Career: A Journey Built on Numbers and Risk

From a young age, Anand’s fascination with numbers sparked a passion that has only grown stronger. By cultivating his love for numbers and enhancing his problem-solving abilities, he has developed a unique skill set that sets him apart, always fascinated by how financial decisions create long-term changes. “I have always been good with numbers and logic, which led me to finance in the first place,” says Anand. “But it was not just about money management; it was about knowing how financial decisions shape organisations and individuals. He also added”. I soon realised that finance is not about being cautious with numbers but about informed decision-making and calculated risks for seizing opportunities.

Anand has been a leader who balances caution and boldness. He’s learned how to ensure that the fundamental financial structures are in place, yet he does not allow himself to be fearful of making bold, calculated decisions when necessary. This combination of being data-driven yet not shying away from risk has shaped how Anand leads his team and approaches financial strategy.

A formative experience in his early career helped him define this balanced approach. He states, “My career’s most significant turning point was working on a high-stakes financial restructuring project. It was challenging, and tight deadlines kept the pressure up for me to think on my feet and make fast decisions. I learned a lot about balancing precision with the need for rapid decision-making and the importance of effective team communication under pressure. This experience taught me to focus on the long-term vision while handling immediate financial concerns. It was a valuable lesson in resilience and adaptability.”

Stepping into the CFO Role at Pulse

After joining Pulse as CFO seven months ago, Anand quickly found that the role came with exciting opportunities and challenges. While his prior experiences had prepared him for finance leadership, stepping into Pulse brought new dimensions—most notably, the chance to build Pulse’s presence in India, a market with immense growth potential.

“India is a huge opportunity for Pulse, and it’s been incredibly exciting to shape our strategy there,” Anand says. We aim to scale and make Pulse’s innovative underwriting and lending solutions known within this emerging market. We are using machine learning and artificial intelligence to differentiate ourselves. To us, AI and ML aren’t buzzwords but are part of our data-driven approach to decision-making and how we are staying on top of things as the competitive market continues to heat up.

According to him, finance and technology will bring about growth at Pulse. Since Pulse is a data and SaaS company, technology is incorporated at the core of everything the company does. Therefore, to him, Pulse represents a unique platform where cutting-edge technologies can be embedded to drive innovation beyond just profitability.

While pursuing these growth opportunities, Anand remains focused on maintaining sustainable financial practices. “Managing growth with the aim that financial discipline will always be maintained is a priority. In our approach, we ensure that we invest in the right areas by managing costs very efficiently and maximising cash flow to take opportunities for growth with long-term stability in financial positions.”

Fostering Innovation While Ensuring Financial Integrity

Anand’s approach to financial leadership is rooted in his belief that the CFO should be a strategic enabler and a guardian of financial integrity. Fostering innovation requires flexibility and foresight, especially in a rapidly advancing technological space. Anand encourages his teams to take calculated risks and emphasises the importance of disciplined financial decision-making.

“I believe that finance should be a strategic partner to every department,” he explains. “It’s not just about saying ‘no’ to certain projects because of financial constraints. It’s about enabling teams to be creative, take risks, and find innovative ways to achieve their goals while carefully considering the financial implications.”

Anand encourages multi-functional collaboration the most. For Anand, finance is not an isolated department; it integrates with every working team. “I believe that through collaboration, we are constantly in dialogue with cross-functional departments to align with and achieve the company-wide vision. For this reason alone, we find ourselves working rather closely together – making sure to keep every team’s decisions quite financially sound by the company’s long-range goals.”

Anand emphasises that a change in mindset is needed to nurture innovation. “We need to create a culture where calculated risk-taking is encouraged, but at the same time, we should ensure that these risks align with Pulse’s strategic goals. Financial discipline will be the backbone of our ability to take such opportunities without apprehension.

Reflecting on Achievements and Shaping the Future

Reflecting on the first few months as CFO, Anand says he has achieved one significant success: setting Pulse up for substantial, long-term success. He has concentrated on building the company’s foundations, ensuring that Pulse has everything in place to achieve its ambitious goals and has the right resources, strategies, and financial operations.

“That being said, my goal is not merely to grow the organisation but to turn Pulse into a unicorn in a few years, and we will achieve this,” he says. Therefore, the most important focus this year is redesigning the financial operations for Pulse, thereby creating a foundation for growth. Our technological capabilities in AI and ML are a primary success factor, but at the same time, our infrastructure would support and aid this expansion financially. Thus, both innovation and finance have positioned Pulse well for success.

Ahead, Anand can envision the strategy for Pulse’s finances evolving within the next 3-to-5 years. “We will scale the operations, growing Pulse’s presence in the markets, but never at the expense of sustainable financial practices. It will change, and the commitment remains strong to decisions based on data, discipline with one’s finances, and innovation always.”

Building a Collaborative, Innovative Finance Team

Anand also has a strong passion for building an environment of collaboration and innovation in finance. Anand believes that the finance team not only has to deliver but contributes to company success as an enabler by supporting the objectives of other departments.

“To help the finance team adopt collaboration and innovation, we encourage open communication and an atmosphere where all ideas are welcome,” Anand clarifies. “We align the financial goals to the overall vision of Pulse; therefore, it helps the team understand how they are contributing towards the success of the company. Equipping the right tools and resources for our employees allows them to think of innovative ideas, which, in the long run, helps bring efficiency and facilitate growth for Pulse.”

Anand’s approach to leadership hinges on the philosophy that financial discipline does not need to remain stagnant. He believes a balance between finance oversight and a culture of innovation should make the finance team a tremendous engine for company growth and change.

Conclusion

Anand Chaturvedi, the CFO of Pulse, represents a new kind of leadership. His appointment reflects the understanding that modern CFOs do much more than manage the bottom line. They serve as innovators and team facilitators who guide companies through periods of tremendous growth and technological transformation while maintaining the delicate balance between sustainability and expansion. All these qualities set Pulse on course for long-term success. Under his steady hand, Pulse is on the verge of continuing on the road toward becoming a market leader and attaining ambitious goals set in the coming years.