Kushal Saraf

About Kushal Saraf

Finance leader with 10+ years of experience driving revenue growth, margin expansion, and cash-flow efficiency for fast-scaling businesses. I’ve built high-performing finance operations, strengthened governance, and partnered with CXOs to enable data-driven decision-making.My work spans strategic FP & A, business partnering, cost optimization, P&L ownership, automation, and large-scale transformation projects including SAP implementation, IND-AS readiness, and operational excellence programs.I thrive in high-growth environments where finance is a strategic enabler, not a back-office function.Key Achievements- Orchestrated the end-to-end SAP implementation, significantly improving financial visibility across operations- Spearheaded the finance integration of an acquired business, achieving full operational and financial integration- Supported the CFO in financial due diligence for a $120M funding round, contributing to financial analysis and investor communication- Played a key role in upGrad’s international expansion initiatives, supporting financial planning and operational setup across multiple geographies.

Experience

1. Director - Finance

   upGrad

   Apr 2025 — Present · Mumbai, IN

   In my current role as Director of Finance, I provide strategic finance support across business units enabling data-driven decision-making and financial insights to support sustainable business growth. I strengthen finance governance frameworks and scale finance operations, improving financial controls and reporting processes. I also build scalable finance teams and establish structured governance processes to support evolving business priorities. As the Business Finance Head for a $50M+ revenue vertical, I advise on pricing strategy, profitability improvement, and cost management.Achievements- I orchestrated the end-to-end SAP implementation, which standardized finance processes and significantly improved financial visibility- Led Business finance for a ₹400 Cr+ business, delivering 5% cost savings by optimizing spend, improving unit economics, and implementing robust cost controls

Education

• The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India

  Chartered Accountant, Accounting and Related Services

  2010 — 2015

• Savitribai Phule Pune University

  Bachelor’s Degree, Business/Commerce, General

  2010 — 2013

Skills

• Internal Controls
• Microsoft Word
• Internal Audit
• Financial Accounting
• Tax
• Income Tax
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Excel
• Financial Reporting
• Accounting
• Financial Analysis
• Auditing