Pocket FM appoints Umesh Bude as SVP of engineering, Rohan Gandhi as VP of analytics

Audiotech startup Pocket FM, which battles with Kuku FM, has onboarded Umesh Bude as the Senior Vice President of Engineering, Rohan Gandhi as the Vice President of Analytics, and Rupesh Gopal as the Vice President of Engineering. 

These appointments come at a crucial time as the company seeks to leverage technology and analytics to redefine the audio entertainment landscape.

Who is Umesh Bude?

Umesh Bude, a graduate of NIT Karnataka, began his professional career as a software engineer at SLK Software in 2004. He later joined SUN Microsystems and held several roles at Akamai Technologies. In 2019, he joined Ritesh Agarwal's OYO as the CTO of OYO Vacation Homes. He also worked at the edtech major Unacademy before joining Pocket FM.

“I am thrilled to join Pocket FM and lead the charge in shaping the future of audio entertainment. I am confident that together we will build technology that not only delights users but also redefines the benchmarks in this space,” he said.

Who is Rohan Gandhi?

Rohan Gandhi is an analytics professional with over 12 years of experience and broad industry exposure across e-commerce, online grocery, OTT, and telecom companies. Before joining Pocket FM, Rohan worked at Tata Digital as a Senior Director of Marketing and Product Analysis.

He has also held positions in several prominent companies, including Blinkit, Airtel, Hotstar, Snapdeal, Dell, and ST Microelectronics.

“Joining Pocket FM is incredibly exciting for me. I can’t wait to blend my love for data with the magic of audio entertainment. Together, we will leverage data to create amazing experiences that everyone will love,” he said 

Who is Rupesh Gopal?

Rupesh Gopal, a master's graduate from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), has more than a decade of experience in the engineering field. He began his professional career at Agilent Technologies in 2005 as an R&D Engineer. He has also worked at several companies, including Tech Mahindra, Ampelion Networks, Apigee, Myntra, Knowlarity, Crossover for Work, MoveInSync, and Citrix.

At Pocket FM, he will lead the software development and cloud infrastructure functions, aiming to scale the technology that powers Pocket FM’s offerings.

“Pocket FM’s vision for the future of entertainment resonates with my passion for pushing technological boundaries. I am looking forward to collaborating with the team and contributing towards delivering experiences with a strong product innovation,” he said.

Reporting to CTO Prateek Dixit 

The new leaders will report directly to Prateek Dixit, Pocket FM's Co-founder and CTO and will ensure that the company remains at the forefront of innovation in the audio entertainment industry.

Commenting on these appointments, Prateek Dixit, Co-founder and CTO, said, “We are at an inflection point in Pocket FM’s journey, redefining the entertainment landscape. Including Umesh, Rohan, and Rupesh in our leadership team marks a significant step forward in our commitment to technological excellence and innovation. Together, we will continue pushing boundaries, harnessing technology’s power to create immersive  experiences that resonate with our global audience.” 

Focused areas for new leadership

As SVP of Engineering, Umesh Bude is tasked with shaping Pocket FM's technological foundation, focusing on engineering excellence, leveraging GenAI solutions, and ensuring information security. 

Rohan Gandhi, as VP of Analytics, aims to drive growth through data-driven decision-making, while Rupesh Gopal’s focus will be on product innovation and technological advancement to enhance Pocket FM’s offerings.