Sushil Sharma: Orchestrating Financial Synergies to Shape Global Growth
Sushil Sharma
Vice President - Finance
A finance veteran, Sushil has over 18 years of extensive experience in strategy, corporate finance, M&A, restructuring, fundraising, and financial risk management. Since joining Zafco Group in 2014 as Head of Corporate Finance, he has played a pivotal role in transforming the company’s financial structure, driving its revenue growth significantly.
His expertise in corporate restructuring has streamlined global operations, consolidating multiple entities into a transparent and compliant corporate framework. He played a key role in establishing the Global Shared Services Center in India, streamlining operations, and achieving a two-thirds cost reduction. With prior experience managing corporate finance and liaising with over 35 banks in India, he brings deep expertise to the company's financial planning and investment strategies.
In a recent interaction with CEO Insights, Sushil shared more insights on his career, leadership styleand many other interesting aspects. Below are a few key excerpts from the exclusive interview.
How are you adopting modern strategies to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of financial processes in response to evolving demands and expectations?
I have always believed in staying flexible and adaptive to change and closely monitoring industry trends, technological innovations, and macroeconomic factors to ensure we stay ahead of the curve. Embracing automation, data analytics, and AI-driven solutions has significantly improved efficiency and decision-making.
I engage with top management to propose strategies that align with market shifts while maintaining operational stability. Rather than viewing change as a challenge, I see it as an opportunity to innovate and drive sustainable growth while optimizing financial processes for long-term success.
What methodologies define your leadership approach?
My leadership approach is built on trust, delegation, and strategic vision. I firmly believe that a leader’s role is not to micromanage but to empower the team with the right authority and responsibilities.
I ensure that my team has the autonomy to manage operations while I focus on strategic initiatives, market insights and contributing to the company’s
growth. Leadership is not just about directing but about fostering an environment where people feel empowered, confident, and aligned with the company’s vision.
Given your extensive and diverse experience in the industry, what would you consider to be some of the most significant milestones in your career so far?
Looking back on my career so far, several defining milestones stand out, each one contributing significantly to my growth as a finance professional and strategic leader. Early in my journey, I had the opportunity to manage a large treasury portfolio and work closely with a consortium of over 35 banks.
Being trusted with such responsibility early on provided me with a strong foundation in corporate finance, something that has remained central to my professional identity ever since.
Over time, I have taken on roles that allowed me to lead large-scale organizational transformations. One such milestone was spearheading a global restructuring initiative across multiple entities, aimed at creating a more transparent, efficient, and compliant business structure.
The outcome was not only improved governance but also enhanced financial agility and credibility with external stakeholders. Another proud achievement has been building and scaling a global shared services model from the ground up.
What began as a vision turned into a large, high-performing team driving significant cost efficiencies and process improvements across functions. It was a deep learning experience in centralization, operational design, and change management.
I have also had the privilege of being actively involved in strategic investments and cross border acquisitions, particularly in the automotive and manufacturing segments, focused on long term value creation and capability expansion.
Throughout these milestones, one constant has been my focus on building scalable, sustainable financial ecosystems. Whether through business structuring, optimizing operations, or driving inorganic growth, I have always aimed to create an impact that transcends geographies and industries.
How do you stay informed about industry trends to guide your organization toward future success?
I stay informed about industry trends through a combination of industry-specific research, market analysis, and global economic monitoring. Since I work in the automotive tire industry, I follow specialized publications and reports that provide insights into market behavior, technological advancements, and cost fluctuations. Keeping a close watch on raw material pricing indicators helps me anticipate cost impacts and pricing strategies.
Internally, I engage regularly with our product development team, particularly our product development head, to discuss ongoing research, SKU demand
Those who integrate finance with technology and strategic thinking will drive meaningful impact and create real value in the industry
Given your extensive and diverse experience in the industry, what would you consider to be some of the most significant milestones in your career so far?
Looking back on my career so far, several defining milestones stand out, each one contributing significantly to my growth as a finance professional and strategic leader. Early in my journey, I had the opportunity to manage a large treasury portfolio and work closely with a consortium of over 35 banks.
Being trusted with such responsibility early on provided me with a strong foundation in corporate finance, something that has remained central to my professional identity ever since.
Over time, I have taken on roles that allowed me to lead large-scale organizational transformations. One such milestone was spearheading a global restructuring initiative across multiple entities, aimed at creating a more transparent, efficient, and compliant business structure.
The outcome was not only improved governance but also enhanced financial agility and credibility with external stakeholders. Another proud achievement has been building and scaling a global shared services model from the ground up.
What began as a vision turned into a large, high-performing team driving significant cost efficiencies and process improvements across functions. It was a deep learning experience in centralization, operational design, and change management.
I have also had the privilege of being actively involved in strategic investments and cross border acquisitions, particularly in the automotive and manufacturing segments, focused on long term value creation and capability expansion.
Throughout these milestones, one constant has been my focus on building scalable, sustainable financial ecosystems. Whether through business structuring, optimizing operations, or driving inorganic growth, I have always aimed to create an impact that transcends geographies and industries.
How do you stay informed about industry trends to guide your organization toward future success?
I stay informed about industry trends through a combination of industry-specific research, market analysis, and global economic monitoring. Since I work in the automotive tire industry, I follow specialized publications and reports that provide insights into market behavior, technological advancements, and cost fluctuations. Keeping a close watch on raw material pricing indicators helps me anticipate cost impacts and pricing strategies.
Internally, I engage regularly with our product development team, particularly our product development head, to discuss ongoing research, SKU demand
trends, and future projections. Frequent discussions with sales and business heads across different geographies also provide valuable real-time market intelligence. I closely monitor global markets, interest rate movements, and macroeconomic policies from key regions such as the EU, USA, and GCC. Analyzing GDP growth, inflation trends, and financial policies allows me to assess potential impacts on our business strategy.
How do you plan to evolve and grow as a leader in the future?
Looking ahead, my vision as a leader revolves around integrating finance with advanced technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence, to enhance efficiency and strategic decision-making.
One of my key goals is to automate nearly 90 percent of financial processes within my function, optimizing operations and improving accuracy. I am actively working on strategies to achieve this level of automation, ensuring that technology serves as a catalyst for business growth.
While I acknowledge that some aspects will take time to fully evolve, I believe that embracing AI is essential for staying ahead in today’s dynamic environment. My objective is to not only enhance my expertise but also contribute to my organization’s growth by combining finance and technology to create smarter, more efficient systems.
What advice would you offer to aspiring leaders based on your extensive industry experience?
Finance is no longer just about numbers, it has transformed into a strategic function driven by technology and business insight. With automation and AI handling traditional financial tasks, professionals must shift their focus to leveraging data, insights, and digital tools not only to optimize performance but also to drive strategic decision-making.
The modern finance function is becoming a central partner in shaping business strategy identifying growth opportunities, enhancing operational efficiency, and enabling agile responses to market shifts. The key to long term success lies in blending financial expertise with technology and aligning both with the broader goals of the business.
Understanding emerging trends, such as AI-driven analytics, blockchain, and auto -mation, will set future leaders apart. Whether as an entrepreneur or within an organization, those who integrate finance with technology and strategic thinking will drive meaningful impact and create real value in the industry.
Sushil Sharma, Vice President - Finance, Zafco Group Holding
Sushil Sharma, Vice President of Finance for Europe at Zafco Group Holding is a qualified Chartered Accountant from India (ICAI) with an M.Com degree. With over 18 years of experience, he worked with renowned firms in India such as Aneja Associates and KEC International (RPG Group) before he joined Zafco Group Holding in 2014.
•Hobbies: Reading, Writing, Meditating, Traveling, Exploring
Music, Volunteering
•Favorite Cuisine: Indian cuisine
•Favorite Book:‘Good to Great’ by Jim Collins
•Favorite Travel Destination:
Yet to be explored.
How do you plan to evolve and grow as a leader in the future?
Looking ahead, my vision as a leader revolves around integrating finance with advanced technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence, to enhance efficiency and strategic decision-making.
One of my key goals is to automate nearly 90 percent of financial processes within my function, optimizing operations and improving accuracy. I am actively working on strategies to achieve this level of automation, ensuring that technology serves as a catalyst for business growth.
While I acknowledge that some aspects will take time to fully evolve, I believe that embracing AI is essential for staying ahead in today’s dynamic environment. My objective is to not only enhance my expertise but also contribute to my organization’s growth by combining finance and technology to create smarter, more efficient systems.
What advice would you offer to aspiring leaders based on your extensive industry experience?
Finance is no longer just about numbers, it has transformed into a strategic function driven by technology and business insight. With automation and AI handling traditional financial tasks, professionals must shift their focus to leveraging data, insights, and digital tools not only to optimize performance but also to drive strategic decision-making.
The modern finance function is becoming a central partner in shaping business strategy identifying growth opportunities, enhancing operational efficiency, and enabling agile responses to market shifts. The key to long term success lies in blending financial expertise with technology and aligning both with the broader goals of the business.
Understanding emerging trends, such as AI-driven analytics, blockchain, and auto -mation, will set future leaders apart. Whether as an entrepreneur or within an organization, those who integrate finance with technology and strategic thinking will drive meaningful impact and create real value in the industry.
Sushil Sharma, Vice President - Finance, Zafco Group Holding
Sushil Sharma, Vice President of Finance for Europe at Zafco Group Holding is a qualified Chartered Accountant from India (ICAI) with an M.Com degree. With over 18 years of experience, he worked with renowned firms in India such as Aneja Associates and KEC International (RPG Group) before he joined Zafco Group Holding in 2014.
•Hobbies: Reading, Writing, Meditating, Traveling, Exploring
Music, Volunteering
•Favorite Cuisine: Indian cuisine
•Favorite Book:‘Good to Great’ by Jim Collins
•Favorite Travel Destination:
Yet to be explored.