Pooja joined Variety, the Children’s Charity, in December 2024 as the Director of Finance and Operations, bringing over 19 years of experience in the charity and not-for-profit sector. She previously served as Finance Director for the Mayor’s Fund for London, a charity dedicated to championing opportunities for young Londoners, with the Mayor of London as its Patron. As a senior leader at the Mayor’s Fund for London, Pooja successfully implemented financial strategies, strengthened financial governance and compliance, and secured funding by spearheading the launch of a highly successful social enterprise that provides food and recipe kits, collaborating with the GLA, local communities and authorities. This initiative generated nearly £1 million in its first year of operation.

Pooja has a diverse and extensive skill set and takes pride in driving financial growth while maintaining commitment to transparency and accountability.  Pooja has previously served as Head of Finance for the national children’s charity, Jeans for Genes, and as an auditor at Saffery, a top 20 accountancy firm in London. She is a Fellow of the ACCA and an active member of the decision-making panel for the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee.

Outside of her professional life, Pooja has a passion for yoga, gardening, and animal welfare, particularly the conservation and protection of African elephants. A proud advocate for wildlife conservation, she is a foster parent to a young elephant who has been successfully reintegrated into the wild in Kenya, a country close to her heart, where Pooja was born and raised.