SoftBank execs to leave boards of India's Paytm, Policybazaar - source

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Representatives of SoftBank Group Corp will step down from the boards of Indian digital payments firm Paytm and the parent of online insurance aggregator Policybazaar, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The decision is part of SoftBank's global strategy to exit from the boards of most of its listed portfolio companies, said the source, adding that the Japanese tech conglomerate expected it would leave fewer regulatory issues to tackle.

SoftBank will, however, retain its shareholding in the two Indian companies, added the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity as the matter has not yet been made public.

SoftBank, Paytm and Policybazaar did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.

Both Paytm, formally known as One97 Communications, and PB Fintech Ltd, the parent of Policybazaar, went public last year. Business news website Moneycontrol first reported the development.

(Reporting by Aditya Kalra; Writing by Abhirup Roy; Ediitng by Sumeet Chatterjee and Clarence Fernandez)

FILE PHOTO: The logo of SoftBank Group Corp is displayed at SoftBank World 2017 conference in Tokyo, Japan, July 20, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato

FILE PHOTO: Paytm app is seen on a smartphone in this illustration taken, July 13, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

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