MUMBAI: In what can only be described as the corporate equivalent of dropping a bombshell and swiftly leaving the room, Ashish Mahendru waved goodbye to his role as chief financial officer at Sarup Industries Ltd. on 20 March 2025. Just when you thought the balance sheets couldn't get any drier, Mahendru's surprise exit has shaken things up like a martini—stirred, not shaken.

In a terse statement, Sarup Industries confirmed the resignation, stating, "Take note of the resignation given by Ashish Mahendru from the post of Chief Financial Officer And KMP of the company w.e.f 20.03.2025." Straight to the point, eh?

Mahendru, a chartered accountant by profession, cited personal reasons for his immediate departure, requesting the board to promptly submit necessary paperwork to the registrar of companies, Punjab & Chandigarh. One might wonder if corporate bureaucracy was finally too much for our number-crunching protagonist to handle. Who knew financial statements could inspire such drama?

In his resignation letter, Mahendru graciously reflected on his stint, saying, "I have been fortunate to employ in M/s Sarup Industries limited. I have learnt a lot during my tenure in your organisation and I take this opportunity to thank the board of directors for their support and guidance during my tenure."

The board meeting to address Mahendru's resignation lasted just 20 minutes, perhaps indicating the CFO's decision left little room for debate or perhaps the directors had lunch reservations they couldn't cancel. Whatever the case, Sarup Industries is now on the prowl for a new financial wizard to crunch numbers and, hopefully, stay a tad longer.

Was it the spreadsheets? Was it the relentless pursuit of EBITDA targets? Or perhaps Mahendru realised life's ledger has more thrilling entries yet to be explored. Only time—and possibly a tell-all memoir—will reveal the real reason behind this quick exit.