Kunal Shah, founder of CRED, has reportedly been named WhatsApp’s global head following Meta’s major investment. Known for building FreeCharge and later CRED, Shah studied philosophy, dropped out of his MBA, and started working as a teenager. He is also a prolific angel investor and famously takes a symbolic salary.

Kunal Shah, the CRED founder who has just been named WhatsApp's global head following Meta's $900 million investment in his fintech venture, is best known for his entrepreneurial journey from FreeCharge to CRED. But beyond the headlines, his backstory carries several details that rarely make it into the news cycle. From his unconventional academic path to his famously modest salary, here are ten facts about the man stepping into one of tech's biggest leadership roles.

1. He studied philosophy, not technology or business

Shah holds a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy from Wilson College, Mumbai, not a technical or management degree, despite going on to build and sell companies worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

2. He dropped out of his MBA