Sharda Caro Del Castillo

Education

Sharda Caro Del Castillo is a distinguished professional with a notable career in financial services and law. Her educational background laid a solid foundation for her impressive career trajectory. She holds a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, a well-regarded institution in legal education. Prior to this, she earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree with a major in Psychology and a minor in French from Santa Clara University.

Career Path

Her career path showcases a blend of strategic leadership and expertise in legal and financial domains.

• Sharda began her professional journey as Counsel at Silicon Valley Bank from March 1999 to April 2002, where she provided legal support for technology initiatives.
• She then joined Wells Fargo Bank, initially as Counsel from August 2002 to June 2005, specializing in technology contracts, and later advancing to Senior Counsel, where she offered legal support for merchant services and card businesses until October 2010.
• Sharda's trajectory progressed when she joined PayPal in October 2010 as Director, Product and Regulatory Counsel. In this role, she oversaw legal aspects of consumer protection, online and mobile payments, and merchant payment acceptance.
• She continued to gain significant experience in the fintech sector at Square, Inc., where she was Payments Counsel and Head of the Payments Platform from June 2012 to June 2014, managing legal functions related to the company's payment systems.

Transition to Airbnb

In May 2014, Sharda transitioned to Airbnb, where she held several key roles, including General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for Airbnb Payments and interim Global Head of Payments. She managed global legal teams and set strategic visions for the payments business, significantly contributing to market expansion and the development of new financial products until May 2019.

Role at Affirm, Inc.

Sharda's expertise was further recognized when she joined Affirm, Inc. as Chief Legal Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, and Corporate Secretary in January 2019. In this executive role, she led teams in compliance, legal, risk management, and ethics until January 2021.

Board Memberships

Throughout her career, Sharda has been a member of several boards, indicating the high regard in which she is held in the industry.

• Since July 2021, she has been a Member of the Board of Directors at GoFundMe.
• Followed by similar roles at Forter starting in January 2022.
• And Payoneer beginning in March 2023.

Conclusion

Sharda's career reflects her strong leadership and expertise in fintech, compliance, legal services, and financial inclusion. She has continually sought to unite law, technology, and financial services to create impactful solutions globally. As a leader and mentor, she also balances her professional endeavors with raising three accomplished young women, underlining her dedication to both her career and family.