Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal steps aside as Blinkit chief Albinder Dhindsa takes charge
Mumbai – India’s food delivery and quick commerce major Zomato is entering a new leadership phase after founder and long-time chief executive Deepinder Goyal announced he will step down from the top role, handing over control to Albinder Dhindsa, the head of the company’s fast-growing quick commerce arm Blinkit.
The leadership change will take effect from February 1, marking the end of Goyal’s 18-year run at the helm of one of India’s most influential consumer internet companies, which he founded in 2008 and steered from a restaurant discovery platform into a diversified delivery powerhouse.
Goyal will continue to remain closely associated with the group as vice chairman of its parent entity Eternal, signalling continuity even as operational leadership shifts to Dhindsa, a move widely seen as an endorsement of quick commerce as the company’s future growth engine.
Zomato, rebranded as Eternal after acquiring Blinkit in 2022, has seen its business increasingly shaped by instant delivery services, with Blinkit emerging as its largest revenue contributor and a central pillar of its long-term strategy.
Dhindsa’s elevation comes at a time when competition in India’s instant delivery market is intensifying, with players such as Swiggy, Amazon-backed services and several startups battling for dominance in an industry estimated to be worth $11.5 billion.
Before founding Blinkit in 2014, Dhindsa led Zomato’s international operations for over two years, giving him deep familiarity with the group’s culture, systems and expansion challenges across markets.
In a letter to shareholders, Goyal said his decision was driven by the need for singular focus at the top of a listed company, while he shifts attention to exploring ideas beyond Eternal’s core businesses.
He described Dhindsa as an exceptional executor, crediting him with steering Blinkit from acquisition to breakeven and demonstrating leadership capabilities that align with the group’s next phase of growth.
Goyal, often regarded as the face of India’s quick delivery boom, said his ambition remains for Eternal to become the country’s most valuable company, underlining that his step back from daily operations does not signal a retreat from long-term vision.
Since its landmark stock market listing in 2021, Eternal’s shares have more than doubled, valuing the company at around $15 billion and reflecting strong investor confidence despite ongoing scrutiny over profitability and competitive pressures.
Zomato’s rise has transformed food delivery from a niche urban service into a mainstream habit across India, while also expanding the country’s gig economy through millions of delivery partners.
At the same time, the company has faced criticism over deep discounting strategies, driver safety concerns and controversial initiatives such as experimenting with vegetarian-only delivery fleets.
Goyal noted that while he has the capacity to juggle multiple interests, the regulatory and legal expectations placed on a public company CEO require undivided attention, prompting his decision to pass the baton.
Outside Eternal, Goyal has been investing in ambitious ventures, including a $25 million commitment through Continue Research to study human biology and longevity, and the founding of LAT Aerospace to develop low-cost regional aircraft for emerging markets.
Despite taking on the CEO role, Dhindsa will continue to keep Blinkit as his top priority, reinforcing the group’s belief that quick commerce will remain the key differentiator in a crowded delivery landscape.
Industry experts say the leadership shift is a strong signal that instant delivery is no longer an add-on but the core of Zomato’s future, with Blinkit positioned as the primary growth driver.
Eternal recently reported a 73 percent jump in quarterly profit, while Blinkit posted adjusted core earnings of 40 million rupees, a sharp turnaround from losses in the previous quarter, adding momentum to the strategic transition.
As Zomato enters this new chapter, the focus will be on whether Dhindsa can sustain rapid growth, fend off fierce competition and balance profitability with scale in one of India’s most dynamic digital markets.
