BYJU’S-Owned Aakash Ropes In Former Pearson India Executive Deepak Mehrotra As MD And CEO

BYJU’S-owned Aakash Institute has appointed Deepak Mehrotra as its managing director and chief executive officer.

The appointment of Mehrotra is a part of Aakash’s strategic vision to enhance offerings, expand its reach and create a positive impact on the education landscape, it said in a statement on Monday (April 8).  

In his new role, he will work on the company’s growth plans and build on the ‘significant momentum’ it is currently experiencing, said BYJU’S founder Byju Raveendran.

“His (Mehrotra’s) business acumen and stellar record as the managing director for Pearson India will be pivotal in leading Aakash BYJU’S into its next phase of growth and impact,” he added. 

Mehrotra comes with over 35 years of experience in executive roles in FMCG, telecom, and education industries.

Prior to joining Aakash, Mehrotra was the managing director of Ashirvad Pipes. He had also worked with Pearson India, Bharti Airtel, Coca-Cola and Asian Paints.

Mehrotra said, “I am honoured to join AESL, a pioneer in the education sector, and look forward to working closely with the talented team to deliver quality education and empower students to achieve their full potential.”

This comes days after it was reported that BYJU’S was planning to not bring back Aakash Chaudhry as the CEO of the institute. According to media reports, recently, the board and management council of Aakash, in collaboration with its largest stakeholder Ranjan Pai, were planning to appoint a new chief executive. 

This development came after Pai decided to infuse $50-60 Mn more over a period of time into the test prep company. His influence over the company continues to grow even as the remaining stakeholders continue to object to his association in the company. 

Amid all these internal tussles and declining condition of the parent company BYJU’S, Aakash’s operating revenue likely crossed the INR 2,000 Cr mark in FY23. 

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