Ridlr’s Brijraj Vaghani Takes Over As Ola CTO Amid Restructuring

Ridlr’s Brijraj Vaghani Takes Over As Ola CTO Amid Restructuring

SUMMARY

In the second half of 2019, nine top executives exited Ola

Ola had acquired Ridlr in April 2018 and Vaghani would continue leading that team

Ola is streamlining operations as it prepares for an IPO by 2021

Bengaluru-based cab-hailing giant Ola has been aggressively paving the path to go public by 2021. The company has taken up a restructuring exercise to streamline its business in recent months. After losing nine top executives in October 2019, Ola has now confirmed the departure of two top-level executives.

An Ola spokesperson said that the head of products at Ola Mobility, Naroo Krishnan, and vice president for engineering, Sanjay Kharb, have confirmed departure from the company.

Earlier reports about Krishnan and Kharb’s departures in Entrackr had said that Ola would have a leadership vacuum in the technology and product verticals. But the Ola spokesperson told Inc42 that Ridlr cofounder Brijraj Vaghani will be taking over the engineering and product verticals as CTO for the mobility business. This would be in addition to his portfolio of Ridlr, which was acquired by Ola in April, 2018.

According to an internal email shared by Inc42’s sources, Ola CEO and cofounder Bhavish Aggarwal said “Brij will work with the Ola engineering and product teams over the next couple of quarters to help take our delivery to the next level, have a clear tech strategy, and also take our tech talent brand and org to the next level.”

A copy of the email, which was sent in November 2019, has been examined by Inc42.

Sources close to the matter told us that the elevation of Vaghani and the recent senior exits are a result of the organisation-wide restructuring to sharpen Ola’s focus towards the impending IPO within 18-24 months.

Ola’s top management has already been subjected to many changes in the second half of 2019. The company lost almost nine top-level executives due to various reasons. Some of the executives included chief operating officer Vishal Kaul, chief people officer Susheel Balakrishnan, marketing director for Australia and New Zealand Natasha Daly, chief of staff Akshay Alladi, and several other vice presidents and product managers.

In December 2019, Inc42 had reported that in a bid to achieve profitability, Ola’s cofounders Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati have split up responsibilities. The report suggested that Aggarwal was expected to oversee Ola’s international expansion, while Bhati would lead the Indian segment of the cab-hailing services.

You have reached your limit of free stories
Become An Inc42 Plus Member

Become a Startup Insider in 2024 with Inc42 Plus. Join our exclusive community of 10,000+ founders, investors & operators and stay ahead in India’s startup & business economy.

2 YEAR PLAN
₹19999
₹7999
₹333/Month
Unlock 60% OFF
Cancel Anytime
1 YEAR PLAN
₹9999
₹4999
₹416/Month
Unlock 50% OFF
Cancel Anytime
Already A Member?
Discover Startups & Business Models

Unleash your potential by exploring unlimited articles, trackers, and playbooks. Identify the hottest startup deals, supercharge your innovation projects, and stay updated with expert curation.

Ridlr’s Brijraj Vaghani Takes Over As Ola CTO Amid Restructuring-Inc42 Media
How-To’s on Starting & Scaling Up

Empower yourself with comprehensive playbooks, expert analysis, and invaluable insights. Learn to validate ideas, acquire customers, secure funding, and navigate the journey to startup success.

Ridlr’s Brijraj Vaghani Takes Over As Ola CTO Amid Restructuring-Inc42 Media
Identify Trends & New Markets

Access 75+ in-depth reports on frontier industries. Gain exclusive market intelligence, understand market landscapes, and decode emerging trends to make informed decisions.

Ridlr’s Brijraj Vaghani Takes Over As Ola CTO Amid Restructuring-Inc42 Media
Track & Decode the Investment Landscape

Stay ahead with startup and funding trackers. Analyse investment strategies, profile successful investors, and keep track of upcoming funds, accelerators, and more.

Ridlr’s Brijraj Vaghani Takes Over As Ola CTO Amid Restructuring-Inc42 Media
Ridlr’s Brijraj Vaghani Takes Over As Ola CTO Amid Restructuring-Inc42 Media
You’re in Good company