WhiteHat Jr CEO Ananya Tripathi Quits In Another High-Level Departure At BYJU’S

Code.org Sues BYJU’S Subsidiary WhiteHat Jr In The US Over Pending Licence Fees

SUMMARY

Ananya Tripathi, who has been on maternity leave since May, has decided to quit

However, BYJU’S has not yet officially acknowledged her resignation and is actively attempting to convince her to reconsider

Tripathi, who previously held the position of managing director at KKR Capstone, assumed her role at WhiteHat Jr in April last year

Ananya Tripathi, the CEO of BYJU’S-owned WhiteHat Jr, has reportedly submitted her resignation, marking yet another departure from a senior position at the edtech giant.

Tripathi, who has been on maternity leave since May, has decided to quit, Moneycontrol reported. However, the edtech company has not yet officially acknowledged her resignation and is actively attempting to convince her to reconsider.

BYJU’S was not immediately available to respond to Inc42’s questions on the development.

Tripathi assumed her role at WhiteHat Jr in April last year. Before joining WhiteHat Jr, she held the position of managing director at KKR Capstone. Tripathi also worked as the chief strategy officer at Myntra for nearly four years.

BYJU’S acquired WhiteHat Jr in 2020 for $300 Mn. Its founder Karan Bajaj left WhiteHat Jr in August 2021. The coding platform has been embroiled in a number of controversies ranging from misleading advertising to layoffs.

The development comes at a time when BYJU’S is fighting on multiple fronts. The edtech giant has been embroiled in controversies pertaining to corporate governance, layoffs, a potential debt crisis, delay in filing financial statements, among others.

BYJU’S is yet to file its financial numbers for FY22 and FY23. In FY21, its net loss surged nearly 20X to INR 4,588 Cr. While much of this was due to changes in revenue recognition by the decacorn, WhiteHat Jr was also a major contributor to the loss.

With a total loss of INR 1,118.25 Cr in FY21, WhiteHat Jr accounted for 26.73% of BYJU’S net loss.

Earlier, Byju Raveendran, cofounder and CEO of BYJU’S, referred to WhiteHat Jr as the ‘under-performer’ among the group of companies in a discussion with Inc42. He further noted that WhiteHat Jr’s anticipated growth trajectory may involve significant cash expenditure, contrasting with the progress of other acquired companies that were moving towards achieving positive unit economics.

On Tuesday, Inc42 reported that three top executives from BYJU’S, including chief business officer Prathyusha Agarwal, stepped down. Himanshu Bajaj, business head of BYJU’S Tuition Centers, and Mukut Deepak, business head for Class 4 to 10, have also quit the edtech unicorn.