Who is Akriti Chopra? Zomato’s Co-Founder Resigned from Her Role?

Zomato co-founder Akriti Chopra resigned on September 27, 2024. She dedicated 13 years of dedication and hard work to the company, helping it grow into one of the largest food delivery platforms in the world.

She has been working with the Gurgaon-based food and grocery delivery platform since 2011 as senior manager, finance and operations.

Chopra was promoted to co-founder in 2021 and has made significant contributions to the company’s achievements and growth.

Chopra announced his resignation “with effect from today, September 27” in an email to Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal, which was released along with the company’s stock exchange filing. The company announced she had resigned to pursue other interests.

Who is Akriti Chopra?

Akriti Chopra, born in 1988, is a well-known Indian entrepreneur, best known for her role as co-founder and chief people officer of Zomato, an online food delivery service.

Akriti Chopra, born in 1988, is a well-known Indian entrepreneur, best known for her role as co-founder and chief people officer of Zomato, an online food delivery service.

early life

Akriti Chopra was born in 1988 and grew up in Gurgaon, India. She completed her education from Delhi Public School RK Puram, a prestigious institution known for its academic excellence. After completing her studies, she received her Bachelor of Commerce degree from Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi.

Profession

Chopra began her career as an articles associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers, specializing in the tax and regulatory practice. In 2011, she joined Zomato as Senior Manager Finance and Operations.

Over the years, she held several positions, becoming Vice President of Finance and Operations in 2012, Chief Financial Officer in 2020, and finally Co-Founder and Chief People Officer in 2021.

Her leadership played a key role during Zomato’s Initial Public Offering (IPO) in 2021, valuing the company under its Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) at approximately Rs 149 crore.

achievements and recognition

Chopra’s contribution to Zomato is widely recognized. She was named to Forbes India’s “30 Under 30” in 2017 and was named “Woman of the Year” in 2018 for her impactful leadership. Under her guidance, Zomato has built strong governance, legal, risk and compliance teams.

personal life

Akriti Chopra’s husband Albinder Dhindsa is the co-founder of Blinkit, which was acquired by Zomato in 2022. Her journey from employee to co-founder is an inspiration to many aspiring entrepreneurs and business women.

Why did Chopra resign?

Akriti Chopra resigned from her position on September 27, 2024, after serving as co-founder and chief people officer of Zomato for 13 years.

In her resignation email, she expressed gratitude for her experience and expressed her desire to pursue other interests outside of the company.

Her departure comes amid concerns among shareholders that Zomato’s acquisition of Blinkit in 2022 could create a conflict of interest, as Chopra is married to Blinkit founder Albinder Dhindsa.

Despite these concerns, Zomato clarified that Chopra had no role in the acquisition discussions. Her exit marks the fifth co-founder departure from Zomato since its inception.

What are the main reasons for shareholder concerns?

Shareholders’ concerns over Akriti Chopra’s resignation from Zomato mainly stem from possible conflicts of interest arising from her marriage to Blinkit founder Albinder Dhindsa (acquired by Zomato in 2022). The main reasons include:

Conflict of interest: Shareholders are concerned about Chopra’s dual role and fear that her personal connections may influence business decisions related to Blinkit, potentially compromising Zomato’s governance and strategic direction.

Corporate governance issues: Concerns have been raised about the adequacy of Zomato’s governance structure, especially after a series of co-founder departures. Shareholders may feel that the board is not independent or transparent enough in its decision-making process.

Management Accountability: There is a growing trend in shareholder activism, with investors demanding greater accountability from management.

Shareholders may believe that Chopra’s continued presence may hinder necessary changes or oversight of the company’s operations and strategic choices.