Bhavish Aggarwal, the founder of Ola is supposedly contemplating the appointment of a CEO, for Ola Cabs. The potential candidate could be an executive from the FMCG industry indicating a departure from Bhavish Aggarwal’s CEO position. Hemant Bakshi, a leader at Unilever is being considered as one of the candidates, for this role.
Bhavish Aggarwal, the founder of Ola, appears to be on the verge of appointing a new CEO for the cab business. Insider reports suggest that a seasoned FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) professional has been selected to take the helm at Ola Cabs, the flagship company within the Ola Group. The anticipated timeline for the new CEO’s arrival is early next week.
If this development materializes, it would mark a significant departure from Ola’s historical leadership structure. Since its inception, Bhavish Aggarwal has held the position of CEO, overseeing the company’s growth. However, in recent times, he shifted his focus to Ola Electric, a venture in vehicle manufacturing.
The exact scope of the new CEO’s responsibilities remains somewhat ambiguous. It is unclear whether they will lead ANI Technologies, the parent company that oversees Ola Cabs and its affiliated entities, including Ola Financial Services, or if their role will be restricted to the core cab-hailing business.
According to insider sources, the incoming CEO for Ola Cabs is expected to be a highly experienced former Unilever executive. The individual in question is believed to have previously served as the country head of Unilever Indonesia while being based in Southeast Asia. Hemant Bakshi emerges as a likely candidate for this role. Presently, he is situated in Singapore, holding the position of Global Head and Executive Vice President at Unilever Marketplace, the B2B e-commerce platform operated by the FMCG giant across various geographies. Prior to his current role, Bakshi served as the President and Director of Unilever Indonesia.
Note-: Ola Cabs is an Indian multinational ridesharing company headquartered in Bangalore. The company has diversified its operations to include financial services and cloud kitchens. Notably, several venture capitalists, including Softbank, hold substantial stakes in the company.
