Zomato's Deepinder Goyal steps down as CEO, hands over to Blinkit's Dhindsa
Deepinder Goyal, who co-founded Zomato (now Eternal), is stepping down as Group CEO after nearly two decades.
From February 1, the board has recommended his appointment as Vice Chairman, subject to shareholder approval, and he will focus on new high-risk projects.
Taking his place as Group CEO is Albinder Singh Dhindsa, the current head of Blinkit.
Why does this matter?
Goyal isn't just leaving the top job—he's also giving up unvested ESOPs worth more than ₹1,000 crore.
By returning 3.3 crore shares to the company, he boosts Eternal's stock pool and helps delay dilution as quick commerce grows fast.
Still, he keeps a solid 3.83% stake in Eternal and remains a billionaire.
Who are these leaders?
Goyal started Zomato in 2008 after studying at IIT Delhi and while still at Bain & Company—he led it through rebranding and the IPO, and acquiring Blinkit for $568 million (a key growth driver).
Dhindsa has run Blinkit since founding it; under him, it hit breakeven post-acquisition and has been described as a major growth driver for Eternal.
What changes now?
With Dhindsa moving up to lead all of Eternal from February 1, expect more focus on quick commerce and scaling what works best—and Goyal has said he plans to pursue higher-risk exploration and experimentation outside the public company.