Byju’s Aakash Names Deepak Mehrotra as Managing Director and CEO

Byju’s-owned Aakash Institute has announced the appointment of Deepak Mehrotra as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, according to a statement released by the company on Monday. Mehrotra brings with him over 35 years of experience in various executive roles spanning industries such as FMCG, telecom, and education.

Before joining Aakash, Mehrotra served as the Managing Director at Ashirvad Pipes and has held positions at Pearson India, Bharti Airtel, Coca-Cola, and Asian Paints.

Byju Raveendran, the founder and chairman of Byju’s, expressed confidence in Mehrotra’s ability to drive the company’s ambitious growth plans forward. He highlighted Mehrotra’s business acumen and successful tenure as Managing Director at Pearson India as crucial assets for leading Aakash Byju’s into its next phase of growth and impact.

Earlier reports indicated that Aakash Chaudhry, the promoter of the coaching business unit, would not be returning to lead the company, with significant changes in Aakash’s ownership structure making his return unlikely. Ranjan Pai, Chairman of the Manipal Group and a major investor in Aakash, has become a key decision-maker within the organization.

Despite this shift, Chaudhry and investment fund Blackstone still hold a portion of Aakash’s shares, while the majority is owned by Raveendran, Think & Learn (Byju’s parent company), and Pai. Recent reports suggest that Pai is taking steps to protect his investments across Byju’s group companies, including moving towards resolving financial disputes through arbitration.