Byju’s Aakash Institute Appoints Deepak Mehrotra As MD And CEO

Byju’s-owned Aakash Institute has announced the appointment of Deepak Mehrotra as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. With over 35 years of experience spanning various sectors including FMCG, telecom and education, Mehrotra brings his expertise to the new role.

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

Byju Raveendran, founder and chairman of Byju’s, expressed confidence in Mehrotra's ability to drive aggressive growth plans and capitalize on the company's current momentum.

“In his role as CEO, he will be responsible to deliver on our aggressive growth plan and to build on the significant momentum the company is currently experiencing. His business acumen and stellar record as the managing director for Pearson India will be pivotal in leading Aakash Byju's into its next phase of growth and impact,” said Byju Raveendran, founder and chairman, Byju’s.

This decision comes amidst reports of a leadership shift within Aakash Institute, with indications that Aakash Chaudhry, the promoter of the coaching business unit, may not return to helm affairs. Significant changes in Aakash’s ownership structure, with Ranjan Pai, chairman of Manipal group, emerging as a key decision-maker holding a 40 per cent ownership stake, have influenced this shift.

Despite Chaudhry's continued ownership stake of around 11 per cent in Aakash, recent developments suggest a diminishing likelihood of his return to leadership. Additional stakeholders include investment entities like Blackstone, along with stakes held by Raveendran and Think & Learn, the parent firm of Byju’s.