Flipkart’s Cleartrip Announces Anuj Rathi from Swiggy as New CEO

Anuj Rathi, an alumnus of IIT Kanpur with more than 18 years of industry experience, has been named the new CEO of Cleartrip, the travel platform owned by Flipkart, according to Moneycontrol. This appointment marks Rathi’s return to the Walmart-owned e-commerce company, where he previously served as a Product Manager from 2010 to 2012.

Following his initial period at Flipkart, Rathi expanded his career with roles at Snapdeal and Swiggy, and most recently, he was the Chief Product and Marketing Officer at the fintech company Jupiter. During his over seven years at Swiggy, Rathi advanced to the position of Senior Vice President of Revenue and Growth.

Related: Flipkart’s Prabh Simran Singh and Sankalp Mehrotra to Resign

Rathi’s appointment comes in the wake of the departure of Cleartrip’s former CEO, Ayyappan R, who dedicated over 11 years to the Bengaluru-based company. On February 22, Ayyappan R announced on LinkedIn his decision to step down, having taken on the CEO role in October 2021. His exit, along with that of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Aditya Agarwal, created a notable leadership void at Cleartrip. Ayyappan R’s distinguished career at Flipkart and its fashion arm, Myntra, underscores the significance of his departure for the company.

Flipkart is currently in the midst of a significant reorganization, which includes various changes at the top executive level. In addition to Rathi’s appointment, the company has witnessed the departure of several senior executives. Prabh Simran Singh, Senior Vice President of Customer Growth and Retention, Marketing and Ads, and Sankalp Mehrotra, Vice President of Monetization, are both in the process of serving their notice periods.

Prabh Simran Singh began working at Flipkart in August 2022 following his roles as CEO of a digital twin technology startup and Executive Vice President at Hotstar. Mehrotra, who has been a part of Flipkart since 2016, previously held the position of Executive Director at Affle, a mobile advertising company located in Singapore.

The recent executive shifts reflect Flipkart’s strategic preparations for its forthcoming initial public offering (IPO). A Walmart executive informed analysts, “We are actively assessing the opportune moment to take the business public. The robust growth witnessed in both Flipkart and PhonePe underscores our enthusiasm for the Indian market.” This restructuring initiative is geared towards optimizing operations and bolstering profitability amidst competition from burgeoning quick commerce enterprises. Additionally, it aligns with the company’s objective of relocating its headquarters from Singapore to India in anticipation of the IPO.

Flipkart has appointed Anuj Rathi, an IIT Kanpur alumnus with over 18 years of industry experience, as the new CEO of its travel platform Cleartrip. This marks Rathi’s return to Flipkart, where he previously served as a Product Manager. Cleartrip’s former CEO Ayyappan R and CFO Aditya Agarwal have departed, creating a leadership void. Flipkart is undergoing a significant reorganization, with several senior executive departures, as the company prepares for its upcoming IPO. This restructuring aims to optimize operations and boost profitability amidst competition, while aligning with Flipkart’s plan to relocate its headquarters from Singapore to India.