IPO-bound Swiggy has appointed Amitesh Jha as the chief executive of its quick commerce unit Instamart, ahead of the food delivery company’s potential listing later this year.
Jha will take on the new role September 4, Swiggy said in a statement Thursday.
An alumnus of IIT Delhi and IIM Ahmedabad, Jha comes with nearly two decades of experience in leading categories, operations, strategy, and product development.
He was most recently the senior vice president of category and marketplace at ecommerce major Flipkart, where he spent nearly 14 years. He was heading categories such as fashion, beauty and general merchandise, home, and grocery, as part of his role. He has also worked in building Ekart, the logistics arm of Flipkart.
“With Swiggy Instamart, we have a unique opportunity to redefine the way consumers shop in India, and I am excited about the prospects that lie ahead with Amitesh at the helm,” said Swiggy group CEO Sriharsha Majety.
Jha replaces Phani Kishan, who is currently heading the quick commerce business, an area that has drawn interest from a lot of investors considering its rapid growth in the country in the last few years.
Kishan, who was elevated to the role of co-founder in 2021, has been leading Instamart’s operations since 2023. He will assume a “broader organization-wide role overseeing Swiggy’s Central Growth unit” and working closely with and reporting to Majety, the company said.
Swiggy has been bolstering its quick commerce vertical. It recently appointed Sairam Krishnamurthy as chief operating officer of Instamart. Further, it has hired former Amazon executive Himavant Srikrishna Kurnala as the senior vice president and head of product at Instamart, and named Mayank Rajvaidya as the vice president of fruits and vegetables.
“The consumer internet industry in India is on the verge of transformative disruption. I am confident that Swiggy, with its innovation DNA, strong customer focus and brand trust, will lead the way in redefining customer behaviour and setting new industry standards,” Jha said.
