As Zepto sharpens its strategy for an upcoming IPO, the quick commerce startup has added a seasoned name to its boardroom — Akhil Gupta, Vice Chairman of Bharti Enterprises. Known for his pivotal role in steering Bharti Airtel, Bharti Infratel, and Airtel Africa through public listings, Gupta joins Zepto as an independent director with deep experience in building large-scale enterprises and navigating capital markets.
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Gupta isn’t new to high-stakes deals. Over the years, he’s played a central role in Bharti’s global tie-ups with the likes of British Telecom, Singapore Telecom, Telecom Italia, and Vodafone. He also has a strong track record in bringing big-ticket investors to the table, having worked with names like Warburg Pincus, KKR, Temasek, Sequoia, and Qatar Foundation Endowment — a network Zepto may look to leverage as it enters the next phase of its journey.
The current board of Zepto includes co-founders Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra, along with Anu Hariharan (Founder, Avra) and Suvir Sujan (Managing Director, Nexus Venture Partners). With Gupta’s addition, the company appears to be doubling down on boardroom firepower as it prepares for life as a public company.
Strengthening the Core Team
Zepto’s leadership bench has been undergoing a quiet but steady transformation over the past two years. In a clear signal of internal growth and trust in homegrown talent, several key executives have been promoted to C-suite positions.
For instance, Devendra Meel, who previously led the company’s loyalty program ‘Pass’ as SVP, was elevated to Chief Business Officer last year. Prior to that, Nikhil Mittal and Divesh Sawhney — both former SVPs — took on new roles as Chief Technology Officer and Chief Growth Officer, respectively.
Operational Momentum and Financial Discipline
Cofounder Aadit Palicha recently said the company is inching toward a $4 billion annualised gross order value (GOV), while also keeping tighter control on its bottom line. According to him, Zepto has halved its EBITDA and operating cash flow burn (excluding ESOP costs) over the last quarter — a rare feat for a hyper-growth startup.
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The company’s network of dark stores — a backbone of its ultra-fast delivery model — is also reportedly trending toward EBITDA breakeven, signaling operational efficiency that could appeal to public market investors.
