upGrad, a leader in the field of educational technology and skill development, has announced the appointment of C.P. Gurnani to its Board of Directors, effective from January 2024. Gurnani, who recently retired after a remarkable three-decade tenure at Mahindra & Mahindra, will serve as an independent non-executive director.
Gurnani’s appointment comes at a pivotal time as upGrad continues to expand its operations both domestically and globally. With a rich background that includes foundational leadership at HCL Perot JV, and a significant role in shaping Tech Mahindra, Gurnani brings a wealth of experience to upGrad.
Reflecting on his new role, Gurnani stated, “My aim is to assist upGrad in its journey to become a highly export-oriented entity, tapping into both B2B and B2C markets globally. The focus will be on building smart content and individualized learning paths to cater to a diverse range of learners across various geographies.”
Ronnie Screwvala, co-founder and chairperson at upGrad, emphasized the company’s commitment to sustainable growth and the transformation of the learning and skilling sector. He remarked, “With CP’s insight and leadership, we are poised to enhance our business model’s integrity and efficiency significantly.”
Gurnani’s addition to the Board marks the second major non-executive director appointment for upGrad, following the induction of Chegg’s Dan Rosensweig in the previous year.
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With a current B2B and B2C revenue break-up of 80% to 20%, the company aims to reverse this ratio to 40% to 60% in the next two years.
In the fiscal year ending March 2023, upGrad nearly doubled its turnover to Rs 1,194 crore, although the company also saw an increase in losses.
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Moreover, upGrad has been active in strengthening its leadership team with strategic hires like Ipshita Kajla as HR Head for upGrad Abroad, Avnish Datt as Chief Business Officer at upGrad Harappa, and other key positions in 2023.
Founded in 2015 by Screwvala, Mayank Kumar, and Phalgun Kompalli, upGrad operates across a spectrum of educational sectors in collaboration with over 300 university partners worldwide.
