Who is Albinder Dhindsa? Blinkit founder set to replace Deepinder Goyal at Eternal's CEO
A major leadership transition has taken place in India’s food delivery and quick-commerce ecosystem. In an unexpected move, Deepinder Goyal, co-founder of Zomato, has stepped down as the Chief Executive Officer of Eternal Ltd. (formerly Zomato). The role will now be taken over by Albinder Dhindsa, the founder and CEO of Blinkit, effective February 1.
This transition marks a significant shift in the company’s leadership, strategy, and operational focus, especially as quick commerce continues to grow rapidly in India.
Leadership transition at Eternal Ltd.
Announcing his decision in a post, Deepinder Goyal stated that he is moving on to pursue higher-risk ideas outside Eternal. He explained that these ideas involve experimentation and exploration that are better suited outside a public company structure.
Goyal stepped down from the CEO position on Wednesday, January 21, and will now take on the role of vice chairman at Eternal. While he moves away from day-to-day operations, he will continue to remain associated with the company at a strategic level.
According to Goyal, Eternal deserves to remain focused and disciplined in its core businesses while exploring growth areas that are closely aligned with its current operations. With this change, the operational centre of gravity shifts to Albinder Dhindsa, who will now oversee execution, priorities, and key business decisions as Group CEO.
Who is Albinder Dhindsa?
Albinder Dhindsa brings a strong academic and professional background to the role. He is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, where he studied civil engineering between 2000 and 2004. He later pursued his MBA from Columbia Business School from 2010 to 2012.
Before entering the startup ecosystem, Dhindsa worked as a transportation analyst at URS Corporation and later as a senior associate at Cambridge Systematics. During his MBA, he also gained investment banking experience as an associate at UBS Investment Bank.
His journey with Zomato began in 2011, where he served as the Head of International Expansion. In this role, he was responsible for the company’s global expansion mandate and played a key part in scaling operations across international markets. After spending over two years with Zomato, he moved on to build his own venture.
The Blinkit journey
Dhindsa went on to found Grofers, which was later rebranded as Blinkit. As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, he set the vision for the company, led product development, and oversaw strategy.
In 2022, Zomato acquired Blinkit at a time when the quick-commerce firm was facing significant challenges. Since then, Blinkit has undergone a major turnaround and has emerged as Eternal’s most valuable asset, driving growth and redefining the company’s future focus.
Today, Blinkit is widely credited with shaping India’s quick-commerce model, and Dhindsa’s leadership is seen as one of the key reasons behind its success.
Personal side of Albinder Dhindsa
Beyond his professional life, Albinder Dhindsa is known for his diverse interests. According to Blinkit’s official website, he enjoys reading multiple books at once, playing basketball, listening to French music, and eating meals prepared by his mother. This balance of discipline and creativity is often reflected in his leadership style.
Why did Deepinder Goyal step down?
Deepinder Goyal clarified that his decision to step down was driven by a desire to pursue higher-risk ideas that fall outside Eternal’s strategic scope. He emphasized that if these ideas aligned with Eternal’s core business, he would have pursued them within the company.
By handing over operational leadership to Albinder Dhindsa, Goyal believes Eternal can stay sharply focused on disciplined growth, while he explores new ventures independently.
A new chapter for Eternal
With Albinder Dhindsa taking over as CEO, Eternal enters a new phase where quick commerce and operational execution take centre stage. Dhindsa’s long-standing association with Zomato, his friendship with Deepinder Goyal, and his proven ability to build and scale Blinkit position him as a natural choice to lead the group forward.
As India’s food delivery and quick-commerce landscape continues to evolve, this leadership change could play a defining role in shaping Eternal’s next phase of growth.
