Byju’s appoints Mohandas Pai and former SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar to its Advisory Council
2023-07-14BYJU’s, the edtech startup, has announced that the company has roped in former State Bank of India Chairperson Rajnish Kumar and TV Mohandas Pai - former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and board member of Infosys to its Advisory Council. Following the departure of the three key investors - Peak XV Partners, Prosus and Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the new appointments have been made. After the resignation, the board was left with CEO Raveendran, co-founders Divya Gokulnath and Riju Ravindran.
Pai’s company Aarin Capital is one of BYJU'S investors and he was one of the early backers of the company.
‘’Rajnish Kumar and TV Mohandas Pai have accepted their invitation to join the company's newly constituted Advisory Council. This council will play a pivotal role in advising and mentoring BYJU'S board and CEO Raveendran, on crucial matters that shape the company's future,'' according to a statement released by BYJU'S today.
The statement also said that the Advisory Council is focused to bring fresh perspective and finance acumen so that the company can maintain its position in the ed-tech space. The new appointment of the thought leaders is expected to enhance the company's financial governance mechanisms and leverage expert advice to drive growth and strategic decision-making, according to the startup.
"Byju and Divya are amongst the most impressive entrepreneurs I have worked with from the startup ecosystem. Since our first contact more than a decade ago, they have built the largest edtech company globally and amongst the largest startups in India. I see in them the drive to build the group into a successful corporation, and to ensure they deliver upon their mission in this sector as a category creator and market leader,'' said T V Mohandas Pai.
Pai's tenure as the former CFO at Infosys and vast experience in serving on the boards of regulatory authorities had provided him with exposure to the economy and regulatory domains. Pai is also the co-founder of Akshaya Patra, the world's largest midday meal program.
Upon the appointments of the veteran leaders to the board's advisory council, BYJU'S founders Divya Gokulnath and Raveendran said, ‘’Their unparalleled leadership experience and deep understanding of the finance and technology domains will greatly enrich our strategic initiatives and strengthen our governance. With their invaluable insights and expertise, we are confident that we will continue to have a transformative impact on the education landscape.''
The startup also said that former SBI chairperson Rajnish Kumar has been very crucial in transformative changes across India’s financial institutions. His experience is very significant for the Advisory Council.
"My discussions with Byju and Divya convinced me that they are dedicating sincere efforts to steer a course correction of the company's governance structure. They have reached out to engage with experienced professionals with a proven track record of running large corporates and with a deep understanding of governance issues,'' said Rajnish Kumar.
‘’The company has achieved an impressive growth trajectory and has built significant scale in its base of revenue, operations, and global presence. With calibrated guidance from experienced advisors who have come together to support these dynamic entrepreneurs, the company will be able to move forward and continue to contribute to this very important field of education," added Kumar.
See What’s Next in Tech With the Fast Forward Newsletter
Tweets From @varindiamag
Nothing to see here - yet
When they Tweet, their Tweets will show up here.