Ferzad Palia to head upGrad’s new D2C business

upGrad has appointed Ferzad Palia to set up and head its new Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) initiative. Palia will lead the charge at upGrad to build a digital-first ecosystem powered by micro-learning formats, AI-driven personalisation and scalable access, making learning more continuous, contextual and consumer centric than ever before.

Having cemented its consumer business through university-led programs, industry certifications, and study abroad offerings, upGrad is now entering its next phase of growth through on-demand skilling, catering to India’s next-gen learners seeking flexible, always-on learning.

"It strengthens our mission to own the entire learning journey and turns skilling into a household habit, not just a job-switch trigger. Ferzad’s deep expertise in building high-scale, high-engagement content-driven platforms will help us unlock a wider segment - combined with tech that appeals to their fast-learning patterns”, said Ronnie Screwvala, Co-founder & Chairperson, upGrad.

Ferzad Palia brings over 25 years of experience across Consumer Tech, Media & Advertising. Commenting on the new role, he said, “The opportunity to transform India’s upskilling and learning landscape at scale, is an exciting mandate. upGrad’s solid foundation and commitment to outcome-led learning provides the perfect springboard”. Read More: Kia India's SVP & Head - Marketing & Sales Hardeep Brar steps down