‘For the first time in 17 years...’: Deepinder Goyal on Eternal’s new food delivery CEO
Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal said that his company operates on a "Rotational leadership" model, wherein the CEO of each business is time-bound, typically for a two-year term.
ADVERTISEMENT
Eternal ltd, formerly known as Zomato, has undergone a leadership rejig amid declining profits in its food delivery business.
The Gurugram-based company announced the appointment of Aditya Mangla as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of its food ordering and delivery business in July this year. Mangla takes over the role from Rakesh Ranjan, who has completed a two-year stint as CEO of the food ordering and delivery business.
On Mangla's appointment, Eternal founder Deepinder Goyal said he is the first CEO in Zomato's 17 years of history to come from an engineering/product background.
Mangla joined Eternal in March 2021 and has a background in engineering. He has held various roles at Zomato, including leading product, supply, and customer support/experience.
During the Quarter 1 FY26 earnings call, Goyal said, "This is the first time in the 17-year history of Zomato that someone from product/engineering is leading the business (outside of me, of course). I am super excited to see how Aditya shapes the future of Zomato over the next two years".
Goyal said that his company operates on a "Rotational leadership" model, wherein the CEO of each business is time-bound, typically for a two-year term.
"Rotational Leadership is not about changing faces; it changes how decisions get made. Leaders move with urgency, knowing their window to create impact is finite. It reduces complacency, accelerates execution, and allows more diverse leadership styles to emerge. Over time, it also builds organisational muscle memory, as teams learn to operate independently of any one person, making us more resilient and adaptable as we grow," Goyal said.
He said the rotational leadership model is designed to mitigate succession risk, decentralise execution, and future-proof the organisation.
"However, Rotational Leadership is not something that can be used for all companies at all points in time," he added.
