Head Digital Works Founder & CEO Deepak Gullapalli to take over as Chairman

Deepak Gullapalli, who is the founder and chief executive officer of Head Digital Works, an online skill-gaming company, has been elevated to the role of chairman. And, Siddharth Sharma, who is the senior vice president, business strategy has been appointed incoming CEO.

As the chairman, Gullapalli will look into strategic counseling and guidance.

In a note, Gullapalli stated, “Building HDW from a humble garage startup to one of India’s leading companies in this space has been a rewarding and enriching experience for me. As HDW enters its 20th year, I now feel that the time is right for the business to be infused with new perspectives and energy for us to propel HDW to greater heights. I will continue to guide and support Siddharth and the team at a more strategic level while also using this time to enter into the next phase of my journey. I remain optimistic about what the future holds for us."

Michael Wagman, president and managing director, Clairvest Group, stated, “We thank Deepak for navigating HDW through a variety of complexities over the past 8 years while also creating value for everyone along the way. We are grateful to continue having his counsel as the Chairman and wish Deepak well on his next phase. We are also equally excited to see Siddharth take charge and lead the company in this next phase of its journey."

Sharma added, “HDW’s evolution into one of India’s most well-known RMG businesses has been the sum and product of Deepak’s vision and execution. We are deeply grateful for all his contributions to the company and the sector, and I look forward to his guidance as we navigate the next phase of growth. I am confident that we will continue to build on the momentum and deliver great value to all our stakeholders."

As the CEO and founder, Gullapalli led online skill-based gaming platforms like - A23 Rummy, A23 Poker, and Cricket.com. A23, with over 70 million users.

Sharma began his career as an associate at Trilegal, and then went on to work across Alliance Legal, Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co, and Greenko Group.

He joined Head Digital Works in 2017 as the manager - corporate strategy. In this role, he headed the strategy team and worked with the CEO and the board on key businesses, marketing and strategic initiatives at both the group level and across A23 and Cricket.com.