Deepinder Goyal Resigns as Zomato CEO: Reason, Successor & What’s Next (2026)
On January 21, 2026, Eternal Ltd – the parent company of food-delivery firm Zomato – announced that co-founder Deepinder Goyal has resigned as Group CEO and Managing Director, effective February 1, 2026. Blinkit founder Albinder Singh Dhindsa will succeed Goyal as Group CEO.
The company said Goyal will transition to a Vice‑Chairman and board director role (pending shareholder approval) rather than leaving entirely. In other words, Goyal is stepping aside from day‑to‑day management but remaining involved at the board level.
Official Announcements and Statements
Eternal’s board confirmed the leadership change in a stock-exchange filing on Jan 21, 2026. According to the filing, Goyal’s resignation as MD & CEO takes effect at the close of business on Feb 1, 2026, with Dhindsa named the new CEO from Feb 1 onward. The board has recommended that Goyal assume the position of Vice Chairman and Director for a five‑year term, subject to shareholder approval.
Goyal himself addressed shareholders in a letter (published via company channels). He wrote that he had “found myself drawn to a set of new ideas that involve significantly higher‑risk exploration and experimentation. These are the kinds of ideas that are better pursued outside a public company like Eternal”. He stressed that if these ideas “belonged inside Eternal’s strategic scope, I would have pursued them within the company.
They do not.” In short, Goyal said he is stepping away to focus on ambitious personal projects beyond the company’s core scope. He also noted that the legal and regulatory demands on a public‑company CEO in India “demand singular focus,” so this transition allows Eternal to stay “sharply focused,” while giving him “the space to explore ideas that do not fit Eternal’s risk profile”.
Goyal emphasized that he will still be committed to Eternal’s long‑term strategy. He wrote that he will remain engaged in “strategy, culture, leadership development, and ethics and governance,” areas he has been focusing on recently.
He also pledged that his financial interests stay aligned: “My financial future remains meaningfully tied to Eternal,” he said, noting that all his unvested stock options will revert to the employee ESOP pool to be allocated to future leaders. In a social‑media post, Goyal concluded by calling Eternal “my life’s work,” underscoring that the change is “in title, not in commitment towards outcomes”.
Eternal’s press release and filings likewise highlight Dhindsa’s role. In the letter to shareholders (quoted in media reports), Goyal wrote that the “centre of gravity for operating decisions moves to Albi [Dhindsa].
Explore Wild Oak Body Care Range Here
As Group CEO, he will own day-to-day execution, operating priorities, and business decisions.” He praised Dhindsa’s track record with Blinkit:
“Blinkit’s journey from acquisition to breakeven happened under his leadership… He has the DNA of a battle-hardened founder and his ability to execute far exceeds mine.
He is more than capable of leading Eternal as Group CEO,” Goyal wrote. (Blinkit is the rapid-delivery business Dhindsa founded, acquired by Zomato in 2022.) This statement makes clear that the succession was planned and that Goyal believes Dhindsa is well‑qualified to run the company’s core businesses.
Goyal’s Leadership and Business Moves
Deepinder Goyal co-founded Zomato in 2008 (originally as MenuMania/Foodiebay) and led its growth into a global food-tech company. Under his 18‑year tenure, Zomato expanded beyond restaurant listings into food delivery, went public in 2021, and made several strategic investments.
Notably, Zomato acquired Blinkit (then known as Grofers) in 2022 for around ₹4,700 crore, bringing quick‑commerce (10‑minute grocery delivery) under its umbrella. Goyal has said Blinkit was a major new growth engine – in 2024 he predicted “Blinkit will be larger than Zomato” in its future scope – and as CEO he integrated it into the group’s structure.
He also invested in and grew HyperPure, Zomato’s B2B food-supply arm for restaurants (founded 2019). In a 2022 earnings call, company leaders noted that HyperPure could eventually be “as large as or larger than” the core food-delivery business. This reflects Goyal’s push to diversify revenue streams.
In February 2025, under Goyal’s direction Zomato’s board approved rebranding the parent company as Eternal Ltd – uniting four major businesses (food delivery/Zomato, quick commerce/Blinkit, restaurant supplies/HyperPure, and events/District) under one name.
Kojic Acid Brightening Body Wash - Wildoak
In recent years Goyal has also pursued personal ventures alongside his role at Zomato/Eternal. Media reports note that he has funded deep-tech and health startups on the side: for example, investing $20 million in an aerospace venture (LAT Aerospace), founding Continue (a longevity and health R&D initiative), and developing Temple (a wearable device to monitor brain blood flow).
In fact, Goyal said in a late-2025 podcast that he had earlier offered to step down as CEO (around the time co-founder Pankaj Chaddah left in 2022), explaining “I can’t be CEO now… this is a very large organisation. Chief product officer is my game”. These moves underscore his shifting focus toward product and experimentation outside Eternal.
Stock Market Reaction
Eternal’s stock reacted positively to the announcement. On Jan 21, the share price rose sharply – closing up about 4.9–5% on the day. Analysts attributed the gain to the company’s strong quarterly results (Eternal reported a 73% jump in Q3 profit that day) and the smooth, planned nature of the leadership change. In particular, many investors seemed reassured that Goyal remains on the board and that Dhindsa is a proven executive.
(By comparison, sudden exits often trigger sell‑offs, but this announcement coincided with higher earnings and clear succession planning.) No major sell-off was reported. As one business news report noted, Eternal’s stock “settled nearly 5 per cent up” immediately after the news, suggesting investor confidence in the transition.
Industry Commentary and Outlook
Industry observers have noted that this is essentially a succession rather than an abrupt departure. Goyal’s own statements emphasized continuity – calling this “a change in title, not in commitment” to Eternal. Since he will continue influencing long-term strategy, most analysts see the impact on operations as minimal.
Dhindsa’s elevation highlights Zomato/Eternal’s emphasis on quick commerce and efficiency, given his role in bringing Blinkit to profitability. (Dhindsa, an IIT alum and ex-Zomato executive, co-founded Blinkit in 2013 and led it to breakeven under Goyal’s watch.)
Beyond the headlines, experts point out that Eternal’s core businesses remain robust. Zomato’s rebranded parent saw its net profit double in Q3 FY26 as food‑delivery and instant‑commerce demand surged. This financial strength, combined with Goyal’s reassurances of ongoing involvement, suggests the company is positioned to pursue its growth plans without disruption.
In short, while the departure of a founder‑CEO invariably attracts attention, the current consensus is that Eternal’s strategy and execution should continue smoothly under Dhindsa’s day‑to‑day leadership and Goyal’s continued oversight as vice chairman.
