- Albinder Dhindsa named Group CEO of Eternal Ltd, parent of Zomato and Blinkit
- Deepinder Goyal to step down as CEO on February 1, 2026, to pursue new ideas
- Dhindsa co-founded Grofers, now Blinkit, acquired by Zomato in 2022 for $568 million
Albinder Dhindsa has been appointed as the Group Chief Executive Officer of Eternal Ltd., the parent company of Zomato and its quick-commerce business Blinkit. He takes over from Deepinder Goyal, the founder of Zomato, who is stepping down from the CEO role effective February 1, 2026. Goyal cited his desire to explore new ideas as the reason for his exit, allowing him to focus on high-risk exploration and experimentation outside of Eternal.
Dhindsa, a co-founder of Grofers (now Blinkit), has been instrumental in transforming the company into a leading quick-commerce platform. Under his leadership, Blinkit was acquired by Zomato in 2022.
Notably, Dhindsa and Goyal have a long history - they were school friends and then worked together at Zomato. Their strong friendship, shared history, and trust make Dhindsa a natural choice to lead Eternal now, especially as Blinkit drives a lot of the company's growth.
Early Years
The duo first met in late 1990s as teenagers at a National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) camp in Chandigarh, according to 'Unseen: The Untold Story of Deepinder Goyal and the Making of Zomato.' They were both high-performing students from Patiala and Muktsar, respectively, thrown into a fiercely competitive environment. Goyal has shared that Dhindsa was a close classmate during their school days and actually helped him pass his Class 12th board exams by providing answers.
Their paths crossed again at IIT Delhi, where their bond strengthened. Dhindsa studied Mechanical Engineering, while Goyal pursued Mathematics and Computing.
Professional Connection and Partnership
After earning an MBA from Columbia, Dhindsa joined Zomato in December 2011 as the Head of International Operations, working directly under Goyal during the company's early global expansion.
In 2014, Dhindsa left Zomato to co-found Grofers (later rebranded as Blinkit), which eventually became a direct competitor in the logistics space.
Zomato acquired a struggling Blinkit in 2022 for approximately $568 million in an all-stock deal. The deal was often characterized as a "bailout" of a friend, but Goyal defended it as an objective business decision.
Goyal has credited Dhindsa with having the "DNA of a battle-hardened founder" and possessing superior execution abilities.
Personal Ties
Dhindsa's connection with Deepinder Goyal runs deep, extending beyond friendship. His wife, Akriti Chopra, was part of Zomato's early core team, making Dhindsa's association with the company and Goyal more than just professional.
