Inside the Mind of Zomato’s CEO: No Rival Orders and Major Changes

**Deepinder Goyal**, the founder and chief executive officer of the popular food ordering and delivery platform **Zomato**, recently made quite an interesting revelation. When asked if he ever orders food from competitors like **Swiggy**, Goyal stated quite firmly that he has never taken that route!

A Firm Stance on Competition

In a candid moment, Goyal replied, “No, I have not ordered food outside of Zomato. Never ever. Never ordered on Swiggy, nor opened anybody else’s app.” His loyalty to his own platform is clear, as he stands by the service he has created.

Reflecting on Zomato’s Challenges

Goyal didn’t shy away from discussing **Zomato**’s tough times back in 2018. He reflected on a significant moment when **Swiggy** raised a whopping **$1 billion** in funding while Zomato was left grappling with just **$35 million** in its bank account. He recalls that tense period, stating, “The only one moment like ‘Oh sh**, we’re dead’ was when Swiggy raised $1 billion and we had $35 million in the bank.” It’s a stark reminder of the competitive landscape in the food delivery industry.

The Shark Tank Saga

In a twist of events, Goyal shared an interesting tidbit about his tenure as a judge on **Shark Tank India**. He has been dropped from the panel because **Swiggy** chose to sponsor the fourth season of the show. “The startup culture of India is too much about showmanship. I went there to set a different narrative, be real and change how people perceive. I felt a moral obligation to go there. I shot for one weekend and gave my perspective. I, unfortunately, can’t go back because Swiggy sponsored Shark Tank and kicked me out, at least that’s what I heard,” he expressed.

Leadership Changes at Zomato

The ripples of change continue at Zomato, as recently the co-founder and chief people officer, **Akriti Chopra**, decided to resign to pursue other interests. Having been with the company for **13 years**, Chopra played a pivotal role in establishing and scaling Zomato’s legal and finance teams during her tenure as CFO. She tendered her resignation on **September 27, 2024**.

This is not the first shakeup; back in January, another co-founder, **Gunjan Patidar**, who served as the chief technology officer, also stepped down after a decade with the firm. Furthermore, **Mohit Gupta**, another co-founder, departed the company in November 2022. It’s clear that Zomato is currently navigating significant transitions in its leadership.

As the journey unfolds for Zomato, all eyes are on how Goyal and the remaining team will steer the ship amidst competition and internal changes.