Eternal Limited, the parent company of food delivery platform Zomato, has announced a major leadership transition with Chief Executive Officer Deepinder Goyal set to step down from his role with effect from February 1, 2026. The company said Albinder Dhindsa, who currently serves as the CEO of quick-commerce platform Blinkit, will take over as the new chief executive.
The announcement marks a significant shift at the top of one of India’s most closely watched consumer technology firms. In a letter addressed to shareholders, Goyal outlined the reasoning behind his decision, indicating a growing personal inclination towards pursuing new ideas that involve higher levels of risk, experimentation and exploration.
Goyal stated that such ideas are better pursued outside the framework of a public company, which requires sustained focus, predictability and discipline in executing its existing business strategy. He noted that if these ideas had fallen within Eternal’s strategic scope, he would have pursued them within the organisation.
The company has not indicated any immediate changes to its core business strategy following the leadership transition. By appointing Dhindsa, Eternal has opted for an internal leadership handover, given Blinkit’s integration within the group and its growing role in the company’s overall business portfolio.
Dhindsa has been at the helm of Blinkit during a period of rapid expansion in India’s quick-commerce sector, which has seen intense competition and heightened scrutiny around delivery timelines and worker safety. His elevation to the top role comes at a time when Eternal continues to navigate evolving regulatory, operational and market dynamics.
The leadership change also comes against the backdrop of recent policy and public discourse surrounding gig worker welfare in the food delivery and quick-commerce industry. Last week, the Central government directed major platforms to do away with rigid “10-minute delivery” commitments, citing concerns over the safety and working conditions of delivery partners.
Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held discussions in Delhi with representatives of leading platforms, including Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy and Zomato, during which companies were advised to remove strict delivery timelines from their platforms and promotional material. The government stressed that the safety of delivery workers should take precedence over speed-driven service promises.
The issue gained political attention after Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha welcomed the government’s intervention, describing the move as a victory for gig workers’ safety, dignity and working conditions. He said rigid delivery timelines contribute to mental stress among delivery workers and encourage risky driving behaviour.
While the government’s directive is not directly linked to Eternal’s leadership change, it underscores the broader operating environment in which the company and its subsidiaries are functioning. Increased regulatory oversight and expectations around worker welfare are emerging as key considerations for platform-based businesses.
Eternal has stated that the leadership transition will take effect from February 1, 2026, and has not announced any further organisational changes at this stage. The company’s focus, it said, remains on maintaining strategic discipline and continuity as it enters the next phase of leadership.
The development is expected to be closely tracked by investors and industry observers, given Eternal’s position in India’s consumer internet landscape and the evolving challenges facing the food delivery and quick-commerce sectors.
