In a major leadership shake-up, Swiggy co-founder Nandan Reddy has resigned from his position as Whole-Time Director and Head of Innovation. The news, confirmed via a regulatory filing yesterday, marks the departure of the second of Swiggy’s three original founders, following Rahul Jaimini, who left in 2020.
Reddy, a visionary force who helped scale Swiggy from a single Bengaluru neighborhood into a nationwide giant, is reportedly leaving to pursue a new entrepreneurial venture.
1. The End of an Era
Nandan Reddy’s exit is effective immediately as of April 10, 2026. Over his decade-long tenure, he held multiple critical roles, most recently leading “Crew”, Swiggy’s AI-powered concierge service.
- CEO’s Tribute: Group CEO Sriharsha Majety described Reddy as a “vital collaborator” whose commitment to innovation is “woven into Swiggy’s DNA.”
- The Transition: While Reddy moves on to independent projects, Swiggy’s Vice President Aakash Bhotika will continue overseeing the operations of the AI-led “Crew” service for the time being.
2. Major Board Restructuring
Reddy’s resignation coincides with a broader reshuffle intended to institutionalize Swiggy’s governance. The board has approved several high-profile appointments, effective June 1, 2026:
| Individual | New Role | Current/Previous Background |
| Phani Kishan Addepalli | Additional Executive Director | Co-founder & Chief Growth Officer; Pioneer of Instamart. |
| Rahul Bothra | Additional Executive Director | Group CFO; Led Swiggy’s 2024 IPO and QIP. |
| Renan De Castro Alves Pinto | Nominee Director | Prosus Executive; Replacing Roger Clark Rabalais. |
3. Governance Shift: “Founder to Institutional”
The board also approved significant amendments to the company’s Articles of Association, signaling a strategic shift in how the company is controlled:
- Nomination Rights: The rights of institutional investors Accel and Softbank to nominate directors have been removed.
- CEO Empowerment: CEO Sriharsha Majety has been granted the right to nominate himself and one senior management member to the board.
- Reddy’s Successor: Phani Kishan Addepalli will take over the board nomination rights previously held by Nandan Reddy.
4. Strategic Context: Profitability & IPO Prep
Analysts view this reshuffle as a “maturation” of Swiggy’s leadership as it faces intense pressure to achieve sustainable profitability.
- The Q4 Outlook: The changes come as the market closely watches Swiggy’s performance against Zomato, whose market cap recently hovered near $21.5 billion.
- Operational Focus: By elevating the CFO and Chief Growth Officer to the board, Swiggy is doubling down on financial discipline and the scaling of its high-growth Quick Commerce (Instamart) vertical.
5. What’s Next for Nandan Reddy?
While specific details of his next startup remain under wraps, Reddy’s track record as an “innovation head” suggests his next move will likely be in the Deep Tech or AI space.
“Nandan has always been about the next frontier,” a source close to the company noted. “After building the delivery backbone of India, it’s no surprise he’s looking for a fresh ‘Day 1’ challenge.”
