NEW DELHI: Swiggy Instamart, India’s quick commerce platform, has announced the appointment of Sairam Krishnamurthy as its new Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Krishnamurthy, a veteran in the retail and FMCG sectors, brings over 18 years of experience. His extensive background includes pivotal roles at More Retail, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), and Ola Mobility.
At More Retail, an Amazon-backed venture, he served as Chief Operating Officer of the supermarket business, following his tenure as Chief Merchandising Officer. His experience at HUL saw him leading several brands and expanding their market presence.
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Expressing his excitement about joining Swiggy, Krishnamurthy said, “I am thrilled to join team Swiggy in a business that I believe represents the future of grocery retail. As an ardent consumer turned operator, I am energised by the opportunity to drive profitable growth for Swiggy Instamart.
I look forward to collaborating with the team to unlock the immense potential of the business and lead it into the next phase of growth.”
In his new role, Krishnamurthy will oversee Swiggy Instamart’s operations, including dark store and infrastructure management, city growth, and expansion. He will report directly to Phani Kishan, Swiggy’s co-founder and head of Instamart.
Girish Menon, CHRO at Swiggy, welcomed Krishnamurthy, saying, “Sai’s extensive experience and impressive track record as an operator, leading cross-functional teams in a high-growth environment make him an ideal fit for Swiggy Instamart at this juncture of our journey. We welcome him to the team and look forward to his contributions in taking Swiggy Instamart to the next level of growth.”
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This appointment comes as Swiggy faces stiff competition from rivals like Zomato-owned Blinkit and Zepto. Swiggy has been strategically hiring Amazon to strengthen its leadership team, including executives like Himavant Srikrishna Kurnala, Satheesh Raman, and Dipak Krishnamani.
Krishnamurthy’s appointment aligns with Swiggy’s efforts to push up average order values by expanding its product portfolio beyond groceries. As quick commerce companies continue to disrupt traditional e-commerce players like Amazon and Flipkart, Swiggy aims to enhance its service offerings and cement its position in the market.
Swiggy Instamart operates in 33 cities, delivering groceries and essentials within 10 minutes. The platform is part of Swiggy’s broader mission to provide unparalleled convenience to urban consumers.
Founded in 2014, Swiggy has grown to collaborate with nearly 200,000 restaurants across over 600 cities in India.