Ola appoints Lazada Indonesia co-founder as vice-president

Sundeep Sahni played a pivotal role in establishing Lazada in Indonesia when he successfully closed over $100 million of funding rounds

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BS Reporter Bengaluru
Last Updated : Jul 16 2015 | 6:56 PM IST
App-based cab service provider Ola on Thursday said it has appointed southeast Asia-based online retailer Lazada’s Indonesian arm co-founder and managing director Sundeep Sahni as its vice-president of new initiatives.

Sahni who has an experience of nine years will be part of Ola’s core leadership team.

“Sundeep brings with him a unique experience of setting up an e-commerce venture from scratch in a new country. His intuitive knowledge and experience of startups having been on both operational and investment sides in his past roles will be valuable for us,” said Bhavish Aggarwal, co-founder and chief executive officer of Ola. Sundeep’s understanding of the industry, his experience of striking key partnerships and building a formidable network will be critical in our mission to build mobility for a billion people, he added.

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Sahni’s appointment is in line with the recent increase in hiring by Indian start-up companies from larger firms and abroad. Industry experts see this as the launch pad for start-ups who are planning to scale up to the next level.

“In a world where technology is reshaping business models like never before and transforming customer experiences, Ola is years ahead in its thinking of building a thriving transportation focused ecosystem. It was Bhavish’s vision to disrupt mobility at the grass roots level that attracted me towards Ola,” said Sahni on his new role.

He has played a pivotal role in establishing Lazada in Indonesia when he successfully closed over $100 million of funding rounds from reputed European investors and brought in brand partners like Motorola and Xiaomi. Lazada was backed by players including Rocket Internet and Temasek Holdings.

Prior to Lazada, Sahni was with Watheeqa Capital Company, a private equity firm from Cairo, Egypt focusing on Middle East and North Africa region. He graduated in MBA from INSEAD France/Singapore and holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the Boston College, USA and Computer Science and is also a Certified Financial Analyst.

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First Published: Jul 16 2015 | 6:54 PM IST

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