Zomato CEO Albinder Dhindsa 2026: Blinkit Chief Takes the Reins as Eternal Pivots

The baton's been passed, and it's headed straight for the quick commerce finish line. Deepinder Goyal, the visionary co-founder and CEO of Eternal—the parent company of food delivery giant Zomato—is stepping down. In his place, Albinder Dhindsa, the man who led the explosive growth of Blinkit, will take over as CEO starting this week.

Zomato CEO Albinder Dhindsa 2026: Why Now?

The timing isn't accidental. It follows a stellar performance for Eternal in its third quarter. The company's profit surged by 73% to ₹1.02 billion (roughly $11.13 million), with adjusted revenue skyrocketing by 190% to ₹166.92 billion. While food delivery remains a pillar, the real story is Blinkit.

Blinkit saw its net order value jump 121% to ₹133.0 billion ($1.45 billion) in the last quarter alone. By appointing Dhindsa, Eternal is signaling that quick commerce isn't just a side hustle—it's the company's future.

Deepinder Goyal’s High-Risk Frontier

Goyal isn't leaving the building; he's just moving to a different room. As Vice Chairman, he'll focus on what he calls "higher-risk exploration." This shift allows him to escape the constraints of managing a listed entity and focus on experimental ventures like Continue Research (longevity) and Temple (brain-health wearables).

It's a classic move for founders who've grown their startups into giants: hand over the operational steering wheel to an execution-focused leader like Dhindsa and return to the "zero-to-one" phase that defined Zomato's early days back in 2008.

A Road Full of Regulatory Speedbumps

It won't be a smooth ride for Dhindsa. The Indian labor ministry is pushing back on the industry's 10-minute delivery promise, citing concerns for worker safety. Balancing the aggressive growth targets of a booming quick commerce sector with increasing government scrutiny will be his biggest challenge in 2026.