Arvind Gupta Steps Down from ONDC: E-commerce Network Experiences Executive Shift

Arvind Gupta, the independent director of the Open Network for Digital Commerce, has recently left his position, marking another significant change in the leadership of this government-supported e-commerce initiative. Gupta’s exit came last month, adding to a series of departures from the organisation, including key figures such as Managing Director and Chief Executive Thampy Koshy, Non-Executive Chairperson R.S. Sharma, and Chief Business Officer Shireesh Joshi.

Leadership Structure at ONDC

The Open Network for Digital Commerce operates under a board of directors and an advisory council composed of founding members, shareholders, government nominees, and independent directors. Arvind Gupta, who was among the founding members of ONDC and its inaugural independent director, shared insights on his tenure. He expressed that he completed his three-year term and opted not to pursue an extension.

Current Independent Directors

Following Gupta’s departure, ONDC now has three independent directors remaining: Adil Zainulbhai, the Chairperson of the Capacity Building Commission; Anjali Bansal, founder and chairperson of Avaana Capital; and Ritesh Tiwari, the Executive Director of Finance & IT, as well as Chief Financial Officer at Hindustan Unilever Ltd.

Performance Metrics of ONDC

In terms of performance metrics, the network recorded a total of 4.34 million retail orders in April. However, this figure saw a decrease of 6.2% in May, dropping to 4.07 million. Additionally, on-network logistics orders fell from 2.41 million in April to 2.32 million in May, indicating a decline in operational activity within the network.