Corporate Governance

Aloke Bajpai is the Chairman, Managing Director and Group CEO of our Company and has been on our Board since June 3, 2006. He is responsible for the overall management of our Company. He holds a bachelor's degree in technology (electrical engineering) from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India and a master's degree in business administration from INSEAD. He worked as a software development engineer and subsequently, as a system and network engineer at Amadeus in France prior to co-founding ixigo.com in India in 2007. Aloke Bajpai is a charter member of The IndUS Entrepreneurs (“TiE”) and an elected member of the governing council of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (“IAMAI”) and was awarded, along with Rajnish Kumar Benedict, (i) under the Comeback Kid category at the Economic Times Startup Awards 2021, and (ii) the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Service Business – Travel 2021’ at the Entrepreneur Awards 2021. He was also awarded with the ‘Distinguished Alumnus Award 2022’ from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. Under his leadership, our Company has evolved into India's leading OTA for the 'next billion users' with over 48 crore Annual Active Users in Fiscal 2024. (Source: F&S Report).

Rajnish Kumar Benedict is Director and Group Co-CEO of our Company and has been on our Board since April 1, 2010. He advises our Company on all matters pertaining to new product development, technological advancements, product & growth marketing, research & AI initiatives, and the recruitment of global talent. He holds a bachelor's degree in technology (computer science and engineering) from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. He worked as a software development engineer at Amadeus. Under his leadership our Company launched ixigo.com in India in 2007 and developed our mobile application, 'ixigo-trains', which was the 8th most downloaded travel and navigation app globally in the 2022, according to data.ai (formerly App Annie) (Source: F&S Report). Rajnish Kumar Benedict was awarded, along with Aloke Bajpai, (i) under the Comeback Kid category, at the Economic Times Startup Awards 2021, and (ii) the 'Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Service Business – Travel 2021' at the Entrepreneur Awards 2021. He was also selected among Asia's 100 Power Leaders in Technology 2022 by White Page International. He was also awarded with the 'Distinguished Alumnus Award 2023' from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur.

Shailesh Lakhani is a Non-Executive Director of our Company and has been on our Board since October 28, 2016. He holds a bachelor's degree in applied science, computer engineering co-operative program from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and a master's degree in business administration from Harvard University, Boston, USA.

Frederic Lalonde is a Non-Executive Director of our Company and has been with our Company in various positions on our Board since 2011. He is the founder and CEO of Hopper, an airfare and hotel fare prediction mobile application. He does not hold any formal educational qualifications.

Mahendra Pratap Mall is an Independent Director of our Company and has been on our Board since July 29, 2021. He holds a bachelor's degree in science and a master's degree in politics from the University of Allahabad, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. He has also passed the national management programme from Management Development Institute, Gurugram, Haryana, India. He has previously served as the director (finance) of IRCTC, and later as the chairman and managing Director of IRCTC.

Shuba Rao Mayya is an Independent Director of our Company and has been on our Board since July 29, 2021. She holds a bachelor's degree in commerce from the University of Mumbai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India and is an associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. She has over 29 years of experience in the banking and insurance sector. She has previously served as the vice president at ICICI Limited (now merged with ICICI Bank Limited), senior vice president and head–customer service officer branch operations at ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Limited and as general manager at Tata Consultancy Services Limited (formerly known as TCS eServe Limited).

Arun Seth is an Independent Director of our Company and has been on our Board since July 29, 2021. He holds a bachelor's degree in technology (electrical engineering) from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India and a post-graduate diploma in management from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, West Bengal, India. He was a trustee of the Nasscom Foundation, which is the social arm of the technology industry body, Nasscom.

Rahul Pandit is an Independent Director of our Company and has been on our Board since July 29, 2021. He holds a bachelor's degree in arts from the University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India and a diploma in hotel management from the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology, New Delhi, Delhi, India. He served as the chief executive of Blackstone's India industrials & warehousing platform, Horizon Industrial Parks Private Limited. Previously he was the Managing Director of Hamstede Living Private Limited, a Warburg Pincus JV for rental housing. He was earlier the president and executive director of Lemon Tree Hotels Limited and later managing director and chief executive officer of Roots Corporation Limited (Ginger Hotels). He was featured in the Hotelier India Power List in 2017. Rahul represented India in the junior kumite category at the 1st South Asian Karate Championship in April 1988. He is a member of CII National Committee on Tourism & Hospitality and a [member – CII National Committee on Logistics.

Rajesh Sawhney is an Independent Director of our Company and has been on our Board since July 29, 2021. He holds a bachelor's degree in engineering (electronics and communication) from University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India and a master's degree in management studies from University of Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Additionally, he completed advance management program at Harvard Business School, Boston, USA. He co-founded InnerChef Private Limited in 2015. He is currently the founder of GSF India and co-founder and chief executive officer of GSF Accelerator. Previously, he was the president of Reliance Entertainment Limited and was on the board of Reliance Broadcast Network Limited and Reliance Big Broadcasting Private Limited. He has also served as the director in the Times of India Group and chief operating officer of Times Internet.