Tag: upGrad

Upgrad taps Sunita Mohanty to steer revenue ship into global waters

MUMBAI: When a growth rocket needs fuel, you call in a heavy hitter. And that’s exactly what Upgrad Enterprise has done by appointing Sunita Mohanty as its new revenue head. Effective March 2025, the skilling juggernaut has onboarded the industry veteran to supercharge strategy, scale partnerships, and rake in revenues from India to the middle east—and a few time zones beyond.

Announced on 2 April 2025, this strategic hire marks a bold step as Upgrad doubles down on its mission to build a future-ready workforce through enterprise learning. Mohanty isn’t just bringing her suitcase to the Bengaluru HQ—she’s bringing a two-decade track record of turning chaos into quarter-on-quarter miracles.

Armed with 25+ years of firepower across Wipro, Oracle, Capgemini, Sodexo, and most recently, SAP (where she led cloud success services for the Indian subcontinent), Mohanty has seen it all. Sales, delivery, customer success, P&L management—she’s the kind of leader who’ll not just move the needle but replace it with a laser pointer.

“It’s an exciting growth phase for us – we are doubling down on our business and leadership, to ensure continued growth. Sunita brings core capabilities in building and scaling high-impact enterprise solutions while also driving stronger customer engagement. Her strategic acumen will help us unlock new market opportunities and scale into newer regions to support global organisations build a future-ready talent pipeline for effective business ROI,” said Upgrad Enterprise CEO Srikanth Iyengar.

Mohanty’s playbook will focus on expanding global enterprise partnerships, especially with India HQ organisations, GCCs and multinational players. Her sharp focus? GenAI, emerging tech, and the skilling solutions that make CFOs smile.

“The rapid shifts in macroeconomic conditions and disruptive technological advancements are compelling businesses to rethink their workforce strategies. Organisations are no longer just adapting but actively future-proofing their talent to stay ahead in an ever-evolving landscape. For Upgrad Enterprise, this is an exciting opportunity to be a strategic partner in shaping the workforce of tomorrow. By bridging critical skill gaps and equipping employees with future-ready capabilities, we are driving not just learning, but transformation. I’m thrilled to be part of this next phase of growth and impact at Upgrad,” said Mohanty.

An alumna of Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, Mohanty will be based in Bengaluru. With a career crafted at the crossroads of tech and transformation, her arrival signals Upgrad’s serious push into global C-suite conversations.

April 2, 2025
Glance-upGrad partner up to tackle India’s 13.4 per cent unemployment rate

MUMBAI: Imagine unlocking your phone and unlocking your future at the same time.

In a world where smart screens are as essential as the air we breathe, Glance and upGrad are reshaping how we learn and grow. This groundbreaking collaboration turns your lock screen into a gateway of endless possibilities, offering free, job-ready skills through upGrad’s Intern-Zip programme.

With the swipe of a finger, millions of young Indians now have access to life-changing upskilling opportunities, proving that in the 21st century, innovation and ambition go hand in hand.

Glance reaches 235 million users daily, nearly 47 per cent of whom are under the age of 24—making it a strategic platform to connect with young Indians. Within three weeks of the launch, upGrad’s content has garnered over 100 million views (glances) on lock screens, underscoring the programme’s reach and impact.

The Intern-Zip programme, designed for individuals aged 20-24, aims to address India’s 13.4 per cent unemployment rate among graduates by equipping them with skills for professional success. Courses include foundational topics such as technical expertise, soft skills, and professional development, all accessible directly from the users’ lock screens.

InMobi co-founder & Glance COO & president, Piyush Shah expressed optimism about the initiative, “With Glance, we’re not only reaching millions—we’re empowering them to seize opportunities and inspire them to discover something new every moment. By bringing upGrad’s workforce-ready content directly on smart lock screens, we’re equipping users with technical expertise, soft skills, and professional development tools.”

upGrad co-founder, Mayank Kumar highlighted the relevance of skilling in a transforming economy, “India has now become a global epicentre of learning and skilling, and this is the most opportune time to scale our value proposition to a different demographic altogether. Partnering with Glance allows us to expand our reach and leverage smart tech integration, further reinforcing our commitment to this cause.”

Glance chief marketing officer, Bikash Chowdhury underscored the programme’s alignment with India’s broader economic goals, “As India works towards becoming a $5 trillion economy, a skilled, adaptable workforce is essential for sustaining growth and solidifying the nation’s standing as a global talent hub. Our goal with the Glance for Good programme is to inspire positive behaviour and drive large-scale, real-world impact.”

By combining Glance’s AI-driven lock screen platform, available in seven Indian languages, with upGrad’s expertise in skilling, the initiative creates an unparalleled opportunity to empower India’s youth and address the evolving demands of a tech-driven economy.

December 18, 2024
Shark Tank India 3 invites innovators on an entrepreneurial triumph journey

Mumbai: Shark Tank India has successfully cemented its position in the Indian market, and its third season has begun streaming on Sony LIV. The show is making a significant impact with its compelling pitches, stories and deals generating widespread excitement among viewers. The inclusion of 6 new sharks on the panel has not only captured the audience’s attention but has also received an enthusiastic response from brands and advertisers.

The all-new season has garnered support from influential brands, fortifying its impact. ACKO continues its dedicated support as the co-presenting partner, maintaining a steadfast three-year alliance. Pokerbaazi, has joined as the co-presenting sponsor, and with the support of co-powered by upGrad, the show strategically broadens its reach and influence. IDFC First Bank has come onboard as the banking partner, and ICICI Direct along with Unicharm’s Sofy Feminine Care brand have joined as partner sponsors, enriching the show’s network of pivotal partnerships.

The panel of season 3 includes – Varun Dua, founder and CEO, ACKO, Amit Jain, CEO and co-founder, CarDekho group – InsuranceDekho.com, Anupam Mittal, founder and CEO, Shaadi.com – people group, Aman Gupta, co-founder and CMO, boat, Azhar Iqubal, co-founder and CEO, Inshorts, Deepinder Goyal, founder and CEO, Zomato, Namita Thapar, executive director, Emcure Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Peyush Bansal, CEO and co-founder, Lenskart, Ritesh Agarwal, Founder and CEO, OYO Rooms, Radhika Gupta, MD and CEO, Edelweiss MF, Ronnie Screwvala, co-founder, and chairperson, UpGrad, and Vineeta Singh, co-founder and CEO, SUGAR Cosmetics. The show is hosted by Rahul Dua.

With its diverse and seasoned panel, Shark Tank India is not only poised to elevate the entrepreneurial spirit but also reshape the business terrain with this all-new season.

Comments

Sony LIV head ad sales revenue Ranjana Mangla

Shark Tank India has revolutionized the realm of reality shows in our country. Offering a unique fusion of education and entertainment, the show delivers a distinct viewing experience. It serves as an exceptional platform, allowing brands and marketers to execute purposeful advertising within a highly engaged environment. By associating with the show, brands ride the wave of entrepreneurial spirit, engage with a diverse audience, and elevate their presence in the hearts and minds of millions, all while being part of the journey to transform dreams into thriving businesses.

ACKO EVP Marketing Ashish Mishra

Shark Tank India has single-handedly run the largest educational campaign for promoting Entrepreneurship in India. It has given courage to millions of Indians to chase their dreams. Terms like Debt, Equity, ARR etc are being discussed at dinner tables in households across India. Parents no longer frown when their kids say “Mujhe Startup Karna hai”. This is a big testament to the reach and popularity of STI. After Doctor, Engineer and Cricketer, India finally has a fourth popular profession – Entrepreneur.

upGrad co-founder & MD Mayank Kumar

Continuous learning is a fundamental tenet of Entrepreneurship and Shark Tank India offers the most immersive platform to catalyse and make upskilling a household phenomenon. Interestingly, upGrad and Shark Tank India synergize in nurturing innovative mindsets and contributing to society, making this a high-value and outcome-driven proposition. India is at the epicentre of the Industrial Revolution and upGrad stands firm in the process of nation-building by offering individuals between 18 to 60 years with learning capabilities for the evolving and transformational job market. We see this opportunity as a driving force to position India as the next big talent provider and Vishwa Guru among other developing and developed countries.

January 30, 2024
BBH India wins creative mandate of upGrad for its upcoming campaign

Mumbai: BBH India, a leading creative agency renowned for its innovative campaigns, is proud to announce its recent victory in securing the creative mandate for upGrad, Asia’s largest integrated learning skilling and workforce development company for its upcoming brand campaign scheduled this year. The partnership aims to usher in a new era of brand repositioning and transformation for upGrad through an integrated campaign.

With a solid reputation for building brands in the digital-first environment, BBH India emerged as the clear choice for upGrad in a multi-agency pitch process to redefine its brand repositioning and creative campaign.

upGrad, founded in 2015, has become the go-to destination for learners seeking high-quality pedagogy backed by experiential learning, which arms them with industry-ready skills and knowledge for stronger career growth. The collaboration with BBH India comes at a pivotal time in the online higher education landscape, as upGrad looks to further consolidate its position as the skilling giant emerging out of India.

BBH India chief operating officer & MD Himanshu Saxena stated, “Partnering upGrad is a matter of immense pride and excitement for us. upGrad comes with a legacy of great brand & business building. However, this new journey that promises ‘Career Acceleration’ to a wider cross-section of Indians, is an extremely powerful moment in the brand’s life stage. We are committed to delivering the power of ‘Zag’ creativity for upGrad and accelerate upGrad into next orbit of growth and fame.”

upGrad head of marketing Ankit Khirwal said, “upGrad has built a strong brand identity among working professionals in the last eight years and it’s critical we talk about our evolved portfolio that addresses individuals’ entire learning value chain from the time they exit school and become domain experts or thought leaders. Our partnership with BBH India goes beyond creative synergies to inspire New India including working professionals and students alike, to accept constant upskilling as a Lifelong learning event. This will also mark a fundamental step in the nation-building process and shall prepare an army of market-ready professionals, equipped to tackle any industrial challenges.”

October 18, 2023
upGrad appoints Anuj Vishwakarma to head its online higher-ed programs

Mumbai: upGrad, one of Asia’s higher edtech companies has announced the appointment of Anuj Vishwakarma as president for its online higher-ed programs.

In his new role, Anuj will be responsible for building the online higher-ed vertical for creating a long-term strategic moat and also implement growth best practices for scaling the business.

Vishwakarma is a seasoned growth leader with over 10+ years of rich experience building high-growth consumer businesses in the fintech, online retail, and offline retail industries. Prior to upGrad he has driven growth for leading consumer internet players like Myntra, Paytm and Ola. He has led high-profile assignments at Ola as revenue & growth head and at Paytm as growth head for Travel Business.

An MBA degree holder from IIM Bangalore and a National Institute of Technology (NIT) Bhopal, alumnus, Vishwakarma has a constant hunger for growth and has a track record of building large businesses through sustainable growth strategies. He will operate from upGrad’s Bengaluru office and will also collaborate with the multiple teams across upGrad divisions to scale their program vertical.

Welcoming him, upGrad co-founder and managing director Mayank Kumar commented, “We operate in a golden era where the demand for online higher education will continue to propel and therefore, we need a solution-focused leader who comes with strong hands-on skills. Vishwakarma, for his domain inclination, is best suited to perform in-depth market research and consumer insights to spearhead our vertical growth. His efforts will further solidify our core business while also enhancing our domestic LifeLongLearning suite.”

“I am humbled to be a part of this dynamic leadership team who knows no limits. upGrad’s vision is synergistic and I look forward to utilizing my domain expertise for building a stronger business foundation for driving career outcomes of our potential learners. This will help me contribute towards strengthening the brand’s reputation across a wider audience,” concluded Vishwakarma.

November 22, 2022
upGrad launches campaign for Digital Marketing Job-Linked Bootcamp

Mumbai: Asia’s largest higher edtech company upGrad is back with yet another clutter-breaking digital campaign featuring a seemingly ironic interviewer-interviewee banter. The campaign film, through interesting on-screen chemistry, brings out the efficacy of upGrad’s best-in-class faculty, and the placement strategy it offers under its Digital Marketing Job-Linked Bootcamp, delivering a promising career outcome.

Conceptualised by upGrad’s in-house creative team, the film is produced by Valeum Films and is directed by Manoj Tapadia, who has made ad films for an endless list of brands, notably Dove, Maggi, Dettol, Tata Tea, Havells, Symphony, and HDFC. The film, shot in an office setup, shows a job interview underway that isn’t going the applicant’s way, until he answers a key question that turns the interview – and the hiring manager’s perspective – around.

The six month bootcamp has been developed using upGrad’s extensive industry experience and offers a hands-on curriculum, including 200+ hours of live lectures, introduction to niche digital marketing tools, and 65+ hours of interview preparation and dedicated soft skill development sessions each. Prepared by industry experts for industry roles, the 100 per cent live bootcamp is carefully designed for freshers to assist them land a job with a minimum of Rs 4 lakhs per annum within 150 days of performance-based program completion or an entire fee refund. The move is also set to accelerate India’s growth momentum significantly through an added employment doorway.

Commenting on the campaign, upGrad CEO – India Arjun Mohan said, “Job-Linked Digital Marketing Bootcamp is one of the biggest milestones, we, as a higher edtech leader, have introduced and therefore, it was critical for us to create maximum awareness touchpoints to let our target group and aspiring marketers take an informed career choice. The campaign draws insights from an internal study which highlighted the existing market gap in terms of available jobs. As a result, we realised that freshers and working professionals who aspire to build a career as digital marketers do not have a direct entry point. They have to pursue multiple different job profiles before they actually land the desired job.”

“Young people change the face of any industry. Digital marketing is no different – in fact, it is one of the industries, most prone to be changed by new blood coming in. While earlier, young people usually stumbled into digital marketing, a structured and industry-relevant course like this upGrad Bootcamp, will give prospective marketers a great start to their career, thanks to the veteran faculty teaching it. This was the insight that led to the ad film,” added upGrad head of creative and content marketing – India Shreyas Shevade.

In line with upGrad’s commitment to LifeLongLearning, the program structure also includes 1:1 mentorship opportunity with industry experts, end-to-end support in resume building, interview etiquette, and mock interview sessions, enabling its learners with enhanced career development opportunities.

November 12, 2022
upGrad names Srikanth Iyengar as CEO – workforce development for North America & Europe

Mumbai: Edtech major upGrad announced the appointment of Srikanth Iyengar as the CEO of workforce development, effective September 2022.

Srikanth has over two decades of work experience spanning North America and Europe. In his previous profiles, he led large multinational businesses across diverse industries like tech services and learning/talent upskilling, consistently driving revenue growth and profitability across a portfolio of 2000 global clients across North America, Europe, and APAC regions. In addition, he is a passionate advocate of diversity and inclusion in the workplace and has championed various initiatives around technology-led business transformation, IT solutions, FMCG, and skills & training development for driving strong brand recognition and financial growth at large.

In his current role, Srikanth will build and scale a B2B proposition that upskills experienced technology professionals. With this offering, upGrad is well placed to address a significant and growing technology skills gap in the global marketplace by delivering a world-class proposition. It will also be responsible for leveraging the company’s unparalleled breadth of technology curriculums, significantly large alumni community, and proven expertise in delivering tangible learning outcomes. Srikanth’s efforts will be instrumental in setting up a robust ‘diversity and inclusion’ (DnI) framework to allow businesses to build a future-ready and productive workforce.

upGrad co-founder & MD Mayank Kumar said, “We continue to strengthen our focus on the global enterprise segment in pursuit of predictable, profitable, and sustainable growth. With Srikanth joining our leadership team, we look forward to leveraging his sharp business acumen and multi-cultural intellect to further sharpen our client focus, strengthen our operational excellence and global presence, and also enhance sales leadership for continued growth.”

“The results of the conference board 2022 global CEO survey show that a shortage of skills, especially technology skills, is one of the biggest short and medium-term challenges facing global corporations today,” added Srikanth Iyengar.

“We are confident that upGrad’s workforce development proposition will help our clients address this problem in a scalable and holistic manner. The workforce development approach is critical for businesses to follow as it would not just upskill but also build employees’ resilience to empower organisations and corporates with the tools needed to adapt to the future job markets. Over the last few months, I have developed much respect for upGrad founders and the leadership team as a result of their strategic clarity and relentless, disciplined approach to growth and market leadership. I am really excited to be joining such a high-performing team and to help build a truly special organisation going forward,” he concluded.

With a strong focus on the US, Europe, and select western markets, Srikanth will continue to work from London, United Kingdom. In the most recent development, the global edtech player has closed its sixth key acquisition of CY2022 to further strengthen its enterprise (B2B) business portfolio in India and beyond.

September 26, 2022
upGrad announces its latest digital campaign for MICA Ahmedabad to aspire Indian youths

Mumbai: upGrad has launched a new campaign reflecting the well-established legacy and the key differentiators of its digital marketing programme from MICA Ahmedabad.

The narrative entails the legacy of the program, which is a well-accepted digital marketing course in the industry that provides 100+ digital marketing tools, the opportunity to run campaigns for real money, and access to MICA faculty.

The programme has 12,000+ learners over 50 batches in seven years, with 300+ recruiters from leading companies and a wide alumni network that is recognised by the industry as a benchmark in digital marketing.

Conceptualised by its in-house digital creative team, the campaign highlights how young potential aspirants, with a sheer ambition to fast forward their career, are all wanting to improvise in this digital era, while the campaign rightfully outlines how “Greatness can recognise Greatness.”

As part of its digital campaign, the two ad films beautifully capture the excellence of its program, which is widely accepted and holds industry recognition for helping professionals build their careers.

Speaking of the campaign, upGrad vice president & head of marketing Ankit Khirwal commented, “The career outcomes and the credibility the programme holds echoes for itself. It’s imperative in this era to hone the right skills needed to be future ready and we are glad that we are empowering the working professionals with the right skills, best pedagogy along with mentorship that will enable our learners to become future leaders of the industry.”

“Through this film, we have tried to bring out the legacy of our digital marketing programme from MICA Ahmedabad that is widely recognised in the industry,” he added.

upGrad associate director, head of creative and content marketing-India Shreyas Shevade added, “I’ve been on every side of the table at MICA except for one-behind the desk in their classrooms. I’ve been hired from there, taught there, and even applied to study there. So the idea for this campaign came from the many times I’ve seen a MICAn in an interview getting recognised for their degree. It’s amazing and a little envious that young and aspiring marketers today can add a great name like MICA to their CV just like that. And that’s what upGrad is all about-making great education easily and equally accessible to everyone with will and potential.”

September 8, 2022
upGrad onboards Myleeta AgaWilliams as CEO – International

Mumbai: EdTech company, upGrad has announced the appointment of Myleeta AgaWilliams as CEO-International to spearhead growth across the APAC, EMEA and US regions. She assumed office in August this year.

With over two decades of experience in global and digital businesses, Myleeta will be responsible for managing end-to-end international operations and creating region-specific product pipelines, thereby driving high-impact revenue and profitability results.

Myleeta AgaWilliams will be leveraging her experience in scaling businesses through strategic interventions across content and global distribution for broadcast and streaming media. She will engage with managerial teams based in multiple geographies to align short-term and long-term business objectives for accelerating profitability.

Previously, she has managed diverse product portfolios and led marketing and sales teams across geographies at Netflix, BBC Studios, Discovery, and UTV, amongst others.

Commenting on the appointment, upGrad co-founder & MD Mayank Kumar said, “We are at such a high point of our international expansion that we require a leader who has seen these markets evolve to make sound business decisions. Myleeta comes with a strong entrepreneurial mindset and cultural intellect that will augment our operations across existing and upcoming markets.”

“While we are leading the higher education space in India and have penetrated successfully across SE Asia, we felt it’s the right time to go aggressive with other geographies, which will require strategic linear and non-linear movements to support the growth. Myleeta, who has built and scaled operations across niche markets including Asia, will continue to accelerate our ambition of becoming a global leader within the LifeLongLearning segment,” Kumar added.

“Taking the hugely successful online learning portfolio that upGrad has pioneered to transform the lives and careers of learners across the globe is a fantastic opportunity,” said Myleeta while talking about her new role at upGrad.

“In this next stage of growth, we will be looking at each of the markets in which we have ambitions to achieve scale and apply a nuanced and focused strategy, leveraging my past experience and deep knowledge of digital consumption habits. I am thrilled to be joining Ronnie, Mayank, Phalgun, and the leadership team at this exciting phase of high growth,” she concluded.

August 17, 2022
upGrad on-boards Rakesh Raju as director of brand marketing

Mumbai: Strengthening its leadership team, Asia’s higher Edtech major upGrad has announced the appointment of Rakesh Raju as the director of brand marketing.

In his new role at upGrad, Rakesh will be responsible for formulating go-to-market strategies and driving high-impact marketing initiatives to further strengthen the brand’s identity across online and offline channels.

An IIM Calcutta alumnus with over 12 years of work experience, Raju has led several marketing portfolios across FMCG and telecom industries. In his last stint with CavinKare, he joined as a senior brand manager and went on to head the e-commerce business and was subsequently promoted to a leadership role to manage the haircare portfolio for the domestic business. Prior to CavinKare, Rakesh had worked with Airtel as a senior product manager for the Telecom and airtel money business verticals.

Welcoming Rakesh to his new role, upGrad head of marketing Ankit Khirwal said, “We are elated to have Rakesh Raju on board. His business prowess and experience in leading brands’ marketing efforts make him an ideal choice for upGrad, especially at a time when we are growing by leaps and bounds and such strategic hirings shall further help us to drive maximum campaign-performance efficiencies.”

“The timing couldn’t have been any better – I am excited to join upGrad at such an important business juncture. I’ve always admired the leadership and the brand from the other side and now is the time I get to work with them closely for creating a stronger brand niche within an overcrowded space. Driving impactful education for millions requires commitment, and I hope to use my acquired skills and knowledge in a most optimum way to strengthen upGrad’s stature as the ‘higher-ed leader’ across levels,” concluded Rakesh.

July 1, 2022