Flipkart hires McKinsey & Co. India Director as COO

E-commerce marketplace Flipkart has hired McKinsey Director Saikiran Krishnamurthy to be the COO of the firm’s Commerce Division. The hire is part of a wider reshuffle in Flipkart’s leadership to strengthen its senior management.

Flipkart is an in 2007 founded Indian-based E-commerce company which offers over 20 million products cross 70+ categories including Books, Media, Consumer Electronics and Lifestyle. Last year, the company merged with fashion portal Myntra.

Flipkart has hired McKinsey director Saikiran Krishnamurthy, to be the COO of its Commerce Division, working under CEO of Commerce Mukesh Bansal. Krishnamurthy brings with him his 15 year track record at McKinsey, where he led the firm’s Chemicals and Agriculture Practice along with Operations Practice in India. Krishnamurthy has an MBA from IIM-Ahmedabad and a Bachelor in Engineering from Mumbai University.

Commenting on the appointment, Bansal says: “Saikiran is among the topmost strategy experts in the country and has worked with leaders around the world in many industries. He has a proven track record of delivering high-impact projects and building strong teams and culture.”

The move is part of Flipkart’s wider strategy to strengthen its senior management team and follows a reshuffle of its senior staff. Myntra Co-Founder Mukesh Bansal is heading up day-to-day operations as CEO of Commerce, Flipkart Co-Founder Sachin Bansal takes on the strategy and logistics businesses and Flipkart Co-Founder Binny Bansal will be heading supply chain and logistics.

Scouting ex-McKinsey consultants
The hire of a former McKinsey consultant by Flipkart does not come as a surprise as Myntra, now part of Flipkart, has a track record for hiring ex McKinsey consultants. Since 2013 ten former McKinsey consultants have joined the retailer, and now fulfil executive and senior manager roles at the e-commerce specialist.