Ola bets on London to become preeminent global force

Ride-hailing major Ola expects London to play an important role in its global road map, and believes that entry into this market is the beginning of its "journey to be the preeminent global force".

The company, which has launched its services in London, has already onboarded over 25,000 drivers on its platform.

"London is truly the beginning of our journey to be the preeminent global force and player in our industry. Very few Indian brands have gone global with this scale and ambition and our journey and success will become a benchmark," Ola co-founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal said in an e-mail to employees.

He added that the next three months are "crucial to scale operations, be nimble on our feet to counter competition moves and above all, deliver a differentiated customer experience to 'wow' the consumers".

He said the company will maintain its differentiated focus on drivers, safety and a collaborative approach with local authorities and regulators.

Aggarwal said London is one of the most important global cities in general, and is one of the biggest markets in size for the industry. Ola had received an operating licence from Transport for London (TfL) earlier last year.

"So, building the right business for all stakeholders...has been a key focus for us... We have been able to focus on consumer and driver experience significant and improving the quality and proposition of safety and truly moving the industry forward," he said.

The Bengaluru-based firm had entered the UK with operations starting in Cardiff in August last year. It has expanded across Birmingham, Liverpool, Exeter, Reading, Bristol, Bath, Coventry, and Warwick in the UK.

Ola's service is available in over 250 cities in India, Australia, New Zealand and the UK.