Ex-Zomato CEO Rakesh Ranjan joins Allen Online to lead digital growth

Allen has named ex-Zomato chief Rakesh Ranjan as CEO of Allen Online to scale AI-powered learning, succeeding Abha Maheshwari, who stepped down after two years in the role

Education company Allen Career Institute on Wednesday announced the appointment of Rakesh Ranjan as chief executive officer (CEO) of its digital arm, Allen Online. In his new role, Ranjan will lead Allen’s digital strategy and operations, scaling learning experiences through technology and artificial intelligence (AI).

 

Ranjan succeeds Abha Maheshwari, a former Meta executive, who stepped down as CEO of Allen Online after two years in the role.

 

With more than 18 years of experience across technology, consumer internet, and operating roles, Ranjan was most recently CEO of Eternal-owned food delivery platform Zomato. He also built Hyperpure, Zomato’s B2B supply chain arm. Earlier, he worked at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), advising Indian conglomerates on transformation. Ranjan formally exited Zomato earlier this month and was succeeded there by Aditya Mangla.

 

Commenting on his appointment, Ranjan said: “Technology in education has meaning only when it transforms outcomes for students. At Allen, we are building on decades of proven pedagogy and success stories to bring personalised, reliable, and high-quality learning experiences to millions of learners. The goal is not just to widen access, but to ensure that every student, regardless of background or geography, has the opportunity to realise their potential.”

 

Speaking on the announcement, Nitin Kukreja, CEO of Allen Career Institute, said: “India‘s massive education deficit can only be solved with the use of technology. We need to unlock every child’s potential by delivering quality learning outcomes at scale. Rakesh has repeatedly scaled new-age technology businesses and solved complex problems. With him leading Allen Online, we will continue to be the gold standard for educational outcomes nationwide, leveraging a 37-year-old pedagogical excellence along with next-generation, AI-powered technology.”

 

The Bengaluru-based firm uses technology and AI to resolve over one million student queries each month with 98.84 per cent accuracy. Its AI bot, when tested, achieved an All India Rank (AIR)-equivalent of 8 in NEET 2025.

 

In 2024 and 2025, Allen Online enabled more than 1,200 students, including 220 from live programmes, to secure admission to IITs with top-100 ranks. In 2024, 647 Allen Online students earned seats in government medical colleges, including 40 at AIIMS.