Rediff.com has appointed Vishal Mehta as its new Chairman and Managing Director. This key leadership change follows Infibeam Avenues's acquisition of a majority stake in Rediff.com.
The board of directors at Rediff.com made the decision on Tuesday, officially appointing Mehta to succeed Ajit Balakrishnan, who has been at the helm since Rediff’s inception in 1996.
With Mehta at the helm, Rediff.com is poised for a significant shift. In addition to his new role at Rediff, Mehta will continue to serve as Chairman and Managing Director of Infibeam Avenues. Balakrishnan, who played a pivotal role in establishing Rediff.com as a household name in India’s digital ecosystem, will ensure a seamless transition.
Balakrishnan said, “I am confident that the best is yet to come and under Vishal’s leadership Rediff.com will undoubtedly drive into new realms of growth and innovation."
Mehta, a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Cornell University, brings a wealth of expertise in digital innovation and strategic business development. He is an ex-Amazon executive, who had worked at Amazon’s corporate headquarter, playing a pivotal role in advancing the company’s technology, and corporate development functions during his five year stint. After a decade in the United States, he returned to India in 2007 with a cohort of Amazon colleagues to found Infibeam, which has since grown into one of India’s largest fintech and payment infrastructure firm with its flagship brand CCAvenue. Infibeam processes over $86 billion in transactions annually, serving millions of merchants in India and globally.
Mehta's appointment as Chairman and Managing Director of Rediff.com will steer Rediff.com into new areas of growth, particularly in consumer facing digital payments and financial services.
On Tuesday, Infibeam Avenues, completed its acquisition of a 54.01 per cent equity stake in Rediff.com, making Rediff a subsidiary. This acquisition marks a major milestone for both companies.