upGrad onboards Deepesh Dhakad as CPTO

Edtech firm upGrad has onboarded Deepesh Dhakad as its Chief Product and Technology Officer (CPTO) to oversee its end-to-end product, design, and technology ecosystem across its learner and enterprise verticals.

Dhakad, a seasoned product and technology leader, joined upGrad last month with close to two decades of experience across tech companies like Amazon, Flipkart, and Unacademy. 

This development comes at a time when upGrad has placed a bid to buy SoftBank-backed Unacademy at a valuation of $300 million to $400 million.

Dhakad’s last edtech association was with Unacademy, where he served as senior vice president of product and tech. Most recently, he worked with Games24x7 as vice president of product, design and analytics.

“As we expand deeper into global markets, product and technology remain the backbone of how we deliver scale, consistency, and measurable outcomes for learners and enterprises alike. Deepesh’s strong experience in building high-growth, tech-led ecosystems comes at the perfect time as we sharpen our focus on innovation,” said Amit Mehta, CHRO of upGrad.

Mehta added that Dhakad’s leadership will further strengthen the company’s ability to deliver outcome-driven learning at scale, accelerating its global strategy.

“upGrad stands at a pivotal moment where technology is not just an enabler but the engine powering our next phase of growth. As learning becomes increasingly borderless and outcome-driven, our focus will be on designing intelligent, AI-native systems that personalise learner journeys and deliver measurable results for both individuals and enterprises,” Dhakad remarked.

On November 11, Moneycontrol reported that upGrad’s CPTO Ankur Dhawan had left the company.

Over the last 18 months, upGrad has hired people in key roles, strengthening the leadership layer across its consumer and enterprise businesses. This included reinforcing the HR leadership, with Mehta, who was brought in last October, along with the appointment of Shailesh Mahale in March 2024.

In September last year, upGrad’s corporate skilling and workforce development division onboarded senior leaders including Shirin Rai Gupta, Harshal Goyal, Dikshit Jain and Narasimha Jagarlapudi, across various domains.

Last month, the company reported that it turned EBITDA positive in FY25, with an operating revenue of Rs 1,943 crore. Its revenue has grown steadily over the past three years.