Tata Digital to appoint former Google executive Sajith Sivanandan as CEO from September 1

Tata Digital to appoint former Google executive Sajith Sivanandan as CEO from September 1

Tata Digital is set to appoint Sajith Sivanandan, a former Google and JioHotstar executive, as chief executive officer, effective September 1, marking the third leadership change at the Tata Group’s digital arm in less than two years, people aware of the developments told Moneycontrol .

Sivanandan most recently served as president of Jio Mobile Digital Services, a Reliance Industries subsidiary. He previously led JioHotstar as chief executive and spent more than 15 years at Alphabet Inc.’s Google, where he spearheaded its payments business Google Pay, first as managing director for India and later across the Asia-Pacific region.

Tata Digital did not respond to queries sent by Moneycontrol. ET first reported Sivanandan’s appointment.

His appointment comes at a time when Tata Digital is attempting to steady its leadership ranks and sharpen its strategy after a series of high-level exits.

Founding CEO Pratik Pal, who launched Tata Neu, stepped down in February 2024, followed by Naveen Tahilyani, who resigned just 15 months into his tenure in May 2025 to join Prudential Plc in an international role.

Incidentally, September 1 will also mark Tata Digital’s move into a new headquarters in Mumbai. The company will shift from its six-floor office in Fort House in the Fort area, to a three-storied facility at One International Centre in Lower Parel, as Moneycontrol reported in May.

The move is expected to cut its office rental outgo by about Rs 2 crore a month, with rent dropping from around Rs 3 crore at Fort to Rs 1 crore at Lower Parel.

The leadership change coincides with Tata Sons, the holding company of the $100-billion conglomerate, preparing to infuse $400 million into Tata Digital.

The funding, expected to come from Tata Sons’ dividend earnings from Tata Consultancy Services, will provide a much-needed boost to the business, which has struggled to scale in India’s intensely competitive e-commerce market.

Launched in 2021 with ambitions of building a ‘super app,’ Tata Digital brought together BigBasket (grocery), Tata 1mg (healthcare), and Tata Cliq (fashion and electronics) under the Tata Neu platform. Despite a $2-billion investment from Tata Sons over the last three years, the venture has yet to deliver on its early promise.

Quick commerce players like Blinkit and Zepto have surged ahead of BigBasket in the grocery space, while Amazon, Flipkart, and Reliance Retail continue to dominate broader e-commerce. The frequent churn in top management has only amplified concerns about execution and focus.

With fresh capital, a new office, and Sivanandan at the helm, Tata Digital will be hoping for a reset as it attempts to revive its super app ambitions.