Bigbasket names a veteran insider as its new chief operating officer

BENGALURU: Bigbasket has handed one of its longest-serving executives a bigger brief. The Tata-owned online grocery platform has elevated Seshu Kumar Tirumala to chief operating officer, a role in which he will oversee operations and drive execution as the company doubles down on quick commerce.

Tirumala joined bigbasket in 2014 and spent over a decade reshaping its commercial backbone. He began as national head of buying and merchandising before rising to chief buying and merchandising officer, a perch from which he built the company’s sourcing, category management and private label operations. Under his watch, bigbasket’s private label portfolio grew to account for nearly 40 per cent of total sales, making it the largest such portfolio in Indian e-commerce. He also built out a direct farmer sourcing network, anchored by collection centres and farm partnerships spread across the country.

Hari Menon, founder and chief executive of bigbasket, was pointed about why the job was Tirumala’s to take. “His deep understanding of the business and strong track record of execution make him well suited for this role,” Menon said.

Tirumala, for his part, has signalled where his priorities lie. “My focus will be on strengthening the systems that power our farm-to-customer journey, enhancing execution across our operations, and ensuring we continue to deliver a seamless and dependable experience,” he said.

The backdrop matters. Bigbasket currently serves more than 10 million customers across 60-plus cities, with over 850 dark stores underpinning its delivery network. As rivals crowd the quick commerce space, the company needs its supply chain and operations firing on all cylinders. Tirumala built much of that engine. Now he has to turbocharge it.