MAM
Rishi Khiani to step down from Ant Farm to build a startup in the Job-tech space
MUMBAI: Serial innovator Rishi Khiani has announced that he will be stepping down from day-to-day operations at Ant Farm, a digital innovation company that he founded in 2013. While he steps down from his operational role, Rishi will continue to be a promoter shareholder in Ant Farm and its downstream companies. The move is a planned one so that he can focus on his startup in the Job-tech space.
Ant Farm is a studio incubator that builds businesses and scales up disruptive ideas. The company had raised funding from funds such as Agnus & Bay Capital and counts prominent investors such as Ravi Dhariwal, Radhakishan Damani and Sat Pal Khattar on its cap table.
Some of it’s successful companies are Ad-tech and Content company Fork Media Group that owns and operates Curly Tales, Hauterfly, IGN, Mashable, FameFox and AskMen, multi-category delivery startup Scootsy that was recently acquired by Swiggy, mobile fitness platform RevoFit that is backed by Marico and Hello Green, a healthy and affordable meal delivery service. The management of parent company, Ant Farm, will be transitioned to co-founder Upen Roop Rai.
During the announcement, Rishi Khiani said “I founded Ant Farm back in 2013 when India had just seen a disruption in the startup space. The idea was to accelerate companies during their early-stage with an intensive hands-on approach backed by an experienced team in the given sector. It was a thrilling experience to build some great companies in the last eight years.”
Commenting on his career plans, Khiani added “Given the current scenario of the economy and the job market in our country, my next startup will focus on enabling the next billion jobs. Given that ambition and the opportunity it was important to clear my desk of all other responsibilities.
Stay tuned for some exciting updates!” Rishi Khiani, who is a seasoned entrepreneur and former CEO of Times Internet, has over 20 years of experience in media, consumer tech and enterprise space. He is known to have
launched some of India's iconic homegrown digital brands. Rishi sold his first startup UrbanEye Media to the Network18 group in 2006. Keeping up to his innovation skills, Rishi will be entering the job-tech industry, to bridge the gap between jobs and job seekers across various industries.
Brands
Origen Realty names Preeti Rai as president- sales & strategy
Veteran hire signals push into Gurugram market with growth ambitions
GURUGRAM: Origen Realty has appointed Preeti Rai as president for sales and strategy, as the company gears up to enter the competitive Gurugram property market.
The move brings in a seasoned industry hand with over two decades of experience across residential and commercial real estate. In her new role, she will lead the company’s sales operations and go-to-market strategy, with a focus on building a strong foothold in Gurugram and driving early momentum.
Origen Realty management said the appointment marks a key milestone in its expansion plans. Origen Realty management said the hire will help sharpen execution and strengthen the company’s sales-led growth strategy as it steps into a new market.
Preeti Rai said, “I look forward to being part of Origen Realty at a pivotal stage in its journey and contributing to building a strong presence in the Gurugram market.”
Before joining Origen Realty, she served as senior vice president for sales and marketing at Elan Group. Her career also includes stints at major developers such as DLF Universal Ltd, Today Homes and Infrastructure, Paras Buildtech Pvt Ltd and Ambience Infrastructure Ltd, where she built expertise across channel sales, leasing, and end-to-end deal execution.
Known for her focus on strategy and team leadership, Rai is expected to play a central role in shaping Origen Realty’s market positioning and sales ecosystem in the region.
As Gurugram’s real estate market continues to attract fresh investments and new entrants, Origen Realty’s latest leadership hire signals its intent to compete with a clear, sales-driven playbook.
