e-commerce
Walmart taps Shishir Mehrotra for board role as AI bets deepen
Bentonville: Walmart has added fresh Silicon Valley heft to its boardroom, appointing Shishir Mehrotra, chief executive officer of Superhuman, as a director with immediate effect, as the world’s largest retailer sharpens its focus on technology and e-commerce.
Mehrotra will serve on Walmart’s compensation and management development committee and its technology and e-commerce committee, placing him at the heart of decisions shaping talent, platforms and the company’s digital future.
“Shishir brings a rare combination of technical depth and product leadership,” said Greg Penner, chairman of Walmart’s board. “He has helped create and scale platforms that unlock creativity and productivity at global scale.”
For Mehrotra, the timing is deliberate. “This is the most significant technological shift I’ve seen in my career,” he said, pointing to Walmart’s push towards an agentic AI future and its ability to innovate while staying anchored to core values.
A technology veteran with more than 25 years of experience, Mehrotra is best known for building category-defining platforms. Before leading Superhuman, formerly Grammarly, he was chief executive officer and co-founder of Coda, an AI-led productivity platform. Earlier, he served as chief product officer and chief technology officer at YouTube, helping scale it into the world’s largest video destination and one of Google’s fastest-growing businesses.
Mehrotra holds a dual bachelor of science degree in mathematics and computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The appointment comes as Walmart’s digital engine continues to fire, with its advertising business surging 53 per cent and e-commerce growth crossing 20 per cent for the seventh straight quarter.
As Walmart doubles down on technology, data and AI-led commerce, Mehrotra’s arrival signals a clear intent. This is not just about retail scale any more. It is about building the future of platforms, at speed.
e-commerce
Flipkart rolls out 105 per cent bonus for 20,000 employees
Strong FY25 performance drives payouts even as layoffs and shifts unfold.
MUMBAI: In a year where belts were tightened and rewards loosened, Flipkart seems to be playing both offence and defence trimming roles on one hand while handing out a generous 105 per cent bonus on the other. The Walmart owned e commerce major has rolled out a 105 per cent bonus payout for 2025, covering nearly 20,000 employees, signalling a year of steady operational momentum even as the company navigates restructuring pressures. The payout, communicated internally by chief human resources officer Seema Nair, is tied to performance across key metrics including growth, operational efficiency, financial outcomes and people indicators, a combination that suggests the company is inching closer to its long stated goal of sustainable profitability.
Employees at SD level and below are set to receive their bonuses in March, while payouts for senior leadership, including vice presidents and senior vice presidents, will follow after the close of the performance cycle. The elevated 105 per cent multiplier stands out in a sector where cautious payouts have increasingly become the norm, pointing to what appears to be a relatively strong internal scorecard for FY25.
Yet, the announcement arrives with a noticeable contrast. Earlier this year, Flipkart reduced its workforce by around 300 roles as part of its annual performance review process. While officially framed as performance driven, the juxtaposition of layoffs alongside above target bonuses reflects a more nuanced balancing act, one that prioritises cost discipline while continuing to reward and retain high performing talent.
This dual approach is becoming increasingly common across the technology and e commerce landscape, where companies are navigating an uneven hiring environment while under pressure to deliver profitability. Rewarding top contributors, even amid selective workforce reductions, allows firms to maintain morale and retain critical talent without losing sight of financial prudence.
At the same time, Flipkart is also undergoing leadership shifts that hint at a broader strategic recalibration. Nishant Verman has been appointed senior vice president for corporate development and partnerships, while group chief financial officer Sriram Venkataraman is set to step down. Ravi Iyer will take on expanded responsibilities within the finance function, marking a reshuffle at the top as the company gears up for its next phase.
These changes come amid reports that Flipkart is planning to shift its holding structure back to India, a move widely interpreted as groundwork for a potential public listing. While timelines remain fluid, the combination of stronger financial discipline, leadership restructuring and employee incentivisation suggests a company preparing itself for greater scrutiny and scale.
For employees, the 105 per cent payout offers a welcome boost in what has otherwise been a period of adjustment. For Flipkart, it is a signal that even as it cuts where necessary, it is willing to spend where it counts. In the high stakes game of growth versus profitability, the company appears to be hedging its bets carefully, rewarding performance while reshaping itself for what could be its most defining chapter yet.
