Aakash names Alka Garg as CFO, Kanika Nijhawan as SVP marketing

MUMBAI: India’s leading test prep powerhouse, Aakash Educational Services Limited, has strengthened its leadership bench with two strategic appointments aimed at fuelling its next phase of growth.

Alka Garg has joined as chief financial officer, while Kanika Kumar Nijhawan steps in as senior vice president – marketing. Together, the duo brings nearly four decades of combined experience across finance, branding and high-growth businesses.

Garg arrives with more than 22 years of strategic and operational expertise, having partnered with founders, CEOs and executive teams to build enterprise value and scale sustainably. At AESL, she will steer the finance function, shape long-term financial strategy, enhance efficiencies and reinforce governance frameworks as the company sharpens its growth ambitions.

Prior to this role, Garg served as chief financial officer at Yum Restaurant India, where she played a key role in strengthening financial strategy for the KFC brand and driving business performance. Her career spans leadership stints at Siemens, GreyOrange, Bharti Airtel and Deloitte, giving her a rare blend of corporate discipline and entrepreneurial agility.

On the marketing front, Nijhawan brings over 17 years of experience across media, retail and sport. Known for her expertise in brand building, digital performance marketing and omnichannel engagement, she most recently spent a decade at Adidas India as director of brand marketing.

Her earlier career includes roles at HT Media and Sony Entertainment, equipping her with a strong understanding of storytelling, audience engagement and consumer insight, skills that align neatly with AESL’s student-first focus.

With these appointments, AESL is signalling more than routine leadership changes. It is doubling down on professionalised management, operational excellence and disciplined expansion. As competition intensifies in India’s test preparation landscape, the company appears intent on pairing academic strength with sharper financial rigour and stronger brand resonance.

For students and parents navigating the high-stakes world of engineering and medical entrance exams, that could translate into a more streamlined, responsive and future-ready learning ecosystem.