Leadership Transition at Edtech Giant
In a significant leadership change at edtech company Unacademy, co-founder Gaurav Munjal announced on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, that he is stepping down as Chief Executive Officer to assume the role of Executive Chairman. Akhilendra Kumar, a seasoned operator, will take over as the new CEO.
Munjal confirmed his continued deep involvement in the company's daily operations and stated he would actively support the proposed Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Unacademy's parent company, upGrad. He shared this development in a post on X, emphasizing, "I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay fully involved in operations every day, work alongside Akhilendra and help with the upGrad IPO."
Praising his successor, Munjal added, "Akhilendra is one of the sharpest operators I know, and I'm proud to have him lead us into this next chapter. The best is still ahead."
Post-Acquisition Restructuring
This leadership reshuffle comes just over two months after Ronnie Screwvala-led upGrad completed its acquisition of Unacademy in September 2026. The all-stock transaction valued Unacademy at approximately $200 million, a stark decline from its peak valuation of about $3.4 billion in 2021.
Under the terms of the deal, Unacademy's shareholders received shares in upGrad, while key brands and businesses, including its test-preparation operations, PrepLadder, Graphy, and language-learning platform Airlearn, were retained. Munjal's latest announcement marks an adjustment to his earlier statement at the time of acquisition, where he had committed to remaining Unacademy's CEO under upGrad.
Strategic Shifts and Future Outlook
The transition aligns with a broader period of restructuring for Unacademy, which has focused on cost reduction and a strategic shift towards online education products. Earlier this year, the company also announced plans to move its offline learning centers towards a franchise-led model.
Munjal's move to Executive Chairman is also seen in the context of upGrad's preparations for a potential stock market listing, where his experience and continued strategic oversight could prove beneficial.