Although both Bhavish Aggarwal, CEO of Ola Electric, and Deepinder Goyal, CEO of Zomato, are leaders of highly successful Indian startups and alumni of prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), their public personas couldn’t be more different. While one is criticized for his perceived arrogance, the other is praised for his down-to-earth interactions with customers and employees.
The stark difference between the two was highlighted recently when Bhavish Aggarwal engaged in a public spat on social media. On Sunday, comedian Kunal Kamra shared a picture of Ola Electric scooters gathering dust at a service center, sparking a heated exchange. Aggarwal responded with harsh words, which resulted in further bad publicity for Ola Electric. Many social media users criticized Aggarwal’s arrogance and questioned why he wasn’t focusing on solving customer complaints, which have reportedly reached 80,000 per month, instead of engaging in online arguments.
One X (formerly Twitter) user, Arjun, pointed out the risks of being publicly arrogant as a wealthy businessman in India. He emphasized that other seasoned businessmen, like Anand Mahindra, avoid such behavior on social media to maintain their reputations.
This is what needs to be done even for PRhttps://t.co/DgBmTaTHvK
— Aryan Singh (@Call_mearyan) October 6, 2024
In stark contrast, Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal spent his weekend working alongside his delivery executives, donning the company’s signature red uniform. Goyal, along with his wife Grecia Munoz, acted as delivery partners to better understand and improve the working conditions for Zomato’s employees. His gesture was hailed as a “PR masterclass,” with many social media users wondering why Bhavish Aggarwal’s team hadn’t prevented his public outbursts.
One X user, Anirban, who advises brands, criticized Aggarwal’s public behavior as “bad PR,” noting that it brought no positive outcomes for the company and came across as arrogant.
While Aggarwal faced backlash for his “arrogant” response to the comedian, Deepinder Goyal received widespread praise for his hands-on approach. Goyal has consistently cultivated an image of a humble leader, open to feedback and not afraid to laugh at himself.
For instance, during his weekend stint as a delivery partner, Goyal shared his experience of being refused entry to a Gurgaon mall while working as a Zomato delivery driver. He acknowledged that this highlighted the need for better treatment of delivery personnel and committed to improving working conditions for all Zomato delivery partners.
In addition to his approachable leadership style, Goyal has garnered positive attention for his involvement in charitable initiatives. In July, he celebrated Zomato’s 16th anniversary with children from a school supported by the company’s Feeding India initiative. The celebrations also included a “roast” event where comedians poked fun at Zomato, its policies, and its founders, earning Goyal admiration for being a CEO who can laugh at himself.
The contrasting leadership styles of Bhavish Aggarwal and Deepinder Goyal have been thrown into sharp relief through their recent public actions. While Aggarwal’s confrontational approach has brought negative attention to Ola Electric, Goyal’s humble and hands-on leadership continues to win praise. The differing approaches reflect how leaders can shape public perception and the success of their companies through their behavior, both online and in real life.
Do indian consumers have a voice?
Do they deserve this?
Two wheelers are many daily wage workers lifeline…@nitin_gadkari is this how Indians will get to using EV’s? @jagograhakjago any word?
Anyone who has an issue with OLA electric leave your story below tagging all… https://t.co/G2zdIs15wh pic.twitter.com/EhJmAzhCmt— Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) October 6, 2024
