{"id":1869,"date":"2026-09-18T17:22:42","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T08:22:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/india-marketing.jp\/india-news\/practo-ceo-handover\/"},"modified":"2026-09-18T17:22:42","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T08:22:42","slug":"practo-ceo-handover","status":"publish","type":"india-news","link":"https:\/\/india-marketing.jp\/en\/india-news\/practo-ceo-handover\/","title":{"rendered":"Practo hands the CEO role from founder to a professional manager, positioning for a 2027 listing"},"content":{"rendered":"
\nThis article is based on what we could verify As of September 18, 2026<\/strong> in public records and news reports from India. India revises its tax rules and regulations frequently, and the details here may have changed since. When making an actual business decision, please check the latest information with primary sources such as the ministries responsible and local experts.\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Indian healthcare booking and telemedicine platform Practo has revamped its management structure. Effective September 1, 2026, Jagnoor Singh was promoted from COO to CEO, with founder Shashank ND stepping back to Managing Director and Chairman. Who, when, what \u2014 Practo, founded in 2008, has handed the CEO seat from its founder to a professional manager. Why it matters \u2014 this handover is being framed together with a planned 2027 stock listing (IPO) and a push into AI and overseas expansion. It's a concrete example of when a healthtech company aiming for profitability and a listing chooses to reshape its management.<\/p>\n\n

Starting news: COO becomes CEO, founder becomes chairman<\/h2>\n

Jagnoor Singh joined Practo as COO in January 2025 and has now been promoted to CEO. He has held senior roles at Bharti Airtel, Unacademy, and OYO. The overhaul goes beyond the CEO change: co-founder Siddhartha Nihalani becomes COO for B2C, Rowel Coelho becomes COO for B2B, and co-founder Abhinav Lal becomes Chief Scientist. Rather than the founders stepping away, they remain as chairman and in a research role while day-to-day execution is entrusted to an externally hired executive.<\/p>\n\n

Background: founded in 2008, a healthtech company that has reached profitability<\/h2>\n

Practo, founded in 2008, operates a digital health platform where patients can find and book doctors, have online consultations, order medicine, and book lab tests. It connects more than 700,000 doctors across more than 2,400 cities worldwide, and also runs 40 co-branded dermatology clinics. Financially, it posted FY25 revenue of \u20b9234 crore (2.34 billion rupees; based on the \u2248\u00a51.66 per rupee rate as of September 2026, approximately 3.88 billion yen) against operating EBITDA of \u20b915 crore (150 million rupees, approximately 249 million yen). In the prior year, FY24, it posted revenue of \u20b9240 crore (2.4 billion rupees, approximately 3.98 billion yen) against an EBITDA loss of \u20b917 crore (170 million rupees, approximately 282 million yen). It has swung from loss to profit and has stayed profitable for two and a half years while growing 40% annually.<\/p>\n\n

Why hand execution to an outsider at this timing<\/h2>\n

This overhaul is positioned as laying the groundwork to support overseas expansion, a focus on AI, and a planned 2027 listing. Practo is reportedly in talks to raise $100 million to $125 million (based on the \u2248\u00a5155 per dollar rate as of September 2026, approximately 15.5 billion to 19.375 billion yen; valuation of approximately 108.5 billion yen) at a post-money valuation of about $700 million. Its cumulative fundraising to date is about $230 million (approximately 35.65 billion yen), with backers including Peak XV Partners, Sofina, Thrive Capital, and Capital G. It's a division of labor where the founder keeps the business vision as chairman while entrusting execution toward the listing to a professional manager.<\/p>\n\n

How it is being received locally and in the industry<\/h2>\n

Inc42 reported this handover as a strengthening of Practo's management ahead of a planned listing. The promotion to CEO, the founder's move to chairman, the split B2C\/B2B COO structure, and the track record of 40% growth with two and a half years of profitability are all covered with concrete figures. What stands out is that this is treated not as a founder's departure, but as a restructuring of roles.<\/p>\n\n

Implications for Japanese companies: reading a shift away from founder dependence<\/h2>\n

Indian startups continue to see founders step back from the front line and hand execution to professional managers. Swiggy's co-founder Nandan Reddy stepping down<\/a> and BigBasket's co-founder departure and stronger parent-company control<\/a> show growth companies moving from founder dependence into their next phase. In healthcare, there is also Honasa's pharma acquisition<\/a>, where the parent of a beauty D2C brand buys a network of dermatologists to expand into the health market, and the trend of restructuring management and assets ahead of a listing or business expansion is overlapping across the board. Japanese companies partnering with Indian healthtech should check, at each point of transition, who actually holds execution.<\/p>\n\n

Ripple effects on the market: listing preparations are driving management overhauls<\/h2>\n

The fundraising activity ahead of a planned 2027 listing also overlaps with fintech's Moneyview's IPO filing<\/a>. Ahead of a listing exit, the trend of putting both management structure and capital in order is progressing across sectors.<\/p>\n\n

Practical information and related links<\/h2>\n