Strengthens Leadership team to augment focus on cutting-edge Tech offerings
New Delhi, 7 November 2016: OYO – India’s largest hotel network – has appointed Anil Goel as Chief Technology Officer. Anil joins the Leadership team at OYO to provide strategic direction and strengthen the technology infrastructure powering the Company’s business operations. The appointment is pivotal to maintain the Company’s momentum as it advances its offerings in the hospitality segment.
Anil joins OYO following a 3-year tenure at Amazon.com as the Global Head of Technology (CTO) for Customer Returns and Reverse Logistics business. Prior to this, Anil was the CTO at Hike Messenger. He has also spent 15 years in Seattle, working in various technology development and leadership roles at RealNetworks, Capgemini and HyperQuality. A seasoned tech professional, Anil has nearly 20 years of experience in building complex software applications & systems, technology infrastructure and businesses to drive revenue growth, expand customer base and boost profitability.
Speaking on the appointment, Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO – OYO said: “We are extremely excited to welcome Anil to OYO. We have witnessed tremendous growth during the past year and are poised at the cusp of significant transformation. Anil’s leadership, vast knowledge and diverse experience will provide added heft to the overall technology drive required in scaling up to meet and deliver the next phase of expansion at OYO.”
Coming on board the OYO team, Anil Goel, Chief Technology Officer – OYO elaborated: “OYO created history through a revolutionary and disruptive business model that had not been attempted anywhere in the world. The complexities in delivering end-to-end stay solutions for guests and innovative and intuitive partner-management-systems along with the strong reliance on Tech to drive business, makes this a great opportunity to contribute to OYO’s future growth and evolution. I look forward to working with OYO’s vibrant and talented teams.”
At OYO, Anil will be responsible for driving the technology strategy and roadmap and cohesively integrating it with OYO’s business strategy, simultaneously identifying new opportunities, managing the R&D department, monitoring technological and social trends, communicating the technology plan to partners, management and employees, while maintaining current information regarding technology standards.
Anil holds a B.E. (Hons.) in Electrical & Electronics from BITS Pilani and earned his MBA in Marketing from City University of Seattle. When not busy playing with technology, he likes to go for long runs and cycling. He is also a big fan of adventure sports.
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About OYO
Founded in 2013, OYO is today India’s largest branded network of hotels operating 7000 hotels and 70,000 rooms in more than 200 Indian cities. These include major metros, regional hubs, top leisure destinations as well as pilgrimage towns. OYO is also present in Malaysia.
The Company’s mission is to become the world’s most preferred and trusted hotel brand. OYO pioneered the standardization of stay experience in India by providing AC rooms equipped with flat-screen TV, complimentary breakfast, free Wi-Fi and 24/7 support across its network. OYO hotels can be searched and booked via the website, mobile app (over 7 mn downloads) or a 24*7 call-centre. To deliver a seamless, standardized experience to guests, OYO partners with IRCTC, Airtel, Samsung, Lenovo, Biotique, Cleartrip, Itzcash, FreeCharge, Mobikwik and Grofers.
Committed to delivering innovative offerings to travellers, OYO recently introduced ‘Sunrise Check-in’ – a global-first initiative at this scale. With this, guests can avail assured early check-in instead of the standard noon check-in – a universal pain point impacting travel plans. OYO has also introduced a ‘relationship mode’ in its app enabling guests to discover couple-friendly OYO hotels.
OYO has received many awards, including Express IT Start-Up of the Year Award (2015) and was recognized by Business Today as among the Coolest Start-Ups in India (2016). It was also ranked by LinkedIn as one of the top employee attractors in India. OYO is backed by leading global investors, including the SoftBank Group, Greenoaks Capital, Sequoia Capital and Lightspeed India.