Sahil Barua: The Inspiring Journey of Delhivery’s CEO and Co-founder

Sahil Barua: The Inspiring Journey of Delhivery’s CEO and Co-founder
Sahil Barua: The Inspiring Journey of Delhivery’s CEO and Co-founder

Sahil Barua is a visionary entrepreneur and business leader who has left a lasting mark on India's logistics industry. He is the co-founder and CEO of the leading Indian logistics and supply chain company, Delhivery.

Sahil is also a keen angel investor and actively invests in startups. He has made investments in startups like Crest, The Souled Store, Nestasia, Sutradhar, BeepKart, and more.

In this article, let's explore the success story of Sahil Barua, including his education, professional life, investments, and more.

Sahil Barua - Biography

Name Sahil Barua
Born 25 December 1984
Nationality Indian
Education National Institute of Technology, Karnataka; Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore
Position Managing Director, CEO, and Co-founder, Delhivery

Sahil Barua - Early Life and Education
Sahil Barua - Professional Life
Sahil Barua - Bain & Company
Sahil Barua - Delhivery
Sahil Barua - Swiggy's Independent Director
Sahil Barua - Investments

Entrepreneurs Talk With Delhivery CEO and Co-founder, Sahil Barua

Sahil Barua - Early Life and Education

Delhivery CEO Sahil Barua grew up in the city of Ahmedabad. Sahil has grown in an academic environment. His father was a professor at IIM Ahmedabad, and his mother was a doctor.

Sahil completed his formal education at St. Xavier's High School. He pursued a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (2002–2006) from the National Institute of Technology, Karnataka.

He then went for a post-graduation (2006–2008) at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. He was also an all-around gold medalist on the Director's Merit List at the institute.

Sahil Barua - Professional Life

Sahil started his professional journey with short-term internships. It was when he was still pursuing mechanical engineering. He went to the University of Maryland, US, in 2005 and worked as a research intern on electronics packaging at the CALCE Labs for about four months.

The internship helped him gain valuable knowledge and innumerable experiences of corporate life.


List of Top 13 Logistics Startups in India
The logistics industry in India is growing day by day. Here is a list of the top logistics startups in the country that are leading the industry.

Sahil Barua - Bain & Company

Sahil Barua worked as a summer associate at Bain & Company for around three months while pursuing his post-graduation. Later, after the completion of his post-graduation, he started working full-time for the company as a consultant. After one year, he got promoted to Senior Associate Consultant. He then focused on examining sectors like private equity, telecommunications, and healthcare.

After another year, he was again promoted as a consultant with a defined portfolio, gearing up for more responsibilities.

Sahil Barua - Delhivery

Sahil Barua | Delhivery
Sahil Barua | Delhivery

Sahil co-founded his logistics firm, Delhivery with two of his Bain & Company associate, Suraj Saharan, and Mohit Tandon in 2011. They had similar mindsets and were encouraged enough to establish their logistics startup in India.

The three co-founders were in conversation with their friends at Zomato. Since Zomato's business was an online business that needed the network to deliver the eatables to its users, they started working on the proposed idea and began the initial phase of Delhivery.

They established their first corporate office in Gurgaon with a total of 10 people, including four delivery people. After that, they started connecting with local restaurants and fulfilling their orders within half an hour. The model worked very well, and the business picked up instantly. No sooner did they start getting offers from various e-commerce sites as well, and the company flourished thereafter.

Delhivery is a popular courier service, logistics, and supply chain solutions company. The company offers its services in parcel transportation, warehouse, and truckload deliveries through different portals like Delivery Express, Delhivery Fulfillment, Delhivery Freight, and Delhivery Cross-Border.

In May 2022, Delhivery launched its Initial Public Offering (IPO), which was a major achievement. The company's ability to expand its business and access new financial markets was made possible by the IPO.

According to financial reports, Delhivery's operating revenue has grown steadily, increasing 5% to Rs 7,225 crore in FY23 from Rs 6,882 crore in FY22.

Over the years, Delhivery has changed how supply chain and logistics solutions are perceived and executed in India. Sahil Barua's strategic vision and leadership are sure to help Delhivery solidify its position as a key player in the industry.

Sahil Barua - Swiggy's Independent Director

In a significant development, Sahil Barua, the CEO of Delhivery, has been appointed as an independent director on Swiggy’s board. Along with Sahil, Swiggy has appointed two other independent directors: Mallika Srinivasan, a Padma Shri awardee and Chairman and Managing Director of TAFE, and Shailesh Haribhakti, Chairman of Shailesh Haribhakti & Associates.

With a deep sense of understanding of logistics and supply chain operations, Sahil Barua will help bring valuable insights and expertise to Swiggy's board. This strategic appointment is sure to enhance Swiggy's delivery network and operational efficiency as it continues to revolutionize the food delivery ecosystem in India.

Sahil Barua - Investments

Sahil has made eighteen investments. The details for the most recent investments are given below:

Date Organization Name Lead Investor Funding Round Money Raised
Feb 22, 2023 Crest — Pre Seed $800K
Dec 8, 2022 Vidyut — Seed $4 million
Mar 7, 2022 The Souled Store — Venture —
Dec 15, 2021 Nestasia — Series A $4 million
Nov 24, 2021 Sutradhar — Seed $500K
Sep 22, 2021 BeepKart — Seed Round $3 million
Sep 16, 2021 Flatheads — Seed Round $1 million
Aug 4, 2021 The Souled Store — Series B $10 million
Jul 14, 2021 Pratilipi — Series D $48 million
Jul 13, 2021 Animall — Series B $14 million

Best Courier & Delivery Franchise Businesses in India 2023
The courier and delivery industry is growing rapidly in India. Here are top 21 courier franchise businesses to start your own courier business.

FAQs

Who is the current CEO of Delhivery?

Sahil Barua is the current CEO of Delhivery.

What are the investments made by Sahil Barua?

Sahil Barua has made investments in companies like Crest, The Souled Store, Vidyut, BeepKart, and more.

What is Sahil Barua's education?

Sahil Barua holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Karnataka, and is a post-graduate from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.

Who are the independent directors appointed by Swiggy?

Swiggy has appointed three independent directors: Sahil Barua, Managing Director and CEO of Delhivery; Mallika Srinivasan, Chairman and Managing Director of TAFE; and Shailesh Haribhakti, Chairman of Shailesh Haribhakti & Associates.

Must have tools for startups - Recommended by StartupTalky

Read more