Updated 23 May 2025 at 15:56 IST
Who Is Naveen Tahilyani? Tata Digital CEO Resigns To Lead Prudential Plc in Emerging Market
Tata Digital CEO Naveen Tahilyani resigns just a year after his appointment. Learn about the leadership change, possible reasons for his exit, and what it means for Tata Digital’s future.
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Tata Digital CEO Naveen Tahilyani steps down after one year at the helm. | Image:
Linkedln/Tata Digital
After completing a year in the shoes of MD and CEO at Tata Digital, Naveen Tahilyani has decided upon stepping down as the CEO of Tata Digital on June 30 to make a comeback to insurance vertical, where he holds a decade long experience.
Tahilyani's return to the insurance sector will see him join the UK-based asset management firm Prudential Plc as their regional CEO for India, Africa, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar, with additional responsibility of the health sector, as per an official company statement. His last stint in the insurance industry was with Tata AIA Life Insurance as their Non-Executive Director.
In February 2024, Naveen Tahilyani was handpicked by Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran to soar Tata Digital, an arm of the sprawling conglomerate that's home its super app Tata Neu, apart from its acquired consumer internet businesses such as online grocer BigBasket and online pharmacy 1mg, towards profitability.
As the CEO of this Tata Sons subsidiary, Naveen Tahilyani directed his efforts to significantly improve the financial performance of the firm from they were before his arrival. The outgoing Tata Digital CEO's first town hall meet was also emphasized upon profitability, and technology.
However, with the abrupt and sudden exit of Tahilyani, uncertainty could arise over this unattained target of reversing the fortunes of Tata Digital.
The call to decide upon Tahilyani’s successor remains to be declared.
Naveen Tahilyani: From McKinsey To Prudential Plc
An alumnus of IIT Madras and IIM Ahmedabad, Tahilyani dedicated above 17 years at consulting firm McKinsey before joining Tata AIA Life Insurance in 2015. He briefly joined Axis Bank in 2020 before being roped in again by Tata AIA later that year.
During his tenure, Tahilyani made several appointments at the top brass of Tata Digital. He hired ex-Amazon executive Vinay Vaidya as Tata Digital’s CTO and also brought in former Swiggy and Amazon executive Jairaj Sathyanarayana as the chief data and AI officer.
Satyam Mehra as chief strategy officer, also a former Zomato employee, was another appointment Tahilyani made during his year-long stint.
Published 23 May 2025 at 15:52 IST