BYJU'S hires Infosys veteran Richard Lobo to lead HR function

Edtech major BYJU'S has appointed veteran HR leader Richard Lobo as an exclusive advisor to help the company transform its human resources' function.

Lobo will actively guide BYJU'S management on organiSational change and transformation to create an ‘outstanding workplace’ for its employees, the company said in a statement.

The appointment comes amid a backdrop of mounting challenges for the company, triggered by a severe funding crunch and substantial governance apprehensions raised by stakeholders and a former auditor. Concurrently, recent allegations from employees concerning purported mistreatment and layoff threats have added to the predicament. The company has enforced multiple rounds of workforce reduction in the last one year and has also vacated some of its office spaces recently, all in an effort to cut costs, even as a much-needed lifeline of fresh funding remains elusive.

“We extend our warmest welcome to Richard Lobo as he becomes an integral part of the Byju’s family. His extensive experience and leadership in HR will be instrumental in further enriching our work culture and ensuring that the welfare of our team members remains at the core of every decision we take,” Byju Raveendran, founder and CEO, and Divya Gokulnath, co-founder, BYJU'S, said in a joint statement.

Lobo joins BYJU'S following a 23-year-long career at the IT major Infosys, during which he held various leadership roles, culminating in his recent position as EVP and Head of Human Resources. He joined the company in 2000 and served as the Head of HR from 2015 to 2023.

“I’m excited to take on this pivotal role and work closely with the team at BYJU'S to build on their achievements, and help transform the organization to be future ready. I look forward to working with the leadership to scale global organisational design, innovate people practices, and help strengthen the foundation of the enterprise to support its next phase of growth as a global market leader,” Lobo said.