Chirag Samdaria

Chief Operating Officer

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India8 yrs 8 mos experience

Most Likely To SwitchHighly Stable

Key Highlights

Drove upGrad's growth from $25M to $200M.
Led strategic initiatives across multiple ventures.
Managed AIESEC's financial compliance and growth.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a strategic leader in EdTech and Non-Profit sectors with strong financial acumen.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

StrategyGrowth StrategiesStakeholder ManagementFinancial ManagementMarket Research

Other Skills

Operational ExcellenceFundamental AnalysisCross-functional CollaborationsStakeholder EngagementProgram ManagementAnalytical SkillsProblem SolvingTeamworkProject ManagementTeam ManagementPublic SpeakingBusiness DevelopmentManagementMicrosoft ExcelEvent Management

About

As Chief of Staff at upGrad, I drive strategy, growth, and operational excellence across the group. With expertise in scaling businesses, M&A evaluations, and cross-functional collaboration, I thrive on solving complex problems and delivering impact. Inherently curious about ideas and people, I bring structured thinking and a love for learning to every challenge I tackle. Beyond upGrad, I contribute to Ronnie Screwvala's other ventures, including portfolio managment at Unilazer Ventures and projects at Swades Foundation.

Experience

8 yrs 8 mos

Total Experience

4 yrs 4 mos

Average Tenure

6 yrs 3 mos

Current Experience

Upgrad

2 roles

Head – Corporate Strategy & Growth

Promoted

Apr 2025 – Present · 1 yr

Operational ExcellenceFundamental AnalysisCross-functional CollaborationsStakeholder EngagementStrategyProgram Management+20

Chief of Staff

Jan 2020 – Apr 2025 · 5 yrs 3 mos

Partner with Ronnie Screwvala across ventures including upGrad (Asia's largest Higher EdTech), Swades Foundation (large-scale rural non-profit), RSVP (media & entertainment studio), Unilazer Ventures (venture capital firm), and USports (Mumbai’s Kabaddi team).
I worked across all these ventures in the initial two years, gaining exposure to diverse business models and operations. Since 2022, I’ve focused more deeply on upGrad, contributing to its growth as a $2.25B unicorn backed by marquee investors like Temasek, IFC, and IIFL.
upGrad:
As part of the Chairperson/Founder’s office, I lead cross-functional initiatives across strategy, growth, and operations. My role includes business planning, evaluating performance, working on consolidated group P&Ls, and supporting investor management and fundraising.
Worked with the founders and the leadership team to grow the company 8x from $25 million to $200 million in the last 5 years - a combination of business growth, new business lines being launched and acquisitions.
Crafting strategic narratives and presentations for board meetings, investors, and stakeholders - including positioning of the company for internal and external discussions. Worked on integrating acquisitions into the company seamlessly.
Led special people projects such as leadership hiring, restructuring, strategic HR initiatives, brand campaigns, and planning leadership offsite.
Swades Foundation:
Contribute to strategic initiatives for Swades Foundation, which drives holistic development in over 1,100 villages in Maharashtra through projects in health, education, water, sanitation, and economic development.

Stakeholder ManagementFinancial Management

Aiesec

2 roles

Head of Finance and Legal, India

Apr 2018 – Aug 2019 · 1 yr 4 mos

AIESEC is a global youth-run organization that focuses on leadership development in the youth through its cross-cultural exchanges and opportunities within the organization. I was heading Finance and Legal for the Indian Chapter of AIESEC. My job role was:
Responsible for taking decisions on all financial matters for the National Office and ensuring overall legal compliance of the organization in India
Overlooking and consulting 30+ local chapters on financial matters, risks, and auditing
Working in a diverse team of 15 individuals and with different verticals on the National Team to develop and contribute to the growth of the core business (viz - international exchanges and leadership opportunities for youth)
Report and liaison with the eminent Board of Advisors of AIESEC in India on financial and legal matters - https://www.aiesec.in/about-aiesec/
Achievements:
1. Managed the budget of the National Office of over 550K+ USD (INR 4cr) and made a profit of 90K USD (INR 70L) - a growth of 60% in profits.
2. Acquired an office space in Navi Mumbai for AIESEC in India by managing a deal worth 350K+ USD (INR 2.50cr) ensuring legal compliance and long term sustainability of the not-for-profit
3. Project Manager for AIESEC's largest conference globally - International Congress for the year of 2019 with 450+ delegates from 90 nationalities organized in 60 days. Also, managed the finances directly with a total budget of 250K+ USD (INR 2 cr) with a net profit of over 70K USD (INR 50L+)

Chapter President, Chennai

Feb 2017 – Mar 2018 · 1 yr 1 mo

As the head of the local chapter of AIESEC in Chennai, I led 140 college going individuals aspiring to develop their leadership potential by working in AIESEC. My role as the President entailed the following:
Setting strategy and direction for the local chapter
Leading a team of 10 VPs who formed the Executive Board
Modeling and setting culture for a young and dynamic work-force
Administering and governing operations, finance and talent of the organization
Representing AIESEC in Chennai in internal national/international forums as well as external gatherings
AIESEC is worlds largest student run organization with a network of 126 countries which focuses on people development. AIESEC offers valuable international exposure and experience to young minds and aims at developing leadership amongst the youth through cross cultural exchanges or by facilitating them.

Grundfos

Marketing Intern

Jan 2018 – Apr 2018 · 3 mos · Greater Chennai Area

Grundfos develops water solutions for the world. It sets the standard in terms of innovation, efficiency, reliability and sustainability. It is a pump company connecting with millions and millions of people every day.
The internship aimed at studying consumer decision-making units and buying process in various segments of the pump industry in the West Region of Grundfos India. It required acquiring an in-depth understanding of how consumers making buying decisions.
This project ran for a duration of 4 months and the data collection methodology was online or off line surveys, interviews (telephone/direct), internet-based secondary data research etc.
Analyzed the current marketing budget of Grundfos India to understand presence in various customer touch points and identified weak points of the sales value chain.
Created a comprehensive market research report highlighting the pain-points in the customer journey map of Grundfos and identified avenues of marketing post a detailed on-ground and hands-on competition analysis.
In the process, I interviewed over 50 professionals in the West Region who were customers, dealers and employees of the Company. I also analyzed the marketing spend of Grundfos India over the last 3 years.