Ajay Kaul
Member, Managing Committee, NRAI
CEO & Whole-Time Director, Jubilant FoodWorks
A B.Tech from IIT Delhi and MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur, his corporate career spans 25 years. He has served in renowned companies like American Express, Lufthansa, TNT (India and Indonesia), Jubilant FoodWorks, in senior leadership positions.
Ajay has been heading Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd. (JFL) as its CEO for a decade where he brought Domino’s Pizza to the position where it is now the largest and fastest growing MNC foodservice brand in India with a network of 844 Domino’s Pizza restaurants, across 185 cities (as of Feb 5, ’15).
During these years, Domino’s has steadily increased its market share, attaining leadership position with over 70% Indian market share in the organized pizza segment. Also, Domino’s Pizza India is the largest market for Domino’s in the world (outside USA).
In February 2011, he entered into Master Franchise Agreement with Dunkin’ Donuts for developing and operating its restaurants in India, launching 50 Dunkin’ Donuts’ restaurants, across 18 cities (as of Feb 5, ’15).
Ajay took JFL public in February 2010, making it the 1st QSR operator in India to be listed successfully on the stock market. JFL’s IPO was rated as the best IPO five years, by ET NOW – the share price posted 1000% gain since listing and has created shareholder wealth of 10,000+ crores. The success of JFL has catalyzed flow of PE money into the organized food retail. The company has become a benchmark of successful and profitable retail story, not only in India, but also overseas.
Along the way, JFL has won highest level of accolades as ‘The Most Promising Company in India’ (by CNBC), ‘Best Emerging Company in India’ (by Economic Times), ‘Most Admired Food Service Company in India’, ‘Top 7 Most Innovative Companies in Asia’ (by BNP Paribas’ Consumer Innovation Thematic Report 2014). Additionally, JFL is also rated as one of the ‘Best Employers’, in India, as per ‘Hewitt Best Employer’s’ survey and ‘Great Place to Work’ study.
Ajay, at an individual level, has been recognized with ‘Distinguished Alumnus Award 2014 – Practising Manager’ by XLRI Jamshedpur, ‘The Outstanding CEO of the year 2014’, one of the ‘Top 100 CEOs in India’, Ernst and Young ‘Entrepreneur of the Year 2010’ and ‘Professional Leader of the Year 2013’.
His personal interests include golf, bridge, music, singing and social causes. Ajay is married and has two daughters.