The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has announced the appointment of Rohit Lohia as its Chief Business Officer (CBO). The appointment underscores the network’s continuing efforts to expand participation and strengthen its commercial and operational initiatives across India’s digital commerce ecosystem.
Leadership Appointment
Rohit Lohia joins ONDC with over two decades of experience across consulting, entrepreneurship, fintech, and digital business operations. Before joining ONDC, he served as Senior Vice President at One97 Communications Limited (Paytm), where he oversaw strategic business, product, and risk management initiatives.
During his tenure at Paytm, Lohia held board roles at Paytm Money Limited and One97 Communication India Limited, contributing to the company’s financial and operational growth strategies. His experience spans building financial technology solutions, managing business operations at scale, and driving technology-driven innovations aimed at improving consumer access.
Rohit Professional Background
Prior to joining Paytm, Lohia co-founded start-ups in the fintech and e-commerce segments, contributing to early-stage business development and market expansion. Earlier in his career, he worked at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where he focused on strategic consulting across multiple industries.
Lohia holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore and a Bachelor of Technology (BTech) degree from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee.
Executive Statements
Announcing his appointment, Vibhor Jain, Acting CEO and COO of ONDC, expressed confidence in Lohia’s ability to strengthen the network’s business operations. “We are thrilled to welcome Rohit to the ONDC team. Rohit brings valuable experience in building and scaling new-age digital businesses. Coupled with his deep understanding of the e-commerce landscape, his expertise will help drive the ecosystem towards new unlocks and sustainable value creation through the Open Network construct,” Jain said.
Lohia said he looked forward to contributing to ONDC’s mission of democratizing digital commerce access. “I’m excited to join ONDC at this juncture. My aim is to foster an ecosystem where transparent access, innovation, and operational excellence go hand in hand,” he stated. He added that enabling small businesses and creating equitable value between buyers and sellers would be a central focus of his role.
ONDC Expansion and Role Context
The Chief Business Officer role at ONDC includes overseeing business development, partnerships, and merchant ecosystem growth. The position plays a key part in scaling network adoption and value creation among stakeholders.
ONDC continues to position itself as a government-supported initiative designed to create a level playing field in e-commerce through interoperability and open protocols. The platform aims to bring small and medium businesses, large enterprises, and digital marketplaces under a unified network structure. By reducing dependency on platform-specific ecosystems, ONDC seeks to ensure inclusivity and transparency in digital trade.
Broader Ecosystem Significance
Lohia’s appointment comes at a time when ONDC is accelerating its engagement with new industry verticals, including retail, mobility, food delivery, and logistics. The organization has been onboarding network participants to encourage broader merchant integration and strengthen digital infrastructure alignment with India’s open commerce framework.
Commenting on the continuing evolution of ONDC’s model, industry experts have noted that leadership appointments from the fintech and e-commerce sectors bring critical operational expertise for scaling trust-based digital ecosystems. With figures like Lohia joining its leadership team, ONDC aims to consolidate its strategic direction toward market expansion, innovation, and compliance with global best practices.
Future Direction
ONDC’s immediate focus remains on driving stakeholder collaboration and expanding the network’s accessibility across cities and business categories. Industry watchers anticipate that Lohia’s experience in fintech scaling and market enablement will contribute to more cohesive partner onboarding and long-term sustainable growth for the platform.
With the leadership team now reinforced, ONDC continues to pursue its mission of developing open, inclusive, and interoperable digital commerce infrastructure aligned with India’s expanding digital economy goals.
