In a recent conversation, Rohit Kapoor, the CEO of the Food Marketplace at Swiggy Ltd, shared profound insights into his leadership style, personal productivity systems, and unconventional sources of wisdom. The 51-year-old executive, based in Gurugram, took on his role in 2022 and has since steered the food delivery platform to profitability and expansive growth.
Unconventional Mentors and Street-Smart Wisdom
When asked about his mentors, Kapoor's answer defies corporate convention. He does not credit a single traditional guide for his shaping. Instead, he adopts a philosophical stance, stating that his most significant lessons come from "walking the streets and listening to the chaos that is India." For him, the common person on the street is his ultimate teacher and mentor.
This practice has instilled a key belief: wisdom has no direct correlation with formal education or background. "The guidance I have come away with is to be respectful and listen with intent to a wide cross-section of people," Kapoor explains. He emphasizes that these lessons are free and readily available for anyone willing to seek them, a principle he applies by engaging in conversations with practically anyone he meets daily.
The Pillars of Productivity and Team Building
Kapoor faced the challenge of managing Swiggy's growth amid fierce competition. Under his leadership, the food marketplace turned profitable within a year and now operates in over 700 cities, creating substantial employment for its fleet of delivery partners.
He attributes 80% of his productivity to one core principle: building an exceptional team, empowering them, and having their backs. Beyond this, he swears by a personal organizational hack. "A minor hack is to know my calendar for the next 90 days. I can almost tell you without opening my calendar which city I will be in and what I am likely to be doing," he reveals. This forward-looking planning helps him stay ahead and execute effectively.
Kapoor is bullish on the sector's future, noting that food delivery adoption is still in early stages and the restaurant ecosystem is evolving. He points out that India's grocery market is still ten times larger than the food market, presenting a "multi-decadal opportunity" that will demand rigorous execution and continuous innovation.
Mentorship, Routines, and Unwinding
For Kapoor, being a mentor entails three crucial elements: customizing advice to the individual and situation, operating from a genuine desire for the mentee's best outcome, and fostering a trusting relationship where even unwelcome viewpoints can be shared. He believes a mentor must first earn respect, and ideally, affection.
The pandemic permanently altered his work habits, unlocking the ability to connect and work effectively from anywhere. A positive routine he developed is conducting multiple one-on-one meetings while walking. He invites willing colleagues for early morning walks, combining uninterrupted discussion with getting in 8,000 steps.
To unwind, Kapoor finds magic in caddying for his 13-year-old golfer daughter, calling the experience "humbling." His hobbies include photography, travelling, and, most recently, learning to DJ, all of which he pursues in a "fairly non-serious way." For intellectual nourishment, he recommends books by Naval Ravikant, speeches by great leaders, and Sufi wisdom about life.
His foundational work ethic, however, was forged in Kolkata's classrooms. He cultivated the habit of grasping lessons fully the first time to avoid excessive revision later—a principle of giving undivided attention to reduce churn that he applies to this day.
