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Abha Maheshwari Steps Down as CEO of ALLEN Digital After Two-Year Tenure

• ByStartupStory     |    August 14, 2025

Abha Maheshwari has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of ALLEN Digital, concluding a two-year stint that saw the test-preparation company’s digital arm undergo significant technological upgrades and team expansion.

In a LinkedIn post announcing her departure, Maheshwari wrote:

“…I am moving on from Allen, closing an incredible chapter filled with learning, growth, and impact. I will be taking a short break before stepping into my next chapter.”

Appointed in May 2023 as the first CEO of ALLEN Digital, Maheshwari took charge shortly after parent company ALLEN Career Institute received a USD 600 million investment from Bodhi Tree Systems. The digital division had launched in 2022, amid growing interest in artificial intelligence-driven education.

A former Meta executive with a decade of experience at Facebook and Instagram Shopping, Maheshwari joined ALLEN Digital when it was a small team of 15–20 working out of a co-working space. Reflecting on her journey, she said:

“When I first joined, we were a small team of 15 to 20 working out of a WeWork, scrappy, ambitious, and committed to building something meaningful. Two years later, I leave behind a buzzing office filled with passionate people, bold ideas, and the same deep sense of purpose, now backed by a much larger and stronger team.”

Under her leadership, ALLEN Digital integrated AI and machine learning into its learning platforms, launched a revamped website and mobile app, and rolled out initiatives such as a biology bot for conversational learning. The bot was powered by AI-driven question-answering technology from Doubtnut, which ALLEN acquired for $10 million in December.

The leadership team during Maheshwari’s tenure included Ankit Khurana (Chief Product Officer, ex-Flipkart), Saurabh Tandon (Chief Technology Officer, ex-Flipkart), and Apoorv Sharma (former CMO, ex-Apple), alongside talent from WhatsApp, Google, Amazon, and Meta.

Maheshwari said what she valued most was the team’s collective mission:

“…beyond the products, growth, and milestones, what I am most proud of is the team we built and the impact we created together. It has been a privilege to lead and learn alongside such a committed, mission-driven group.”

In FY24, ALLEN reported revenue of ₹3,245 crore, a 42% increase year-on-year, though net profit fell 44% to ₹136 crore.

Maheshwari has not yet disclosed her next professional move but indicated she will take a short break before beginning her next chapter.

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