upGrad, one of Asia’s integrated skilling and lifelong learning companies, has appointed Ferzad Palia to lead its new Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) business.
The move marks the company’s entry into on-demand skilling aimed at India’s emerging group of learners seeking flexible and accessible learning options. The D2C initiative will focus on a digital-first approach, incorporating micro-learning formats, AI-driven personalisation, and scalable access.
"It strengthens our mission to own the entire learning journey and turns skilling into a household habit, not just a job-switch trigger. Ferzad’s deep expertise in building high-scale, high-engagement content-driven platforms will help us unlock a wider segment - combined with tech that appeals to their fast-learning patterns,” said Ronnie Screwvala, Co-founder & Chairperson, upGrad.
Palia has over 25 years of experience in consumer technology, media, and advertising. Most recently, he served as Senior EVP at JioStar (formerly Viacom18), where he was involved in the development and growth of JioCinema. He previously led several business units at Viacom18, including Direct-to-Consumer, International distribution, and the Youth, Music & English portfolio. Palia began his career at J Walter Thompson, working on Unilever’s personal care brands, and later worked at CNBC-TV18.
Commenting on the new role, Palia said, “The opportunity to transform India’s upskilling and learning landscape at scale, is an exciting mandate. upGrad’s solid foundation and commitment to outcome-led learning provides the perfect springboard.”
