New Delhi: The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has appointed Vibhor Jain as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, formalising leadership at a time when the government-backed initiative is pushing for wider adoption and deeper impact.

Jain, who had been working as an interim CEO, assumes the post after having held the job of COO in the past. This move takes place almost a year after he assumed the interim duties after the resignation of the outgoing CEO, Thampy Koshy.

This move is being interpreted as a strategy that aims at ensuring consistency and a more focused approach while expanding ONDC’s interoperable digital commerce network framework, which enables seamless transactions between buyers and sellers irrespective of the platform on which they operate.

In his new role, Jain has outlined a clear priority: expanding ONDC’s real-world impact across underserved segments. He has emphasised the need to deepen value creation for stakeholders ranging from farmers and artisans to kirana stores and gig workers, underscoring the network’s broader inclusion agenda.

At the same time, ONDC is strengthening its leadership bench. The organisation has brought in Rohit Lohia as Chief Business Officer and Manoj Thakur as Chief Technology Officer, signalling a push to build execution capacity alongside policy ambition.

The leadership transition coincides with a period of operational momentum for ONDC, with the network reporting a notable rise in revenue and onboarding of new participants, even as it expands across sectors.

According to Jain, it should be expected that ONDC will keep emphasizing on what open digital infrastructure can help do, which may not be possible for the platform-based model due to lack of incentives and flexibility in terms of design.

For ONDC, it is not only about appointing a new leader but rather indicates that ONDC entered the period of intense implementation. The appointment of such an experienced leader might play an important role in successful implementation of the proposed framework.

Also Read: Ananya Birla and the New RCB Era: The Woman at the Centre of Cricket’s New Power Shift