Avnish
Bajaj
As the Internet bubble began to burst in early 2000, the nascent Baazee story quickly went from one of multiplying revenue to one of holding on tight for a bumpy roller coaster ride.
The management team stuck together, refocused the business and its cost structure, and moved quickly to acquire two competitors just as the market was turning.
Journey
As a result, Baazee grew into a healthy business in spite of the turbulent market, and ultimately sold to eBay in 2004 for $55 million. Avnish continued to run eBay India for a year and a half. The lessons he took from running a business in a rapidly changing and challenging environment have proven to be invaluable. Avnish's additional experiences at Apple and eBay have given him a deep appreciation for the myriad of issues a leader has to deal with in creating and running successful enterprises.
Avnish attended the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, where he graduated with a degree in Computer Science and Engineering. He then completed a Masters degree in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in the U.S. and joined Apple Computer as a Software Engineer. During his three and-a-half years at Apple (during which time the company had four CEOs), Avnish developed an interest in management and left Apple to complete a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Business School. While at Harvard, Avnish interned with McKinsey and Co.
After graduating from Harvard, Avnish joined Goldman Sachs in their investment banking team during the dot com bubble days where he was exposed to a number of compelling business ideas that ultimately led to the formation of Baazee. Avnish co-founded Z47 in 2006 and draws his energy from working with best in class Founders with a burning ambition to create large companies with a lasting impact. He has received a number of awards and citations including the 'Midas Touch' best investor award by The Economic Times, a repeat presence on the '40 who matter' list, and the 'Distinguished Alumnus Award' from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.
Honors / Memberships:
Young President Organization (YPO), Entrepreneurs Organization (EO), Top 25 Young Achievers in India (by leading news magazine)