Rajesh Magow, Group CEO of MakeMyTrip, who leads the company's operations across India's online travel ecosystem.
Rajesh Magow co-founded MakeMyTrip and helped scale it into India’s leading online travel company. Explore his career, leadership, growth and strategy.
Written by TFN Research Desk | covering startups, technology, venture capital, and business strategy.
Table of Contents
- Who is Rajesh Magow?
- Early Life and Education
- Career Before MakeMyTrip
- How MakeMyTrip Started
- Funding History
- Revenue Growth and Recent Developments
- Public Recognition
- MakeMyTrip vs Competitors
- Investor Perspective
- Founder Timeline
- Key Takeaways
- FAQs
- Sources
- SEO Metadata Block
Who is Rajesh Magow?
Rajesh Magow is the Co-founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of MakeMyTrip, one of India’s largest online travel companies. He joined MakeMyTrip in 2006 and has played a central role in its expansion, including its Nasdaq listing, the merger with the ibibo Group and the growth of brands such as Goibibo and redBus. He currently oversees the group’s strategic direction, growth and long-term vision.
Early Life and Education
Magow is a Chartered Accountant and an associate member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. His professional background spans finance, technology, e-commerce, sales, marketing and management, giving him a broad operating base for leading a large travel technology company.
Unlike many startup founders who begin their careers building products, Magow developed his expertise through business and finance roles before joining the travel technology sector. That experience later became useful as MakeMyTrip moved from a young internet company into a publicly listed travel business.
Career Before MakeMyTrip
Before joining MakeMyTrip, Magow worked with Voltas, Aptech Computer Education and Technovate Data and Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of eBookers.com. His experience covered finance, technology-enabled businesses and management.
By the time he joined MakeMyTrip in June 2006, the company had already established itself in online travel. Magow entered during an important phase of expansion and eventually became one of the executives responsible for scaling the business and preparing it for larger corporate milestones.
How MakeMyTrip Started
MakeMyTrip was founded in 2000 by Deep Kalra, Rajesh Magow and Keyur Joshi, initially targeting the US-India travel market. The company entered India’s domestic online travel market in 2005 as internet adoption, low-cost airlines and online payments began changing how Indians booked travel.
Magow’s contribution became particularly important during the company’s scaling years. He played a key role in its Nasdaq listing in 2010 and later helped lead major acquisitions and strategic expansion. These included the ibibo Group, Quest2Travel, BookMyForex and Savaari Car Rentals.
Funding History
| Round | Year | Amount | Lead Investor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series A | 2005 | $10 million | SAIF Partners |
| Series B | 2006 | $13 million | Helion Ventures, Sierra Ventures, SAIF Partners |
| Series C | 2007 | $15 million | Tiger Global and existing investors |
| IPO | 2010 | Approximately $70 million | Public investors |
| Post-IPO Equity | 2017 | $330 million | Ctrip and Naspers |
MakeMyTrip’s fundraising enabled it to invest aggressively in technology, marketing and expansion before becoming a public company. Its Nasdaq listing in 2010 became a major milestone for India’s internet economy.
Revenue Growth and Recent Developments
| Fiscal Year | Revenue | Net Profit |
|---|---|---|
| FY25 | $978.3 million | $95.3 million |
| FY26 | $1.044 billion | $51.7 million |
MakeMyTrip crossed $1 billion in annual revenue in FY26. Gross bookings also reached approximately $10.39 billion, while adjusted operating profit increased to $188.8 million.
The decline in reported net profit is worth watching. Despite stronger operating performance, net profit fell from $95.3 million in FY25 to $51.7 million in FY26. That makes the company’s ability to convert its growing scale into consistent earnings an important issue for the next phase of growth.
Magow continues to lead the group as Co-founder and Group CEO. MakeMyTrip’s official leadership profile says he is responsible for strategic direction, growth and the long-term vision across the group’s portfolio.
Public Recognition
Magow’s leadership has received significant industry recognition. He won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in the Services category in 2024, was also named Times Now India’s Impactful CEO in 2024 and received the People-Focused CEO of the Year award at the Economic Times Human Capital Awards in 2023.
He has also held industry leadership positions, including Chairman of the FICCI Tourism Committee for 2025-26 and a governing council position at IAMAI for 2025-27.
MakeMyTrip vs Competitors
| Company | Founded | Positioning |
|---|---|---|
| MakeMyTrip | 2000 | Full-service online travel platform |
| Yatra | 2006 | Online and corporate travel |
| EaseMyTrip | 2008 | Online travel booking |
| ixigo | 2007 | Travel booking and transport |
MakeMyTrip’s biggest advantage is the breadth of its ecosystem. Through MakeMyTrip, Goibibo and redBus, the group covers flights, hotels, holidays and ground transportation. Competitors remain strong in specific categories, but MakeMyTrip’s combination of scale, brands and travel inventory gives it a broad position in the market.
Investor Perspective
Magow’s strongest asset is his ability to operate through different stages of a company’s life. He joined MakeMyTrip before its Nasdaq listing and remained involved through acquisitions, the pandemic and the company’s post-pandemic expansion.
His leadership during Covid was particularly important. MakeMyTrip experienced a dramatic collapse in travel demand, forcing the company to rationalise costs and preserve liquidity. The business eventually recovered and expanded into areas including B2B travel, travel fintech and international markets.
The challenge is that scale brings a different set of expectations. MakeMyTrip now needs to keep growing while protecting margins, managing competition and adapting to AI-driven changes in travel discovery and booking. Magow’s ability to manage that transition will matter more than another round of expansion.
Founder Timeline
- 2000: MakeMyTrip is founded by Deep Kalra, Rajesh Magow and Keyur Joshi.
- 2005: MakeMyTrip launches its Indian operations.
- 2006: Magow joins MakeMyTrip.
- 2010: MakeMyTrip lists on Nasdaq.
- 2017: MakeMyTrip completes its combination with the ibibo Group.
- 2020: The company navigates the severe travel disruption caused by Covid-19.
- 2022: MakeMyTrip expands through investments including Savaari and BookMyForex.
- 2024: Magow wins the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award in the Services category.
- 2025: Magow becomes Chairman of the FICCI Tourism Committee.
- 2026: MakeMyTrip crosses $1 billion in annual revenue.
Key Takeaways
- Rajesh Magow is Co-founder and Group CEO of MakeMyTrip.
- He joined the company in 2006 and played a major role in its scaling years.
- He was involved in the Nasdaq listing and major acquisitions including ibibo.
- MakeMyTrip crossed $1 billion in annual revenue in FY26.
- Magow has received multiple recognitions for his leadership in India’s travel and technology sector.
FAQs
Who is Rajesh Magow?
Rajesh Magow is the Co-founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of MakeMyTrip.
When did Rajesh Magow join MakeMyTrip?
He joined MakeMyTrip in June 2006.
Who founded MakeMyTrip?
MakeMyTrip was founded in 2000 by Deep Kalra, Rajesh Magow and Keyur Joshi.
What is Rajesh Magow’s current role?
He is the Co-founder and Group CEO of MakeMyTrip.
What did Rajesh Magow do before MakeMyTrip?
He worked with Voltas, Aptech Computer Education and Technovate Data and Services, which was associated with eBookers.com.
What is Rajesh Magow’s educational qualification?
He is an associate member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
What major MakeMyTrip milestones did Magow contribute to?
He played important roles in the company’s Nasdaq listing, the ibibo Group merger and expansion through brands including Goibibo and redBus.
What awards has Rajesh Magow received?
His recognitions include EY Entrepreneur of the Year in Services in 2024, Times Now India’s Impactful CEO in 2024 and People-Focused CEO of the Year in 2023.
Is MakeMyTrip profitable?
Yes. MakeMyTrip reported $51.7 million in net profit for FY26, although this was lower than the previous year’s figure.
What is Rajesh Magow’s net worth?
His current personal net worth is not publicly disclosed.
Sources
MakeMyTrip, Official Leadership Profile
https://www.makemytrip.com/about-us.php
Info Edge, Rajesh Magow Board Profile
https://www.infoedge.in/About/BoardOfDirectors
EY India, Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024
https://www.ey.com/en_in/entrepreneur-of-the-year/winners-2024
EY India, Rajesh Magow Profile
https://www.ey.com/en_in/entrepreneur-of-the-year/finalists-2024/rajesh-magow
MakeMyTrip Foundation, Leadership Profile
https://www.makemytrip.com/csr/annual-report/25-26
Business Standard, Rajesh Magow Interview
https://www.business-standard.com/specials/bs-events/bs-manthan-the-bigger-the-pain-the-sooner-you-will-get-the-money-124032801069_1.html
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