Spiro taps former Indofast Energy chief as group CEO after $215 million raise

Spiro, one of Africa’s largest electric motorcycle and battery-swapping startups, has appointed Anant Badjatya, former Indofast Energy chief executive, as its group CEO, in a major leadership shake-up. 

Kaushik Burman, who previously served as CEO, will now lead the company’s mobility services business, which manages electric vehicle deployment, rider leasing programmes, battery subscription services and fleet operations, the company told TechCabal.

The move comes days after Spiro announced a $215 million equity raise, one of the largest disclosed investments in Africa’s electric mobility sector. The funding is expected to support the expansion of the company’s battery-swapping network, manufacturing operations and energy infrastructure across the continent.

Badjatya’s appointment adds an executive with experience building battery-swapping networks at scale. He joins from Indofast Energy, a joint venture between IndianOil and SUN Mobility, where he oversaw a network of more than 1,800 battery-swapping stations serving about 90,000 vehicles a day.

“As Spiro is accelerating on its mission to transform mobility across Africa, Anant will consolidate the group’s strategic initiatives and guide the company through its next chapter of growth and execution,” founder and chairman Gagan Gupta said in a statement on Tuesday.

The leadership restructuring creates a clearer separation between Spiro’s rider-facing transport business and its broader ambitions in energy infrastructure, battery swapping, logistics and vehicle manufacturing.

Spiro says it operates in seven African markets, including Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Nigeria. On June 1, the company said it has deployed more than 100,000 electric motorcycles and built a network of over 2,500 battery-swapping stations.

The hire brings to Spiro an executive from India, one of the world’s most advanced battery-swapping markets, as African electric mobility companies race to scale infrastructure and convert growing investor interest into sustainable businesses.

“Africa represents the most exciting frontier for electric mobility,” Badjatya said. “Spiro has built a unique platform and is exceptionally well positioned to accelerate the transition to cleaner and more accessible mobility across the continent. I look forward to working with our teams, partners and stakeholders to drive the next phase of growth and impact.”