Pepperfry.com ropes in eBay India's Kashyap Vadapalli as CMO

Trendsutra Platform Services Pvt Ltd, the company that owns and operates Pepperfry.com, a lifestyle e-commerce marketplace in India, has appointed Kashyap Vadapalli as its chief marketing officer (CMO). At Pepperfry, Vadapalli will be responsible for leading the marketing and new business teams and overseeing all aspects of marketing including brand, digital marketing, social media, insights, creative, corporate communications and popular culture. He will also lead the development of new category and business segments for the company.

Vadapalli brings diverse experience in marketing, sales and business strategy to Pepperfry. Prior to joining the startup, he was CMO of eBay India. He has earlier worked at companies like Google, Tata Interactive Systems and Cadbury India Ltd. He holds a B.E. degree in electronics and communication engineering from Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi, and a PGDBM in marketing and general management from IIM, Kolkata.

"As an industry insider, I have had a ring side view of the evolution of Pepperfry and I am impressed by the business that has been built," said Vadapalli.

It seems that the Mumbai-based startup has a sweet spot for eBay employees. It was also founded by two ex-eBay employees Ambareesh Murty (former eBay India country manager) and Ashish Shah (former head of eBay Motors) and the site went live in January last year. The startup had raised $5 million in venture capital funding from Norwest Venture Partners in December 2011.

It is also one of the companies mentioned in a list of 13 potential e-com mergers and acquisitions to watch out for in India in 2013 (read here for more).

(Edited by Prem Udayabhanu)