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New Delhi, Nov 26 () Cab hailing platform Ola on Tuesday said it will soon begin its operations in London and has started onboarding licensed drivers in the region.
Ola had received an operating licence from Transport for London (TfL) earlier this year.
"Ola has begun registering licenced drivers in London as it prepares to launch operations in the city...With this, over 50,000 licensed drivers will be able to join Ola and provide mobility services in London," a statement said.
The Bengaluru-based firm had forayed into the UK with operations starting in Cardiff in August last year. It has expanded across Birmingham, Liverpool, Exeter, Reading, Bristol, Bath, Coventry, and Warwick in the UK.
"Today, we are inviting the tens of thousands of PHV drivers across London to register themselves on the Ola platform, as we prepare to launch in the city in the coming weeks. We have built a robust mobility platform for London which is fully compliant with TfL's high standards," Ola Head of International Simon Smith said.
He added that the company has had constructive conversations with the authorities, drivers, and local communities in London over the past months.
"...(we) and look forward to contributing towards solving mobility issues in innovative and meaningful ways," he said.
Ola's service is available in over 250 cities in India, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. SR BAL

Ola to launch operations in London soon

New Delhi, Feb 10 () Ride-hailing major Ola expects London to play an important role in its global road map, and believes that entry into this market is the beginning of its "journey to be the preeminent global force". The company, which has launched its services in London, has already onboarded over 25,000 drivers on its platform. "London is truly the beginning of our journey to be the preeminent global force and player in our industry. Very few Indian brands have gone global with this scale and ambition and our journey and success will become a benchmark," Ola co-founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal said in an e-mail to employees. He added that the next three months are "crucial to scale operations, be nimble on our feet to counter competition moves and above all, deliver a differentiated customer experience to 'wow' the consumers". He said the company will maintain its differentiated focus on drivers, safety and a collaborative approach with local authorities and regulators. Aggarwal said London is one of the most important global cities in general, and is one of the biggest markets in size for the industry. Ola had received an operating licence from Transport for London (TfL) earlier last year. "So, building the right business for all stakeholders...has been a key focus for us... We have been able to focus on consumer and driver experience significant and improving the quality and proposition of safety and truly moving the industry forward," he said. The Bengaluru-based firm had entered the UK with operations starting in Cardiff in August last year. It has expanded across Birmingham, Liverpool, Exeter, Reading, Bristol, Bath, Coventry, and Warwick in the UK. Ola's service is available in over 250 cities in India, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. SR HRS

Ola bets on London to become preeminent global force

New Delhi, Jan 31 () Cab hailing platform Ola on Friday said it will commence its services in London from February 10.
 "The platform will be fully operational from day one, with over 20,000 drivers having registered on the platform since it began on-boarding a month ago," Ola said in a statement.
 It added that the company aims to offer a differentiated experience on the platform with features such as 24/7 helplines for drivers and customers and an in-app emergency button, while providing the best quality of service through its large network of drivers across the city of London.
 Ola had received an operating licence from Transport for London (TfL) last year.
 "The overwhelmingly positive reception to Ola since launching in the UK in 2018 illustrates the significant demand from drivers, riders and communities. We are working closely with drivers to build a high quality and reliable service for Londoners. Launching in London is a major milestone for us and we are keen to offer a first class experience for all our customers," Head of Ola International Simon Smith said.
 Ola will offer passengers 25 pounds worth of ride credit for signing up in the first week after the launch.
 The Bengaluru-based firm had forayed into the UK with operations starting in Cardiff in 2018 and will now operate across 28 local authorities. It has expanded across Birmingham, Liverpool, Exeter, Reading, Bristol, Bath, Coventry, and Warwick.
 Ola said cities including Birmingham, Coventry and Warwick have seen more than double-digit growth in rides in the last quarter.
 To date, the company has provided over 3 million rides with more than 11,000 drivers already operating on the platform in the UK, it added.
 Ola's service is available in over 250 cities in India, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. SR RUJ

Ola to start London operations from Feb 10

<ul><li><keyword id="6354720" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ola">Ola</keyword> is now onboarding drivers in <keyword id="6354968" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="london">London</keyword>, days after Uber’s licence in London was revoked. </li><li>The TfL had recently revoked Uber’s licence in London, after drivers were held using fake identity cards.</li><li>Ola has said that it will have an “driver facial recognition technology for continuous authentication.” </li></ul>Ola is now onboarding drivers in London, days after Uber’s licence in London was revoked. The Indian ride hailing giant, led by 34-year old Bhavesh Aggarwal, is already offering cab services in Birmingham, Liverpool, Exeter, Reading, Bristol, Bath, Coventry, and Warwick. It is now racing for its London launch trying to make the most out of Uber’s loss in the British capital city. “We are inviting the tens of thousands of PHV drivers across London to register themselves on the Ola platform, as we prepare to launch in the city in the coming weeks. We have built a robust mobility platform for London, which is fully compliant with TfL’s (Transport for London) high standards,” Simon Smith, head of international, Ola said. The TfL had recently revoked Uber’s licence in London, after drivers were held using fake identity cards. The authorities had found that 14,000 trips were taking with fake ID cards. Hoping to stay ahead of a situation, Ola has said that it will have an “industry-first driver facial recognition technology for continuous authentication” along with “storing digital copies of various documents including vehicle insurance certificate, MOT (Ministry of Transport) certificate, and driver’s licence, to ensure that they are always up to date” Ola had launched operations in the UK in 2018, after foraying into New Zealand and Australia.

Ola races for a London launch as Uber loses licence⁠— and it has facial recognition to vet drivers

New Delhi, Dec 17 () Cab hailing platform Ola on Tuesday said over 10,000 drivers in London have signed up ahead of the launch of its services in the city.
In November, Ola had announced that it was entering the London market. The development came just days after rival, Uber was stripped of its London license.
"...in just three weeks, over 10,000 PHV drivers in London have registered to drive on the platform," Ola said in a statement.
It added that it will not charge commission from drivers for the first two months after the launch, allowing them to retain 100 per cent of their earnings from the platform.
"Going forward, Ola will continue to offer the best revenue share for drivers, allowing them to keep more of their earnings, in line with the company's unique driver-centric approach," it said.
The company said drivers in London have signed up both online and offline to drive with Ola, completing the required checks to drive on the platform.
Drivers' documents have been verified and mandatory training modules, created by Ola, will help ensure that drivers are ready to use the platform when it launches in the coming weeks, it added.
"Every interaction with drivers in the city has presented us with an opportunity to create a platform that best serves their needs, as well as those of consumers. We are also very excited that a large number of these registrations have occurred through referrals and word of mouth amongst drivers," Ola Head of International Simon Smith said.
In November, the transport regulator had stripped Uber of its licence following several breaches that placed passengers and their safety at risk. The US-based company has appealed against the decision.
Ola - which also operates in India, Australia and New Zealand - has expanded rapidly across the UK since its launch last year, operating in 27 local authorities.
Cities including Birmingham, Coventry and Warwick have seen more than double-digit growth in rides in the last quarter, the company said, adding that till date, Ola has provided around three million rides with over 11,000 drivers operating on the platform outside London.
All drivers on the Ola platform are private hire vehicles (PHV) license holders, authorised to drive and extend their services to consumers by Transport for London (TfL).
This includes mandatory verification of documents, an 'enhanced' criminal records check, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) training and medical examination amongst other TfL requirements.
Drivers will also have to go through a mandatory training module from Ola that familiarises them with customer service, app and platform usage, safety features, as well as various avenues of support available to them from the company, Ola said. SR BAL

Over 10K drivers in London register on Ola ahead of launch

Ride-hailing platform <keyword id="6354720" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="ola">Ola</keyword> on Thursday said it has appointed Mike <keyword id="6585757" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="rake">Rake</keyword> as non-executive Chairman and <keyword id="11292176" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="leon-daniels">Leon Daniels</keyword> as an independent non-executive director to the Ola UK Board. Rake and Daniels will draw on deep experience across the private and public sectors to provide the strongest possible oversight, corporate governance, and strategic counsel to Ola as it continues to grow and scale, Ola said in a statement. They will join Balasubrahmanyam Vijay Juturi, alongside Marc Rozendal (<keyword id="24973" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="managing-director">Managing Director</keyword>, Ola UK) and Karl Lutzow (Operations Director, Ola UK) on the board, it added. "We are delighted to welcome Sir Mike and Leon to the Ola UK Board. As a scaled, global business with a major presence in the UK, the appointment of such high-quality independent board members underlines our commitment to the UK and the scale of our ambition in this dynamic market," Bhavish Aggarwal, Chairman and Group CEO at Ola, said. Ola had launched operations in the UK in 2018. Currently, Ola operates across 27 local authorities, including Birmingham, Liverpool and Bristol. It has also expanded its offering for UK riders, including the launch of <keyword id="3202683" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola-Corporate">Ola Corporate</keyword>. Sir Mike Rake is one of the UK's leading business figures. He joins Ola having previously served in a range of senior boardroom roles, including as Chairman of Worldpay Group plc (2015-2018), BT Group plc (2007-2017), EasyJet plc (2010-2013) and International Chairman of <keyword id="50041" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="KPMG">KPMG</keyword> (2002-2007), along with serving as President of the <keyword id="50463" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Confederation-of-British-Industry">Confederation of British Industry</keyword> (2013-2015). "The application of technology to mobility holds out an exciting future of cleaner, safer and more efficient transportation for millions of UK passengers, and I look forward to helping Ola continue to do what they do best - innovate for the benefit of society," Rake said. Leon Daniels served as Managing Director, Surface Transport at Transport for London until 2017 and previously held the position of Commercial Director at UK Bus, overseeing new ventures in the UK and international transport. In 2019, he was awarded an OBE for Services to Transport in recognition of his expertise and experience across the UK, Europe, and Asia. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/cryptocurrency-crash-brings-down-binance-wazirx-and-other-exchanges-users-fume-as-orders-fail/articleshow/82793305.cms">Cryptocurrency crash brings down Binance, WazirX and other exchanges – users fume as orders fail</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/retail/news/a-cup-of-regular-tea-has-never-been-this-expensive-in-india-thanks-to-kooky-weather/articleshow/82792489.cms">A cup of regular tea has never been this expensive in India, thanks to kooky weather</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/the-first-seat-on-jeff-bezos-rocket-to-space-is-selling-for-a-record-high-of-2-8-million/articleshow/82791575.cms">The first seat on Jeff Bezos’ rocket to space is selling for a record high of $2.8 million</a>

Ola appoints Mike Rake as non-executive chairman and Leon Daniels as non-executive director to the UK board

<ul><li><keyword id="6354720" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola">Ola</keyword> began services in <keyword id="84362" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Perth">Perth</keyword>, Australia in February.</li><li>Ola's global expansion began after receiving investment from China's Didi Chuxing.</li><li>The company says it already has 7000 registrations in Perth.</li></ul>In its quest to take on Uber on a global scale, <keyword id="6362049" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ola-Cabs">Ola Cabs</keyword> is now serving customers in Sydney. The company announced today, that it has hired a local team and "driver-partners" in the city. This is the second city Ola is covering in Australia, having launched in Perth earlier. According to the company, it already has 7000 registrations in that city. The homegrown ride hailing company began its global expansion after receiving investment from China's Didi Chuxing. Ola also has investments from Japanese Softbank, which owns over 30% stake in the company. As it begins expanding to other countries, Ola is still battling Uber as its main competitors. The American ride hailing company is present in 23 cities in Australia and New Zealand and serves many more countries as well. While Australia is the first country Ola is serving after India, the company has also set up teams in Colombo and Dhaka, though it's yet to start services there. Furthermore, Bhavish Aggarwal, CEO of Ola, had <a href="http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/ola-plans-to-go-down-under-eyes-australia-and-new-zealand-for-expansion-118010901351_1.html" data-type="tilCustomLink">met</a> <keyword id="6354968" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="London">London</keyword> Mayor Sadiq Khan, during his India visit in December. Starting business in London may be difficult though, given the issues Uber has already been facing there. If Ola is able to establish its service there, it might be a big boost for the company's overseas plans.

After Perth, Ola is now ready to serve Sydney

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Shailesh Andrade/ReutersBhavish Aggarwal, chief executive of Uber's main rival in India, Ola</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Indian ride-hailing firm Ola has said it's readying an on-demand cab service to launch in London in the coming weeks. It's likely to be ready in early 2020. </li><li>The announcement comes one day after Uber lost its license to operate in the city.</li><li>Ola's impending launch in London is notable because the firm shares a major investor with Uber, Japanese mega-investor SoftBank. Ola took apparent shots at its rival's misfortunes, amping up its driver verification features. </li><li>Ola was founded in India and has been operating in the UK since 2018, but only obtained a license to operate in London in the summer of 2019. </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's home page for more stories.</a></li></ul>Indian ride-hailing service Ola has announced it is readying an on-demand cab service to launch in London in the coming weeks.Business Insider understands Ola plans to have its service available in London from January 2020.Ola is a rival to Uber and provides a similar service, but the two companies also share a big financial backer in Japanese mega-investor SoftBank. SoftBank invested almost $8 billion in Uber. It is thought to have invested a smaller amount in Ola although the total figure is unclear. Ola has raised $3.8 billion in funding to date.Ola's announcement comes a day after <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-loses-london-licence-2019-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">Uber lost its license to operate in London</a>, after the city's transport regulator found fraudulent drivers operating on its platform. Transport for London said fraudulent drivers had conducted some 14,000 journeys, meaning passengers were accepting rides with Uber drivers who weren't who they said they were.Transport for London's decision has jeopardized Uber's position in the UK capital, which is one of its biggest markets globally with some 3.5 million users. The city is one of the company's top five revenue-generating hubs, the firm has said in public filings.Despite the shared financial backer, Ola appeared to take shots at its rival's misfortunes, specifically the issue of fraudulent drivers.Ola said it would compare images on drivers' licenses with the photo they upload to its app. It claimed it would use facial-recognition technology to authenticate drivers, and said it would only allow licensed drivers onto its platform.Business Insider understands that this is a technology introduced voluntarily by Ola, rather than a request by the transport regulator.The firm added it would not allow drivers who have been blocked by London's transport regulator onto its app. Uber lost its license partly because it had allowed a driver whose license was revoked by the regulator on its platform.Ola launched in the UK in August 2018, and has been operating in cities outside of London. The company won a license to operate in London in July 2019.The company didn't give a specific London launch date, but said it had begun signing up licensed drivers.Simon Smith, Ola's head of international, said in a statement: "Today, we are inviting the tens of thousands of [private-hire] drivers across London to register themselves on the Ola platform, as we prepare to launch in the city in the coming weeks."We have built a robust mobility platform for London which is fully compliant with TfL's high standards. We have had constructive conversations with the authorities, drivers, and local communities in London over the past months, and look forward to contributing towards solving mobility issues in innovative and meaningful ways."Uber on Monday said it would appeal Transport for London's licensing decision. It can continue operating in London while it appeals.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/future-of-retail?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=ctgr_bii&amp;itm_term=ctgr_leadgen&amp;itm_content=uber&amp;itm_campaign=future-of-retail-2"></a> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/we-used-the-motorola-droid-on-its-10th-anniversary-2019-11">I used the 10-year-old original Motorola Droid for a week</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

Indian cab app Ola plans to take on Uber in London in 2020, and they happen to share the same big investor

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Shailesh Andrade/ReutersBhavish Aggarwal, chief executive of Uber's main rival in India, Ola</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Indian ride-hailing firm Ola will launch in London on February 10.</li><li>Like Uber, Ola lets users summon a cab via an app.</li><li>Uber is the most popular ridehailing service in the UK, but its continued presence in London has been threatened after the regulator declined to renew its license in the capital.</li><li>Despite being a competitor to Uber, Ola shares a major backer as it has taken funding from Japanese mega-investor SoftBank.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>London is getting yet another cab-hailing app.India's Ola is coming to the UK capital, more than a year after launching in other UK cities.Like Uber, Ola offers an easy-to-use app which lets passengers summon a private-hire cab at the click of a button.The underlying business model is also much the same, with drivers signing up as independent contractors to the app, which takes a cut of their fares. Ola isn't disclosing how much commission it's charging, but says it won't take any cut of London drivers' fares for the first six weeks of operating.Ola has been running a service in the UK since the summer of 2018 in regional cities including Birmingham, Coventry and Warwick. It landed its license to operate a service in London in July 2019, and confirmed its intention to expand <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ride-hailing-firm-ola-london-launch-after-uber-ban-2019-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">its service to the UK capital in November</a>.The news brings Ola into competition with the raft of ridehailing services already operating in London, such as Uber, Bolt/Taxify, and Kapten.Like these incumbents, Ola is offering new users discounts for signing up to the app, as well the lower commission to lure in drivers.Although Ola says its service is differentiated from competitors and it works more collaboratively with regulators, that differentiation may not be particularly clear to consumers who now face a dazzling array of ridehailing apps to choose from.Ola's arrival in London also ups the pressure on Uber, which is the dominant ride-hailing service in the UK and counts London as its biggest European market.Uber has locked horns with London's transport regulator, Transport for London (TfL) for the past few years over safety issues around its service.In November, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-loses-london-licence-2019-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">Uber lost its license to operate in London</a> after the regulator found drivers operating fraudulently on its platform. The firm is appealing that decision but, if it loses, it will be forced to quit the capital.Ola declined to comment publicly when asked how it might avoid similar problems, but said it operated a 24/7 call centre for passengers with complaints. One source close to the firm told Business Insider that TfL had taken the robustness of Ola's safety measures and tech into account as part of its decision to grant an operating license.<h2>Ola and Uber share the same major investor</h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Carlo Allegri/ReutersUber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi.</div></div></div>Awkwardly, Ola and Uber share a major backer in Japanese mega-investor SoftBank.SoftBank invested almost $8 billion in Uber. It is thought to have invested a smaller amount in Ola although the total figure is unclear. Ola has raised $3.8 billion in funding to date.Simon Smith, head of Ola International said: "The overwhelmingly positive reception to Ola since launching in the UK in 2018 illustrates the significant demand from drivers, riders and communities. We are working closely with drivers to build a high quality and reliable service for Londoners. Launching in London is a major milestone for us and we are keen to offer a first class experience for all our customers."Axel Springer, Insider Inc.'s parent company, is an investor in Uber.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/10-up-and-coming-fintechs?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=ctgr_bii&amp;itm_term=ctgr_leadgen&amp;itm_content=uber&amp;itm_campaign=10-up-and-coming-fintechs-2"></a> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-spacex-blew-up-rocket-on-purpose-2020-1">SpaceX and NASA just blew up a Falcon 9 rocket on purpose, and it has something to do with Apollo 1</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

Ola, another SoftBank-backed cab startup, will launch in London just as Uber faces being booted from the city

Ola<ul class="summary-list"><li>Ola, an Indian ride-hailing firm, launched its operations in London on Monday, giving strong competition to the likes of Uber and Bolt.</li><li>The Softbank-backed firm is offering users discounts and drivers zero commissions in order to lure numbers. </li><li>The app has stronger safety features with options like a start code to give to the driver before the journey begins. </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a></li></ul>Ola, a ride-hailing app launched in London on Monday and I decided to take a ride and find out just how different it is from its peers. But I am not new to Ola. I have taken many Ola rides during vacations in India where Ola has become the standard means of transport and is more popular than Uber. My parents, who weren't the most app-savvy till about a few years ago, have switched to Ola instead of taking their Hyundai out and so has a large part of the smartphone-savvy Indian population. However, back in London, it's always been Uber or Kapten for me. But I decided to give Ola a try on Monday evening and here's how I think it's different from its peers.Spriha Srivastava/Business Insider I took a short journey, and used the £5 ($6.46) introductory voucher from Ola. The app is pretty straightforward and easy to use. It gives you the option to add a few stops, and a range of cars to choose from. These are categorized as "Comfort," "Comfort XL" and Exec. Upon selecting your choice of car, a waiting time is shown and you are then connected to Ola drivers in your area.I selected a Comfort Ola, with a waiting time of 5 minutes. Now, here's where Ola is different from all the other ride-hailing services I have taken. Once you confirm your ride, the app sends you a start code, which is written on the left hand corner of the app. When you sit in the car, the driver asks for this code in order to start the journey. Without this code, a journey cannot be activated. Spriha Srivastava/Business InsiderI sat in my ride and was welcomed by the driver as his "first Ola customer." The driver, David, whose name we changed because of privacy concerns, said he worked for all the ride-hailing apps in London. This includes a long list of Uber, Bolt, Kapten, ViaVan and now Ola. Upon asking him which one he likes the best, he said Bolt because they cut the lowest commission from drivers. "Ola is currently offering zero commissions till March 20. I am not sure what happens after that," he said. David, however, wasn't very pleased with the launch of another ride-hailing app."It's the same customers but more companies. As drivers, we don't have loyalty toward any of them. It will be so easy if there was a single service for both drivers and riders," he said. While on the ride, I began playing around with the app and realized another feature that was very different from Ola's peers - the safety icon. It is conveniently placed on the right-hand side, at the top of the app. Upon clicking it, you get an alarming red message that asks you to swipe in the event of an emergency and promises the safety team will be in contact immediately. Spriha Srivastava/Business InsdierOla promises a 24/7 customer care support and has been offering vouchers in order to lure riders. The Indian ride-hailing app's launch on Monday saw front-page ads as well as a huge presence on social media. The company, which has raised close to $3.8 billion from Softbank, gives Uber and its peers another rival to battle in the increasingly crowded ride-hailing space. Axel Springer, Insider Inc.'s parent company, is an investor in Uber.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/30-big-tech-predictions-for-2020?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=ctgr_bii&amp;itm_term=ctgr_leadgen&amp;itm_content=uber&amp;itm_campaign=30-big-tech-predictions-for-2020"></a> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-plane-doors-cant-open-mid-flight-2020-2">It's physically impossible to open an airplane door mid-flight. Here's why.</a></h3>

I took a ride in SoftBank-backed Ola cabs on its launch day in London and saw first-hand how it's different than Uber

<ul><li>Ola is restructuring its organization as it heads for an IPO within 24 months, sources told Business Insider. </li><li>Its standalone losses in FY19 stood at ₹1,160.27 crore from ₹2,676.70 crore in the last financial year. </li><li>The ride-hailing company is also putting together governance committees, ethics committee as they head towards an IPO. </li></ul>Ola’s founder Bhavish Agarwal knows that investors on Dalal Street like leaner and meaner organisations. As the $5.7 billion company prepares to raise money from the capital markets, it is laying off people, optimising teams , and adding top executives to put out an attractive offer in two years. The restructuring would mean 5-8% of its 4,500 employees on rolls will either lose jobs or be reassigned to other teams. Less than 250 employees will be let go, a source told Business Insider. Not just that, it is also cutting down on losses as Indian investors prefer to invest in companies that are not in the red. That is work-in-progress for this 9 year old startup. In the last financial year ending March 2019, its standalone losses were at ₹1,160 crore-- which is half of the ₹2,676.7 crore year before. “With a view to become more nimble and have a sharper focus on growth and profitability, we are redesigning the organisation to build a structure that strengthens and leverages our local and global scale and enables faster decision making across all of Ola's group companies,” said an Ola spokesperson. The Board makeover The startup is also reshaping itself to look more like a listed company. It is putting together a governance committee and an ethics committee a source told Business Insider. It is also bringing experienced people into the fold by hiring for top management level across its subsidiary companies – Ola Electric and Ola Financial services. 
 <div type="image" title="16_9 graphics (23)" msid="72292380" hostid="261"></div>



 Ola and its subsidiaries like Ola Electric and Ola Money already have former top executives on board. Some of them are B V R Subbu, the former president of Hyundai India; former <keyword id="15492" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vodafone">Vodafone</keyword> CEO Arun Sarin; and Hemant Kaul, the former MD &amp; CEO of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Even as it grooming itself, it is also thinking and working like a startup. Ola which already has operations in the UK, hurried through to expand in London as soon as its rival Uber’s licence was cancelled in the city.

Ola is shedding flab and getting a makeover as it rides to a big-bang IPO in 2 years

New Delhi, Dec 6 () Ride hailing firm Ola on Friday said it aims to double the scale of business in Australia and New Zealand by 2021.
 The company announced to expand its presence to 33 locations from 11 cities in these countries January with the roll-out of service expected to start from next week onwards.
 "With over 85,000 driver-partners signed up, Ola is the fastest-growing ride sharing player in the region. The company aims to double its scale by 2021," Ola said in a statement.
 A company source said the firm is looking to double the scale of business across parameters such as revenue, customers, driver-partners and the number of rides.
 Currently, the company provides service in three cities in New Zealand and eight cities in Australia.
 Ola said it is "set to launch in 11 new locations each in Australia and New Zealand, taking its total presence across 33 cities in the region".
 "We have seen a phenomenal response to our services across Australia and New Zealand since our launch in February last year. Ola's competitive edge lies in offering better value fares to customers and a better deal for drivers, who earn more from every ride, and bringing industry-leading safety-tech innovations to the local market," said Simon Smith, head of international, Ola.
 Ola began its international foray last year with Australia being the first country to launch. Within a span of a few months, Ola expanded its services to the UK and then New Zealand in quick succession.
 Recently, Ola was granted a Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) licence by the Transport for London and is subsequently starting to onboard drivers ahead of launching its service in London.
 The source said Ola will start operating in all new cities in Australia and New Zealand by the mid of January. PRS HRS

You Searched For "Ola London" and got 12 results

Ola to launch operations in London soon

PTI

Ola bets on London to become preeminent global force

PTI

Ola to start London operations from Feb 10

PTI

Ola races for a London launch as Uber loses licence⁠— and it has facial recognition to vet drivers

Sanchita Dash

Over 10K drivers in London register on Ola ahead of launch

PTI

Ola appoints Mike Rake as non-executive chairman and Leon Daniels as non-executive director to the UK board

PTI

After Perth, Ola is now ready to serve Sydney

Prasid Banerjee

Indian cab app Ola plans to take on Uber in London in 2020, and they happen to share the same big investor

Shona Ghosh

Ola, another SoftBank-backed cab startup, will launch in London just as Uber faces being booted from the city

Shona Ghosh

I took a ride in SoftBank-backed Ola cabs on its launch day in London and saw first-hand how it's different than Uber

Spriha Srivastava

Ola is shedding flab and getting a makeover as it rides to a big-bang IPO in 2 years

Sanchita Dash

Ola aims to double scale of business in Australia, New Zealand by 2021

PTI

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