New Delhi [India], March 5 (ANI): The Government of India has appointed Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce Ajay Bhadoo, as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Government e Marketplace (GeM) with effect from March 3, 2025.

According to a release by Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Bhadoo will assume this role in addition to his existing responsibilities in the Department of Commerce.

His appointment as CEO of GeM, India's largest e-marketplace for government procurement, comes at a pivotal time as the platform transitions to a next-generation digital marketplace powered by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).

An Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1999 batch from the Gujarat cadre, Bhadoo brings over two decades of experience in policy formulation and implementation across diverse sectors, including urban infrastructure development.

In August 2024, Bhadoo was appointed as Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce. Previously, he served as the Deputy Election Commissioner at the Election Commission of India.

His extensive career also includes a tenure as Joint Secretary to the former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, and leadership roles such as CEO of the Gujarat Maritime Board and Commissioner of Rajkot and Vadodara Municipal Corporations.

Bhadoo holds a degree in Civil Engineering and a Master's in Business Law from the prestigious National Law School of India University, Bengaluru.

In India, the GeM has emerged as a game-changer in public procurement, creating an open and inclusive platform that benefits not just government buyers but also local entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses.

In alignment with the societal development of the nation, GeM has enabled startups to fulfil orders worth Rs 35,950 Crore. Women entrepreneurs comprise 8 per cent of the total seller base on GeM, with cumulative 1,77,786 Udyam-verified women micro, and small enterprises (MSE) registered on the GeM portal, having fulfilled a cumulative order value of Rs 46,615 Crore.

Currently, GeM has recorded a Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of Rs 4.58 lakh crore, reflecting a 28.65 per cent year-on-year growth. (ANI)