Meet Mihir Kumar, GeM’s New CEO as Platform Hits ₹5.4 Lakh Cr GMV

Can a government-run e-commerce platform redefine the way India buys and sells? With the appointment of Mihir Kumar as the new CEO of Government e-Marketplace (GeM), this very question takes center stage as the platform readies itself for its next big leap in public procurement.

In a country where innovation is often synonymous with startups, one of the most silent yet powerful revolutions in digital transformation has been unfolding under the Government’s watch. The Government e Marketplace, or GeM, has quietly become a pillar of India's digital governance, enabling transparent and efficient procurement of goods and services for government bodies. And now, as the platform readies itself for a new era of growth and technological advancement, the government has appointed a seasoned bureaucrat—Mihir Kumar—as its new Chief Executive Officer.

This move signals a pivotal moment for GeM. With India setting ambitious targets for digital governance, sustainability, and inclusivity, Kumar’s leadership comes at a time when the country needs public platforms to function with startup-like agility and vision.

A Bureaucrat with a Startupper’s Spirit

Mihir Kumar may be a career civil servant, but his credentials and experience rival those of a dynamic startup founder. An officer from the 1996 batch of the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), Kumar brings with him an extensive portfolio—over 28 years in finance, public administration, and policy execution.

Before his current appointment, Kumar was serving as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, navigating complex administrative terrains. His earlier roles include leadership positions such as Controller of Defence Accounts in the Ministry of Defence, Director in the Department of Financial Services under the Ministry of Finance, and even a Deputy Controller of Defence Accounts with the United Nations Mission in Congo—a unique international experience that adds a global outlook to his otherwise domestic portfolio.

But Kumar’s journey is not just about bureaucracy. It’s a story of continuous learning and adaptation. An alumnus of Delhi University, he holds an Economics (Hons.) degree from Kirori Mal College, an LLB from Campus Law Centre, and an Executive MBA from the prestigious Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Delhi. To top it off, his executive education includes stints at globally acclaimed institutions like RIPA International (London), RMIT University (Melbourne), MDI Gurgaon, and IIM Bangalore.

Such a diverse background places him at a unique vantage point to lead GeM—not just as a public servant, but as a strategic thinker equipped with financial acumen, legal insights, and a tech-forward mindset.

GeM’s Moment of Transformation

The timing of Kumar’s appointment is telling.

Over the past few years, GeM has gone from being a novel government experiment to becoming one of the largest digital procurement platforms in the world. Most recently, GeM clocked a monumental achievement—₹5.4 lakh crore in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) for the financial year 2024–25. That’s not just a number; it’s a statement of scale, trust, and transformation.

Behind this success is GeM’s commitment to technological innovation. The platform has embraced a next-gen, microservice-based architecture—a design philosophy that even India’s top startups are adopting. This upgrade enables multi-tenancy, multilingual, and multi-rule capabilities, making it versatile for users across the vast spectrum of India’s administrative and linguistic diversity.

With the government pushing forward with initiatives like “Digital India” and “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance,” platforms like GeM are no longer auxiliary—they are central. And to steer such a mission, Mihir Kumar brings the perfect blend of policy and platform thinking.

Why This Matters for Startups and MSMEs

While GeM may be a government-run platform, its implications are deeply significant for India’s startups and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

By enabling startups to directly sell products and services to government departments, GeM has essentially opened up one of the largest B2G (Business-to-Government) marketplaces in the country. From IT services and consulting to manufacturing and logistics, young enterprises are finding new growth channels through the platform.

The appointment of a CEO like Kumar—who understands finance, regulation, and international dynamics—could further streamline onboarding, payments, and vendor compliance, making GeM an even more fertile ground for India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Can Bureaucracy and Agility Co-Exist?

In the Indian context, the intersection of bureaucracy and innovation has always been tricky. But appointments like these—where bureaucrats with global exposure, startup-style education, and an openness to tech are put at the helm—are helping rewrite that narrative.

GeM is not just another government portal. It is a symbol of how public platforms can operate at the scale, speed, and sophistication of private enterprises. With Mihir Kumar now steering this ship, expectations are high, and the stakes are even higher.

Will his leadership push GeM into its next orbit of innovation? Will startups and vendors benefit from a more seamless, tech-driven ecosystem?

Only time will tell. But if the past performance of GeM and the track record of its new CEO are anything to go by, this could be the most exciting phase yet for India’s public procurement journey.