Google to hire former Apple Executive as India Policy Head

Google will appoint Sreenivasa Reddy, a senior engineering executive from Microsoft Corporation and an ex-Apple executive, as the India policy head. As the India policy head, he will be responsible for the government affairs for the search engine giant in the country, while also handling the legal challenges and expansion of hardware assembly lines in the country.  

As per the sources familiar with the matter said that by the end of this year Reddy is expected to join Google. He brings valuable experience from his past role at Apple India’s regulatory team and as the head of government relations at the local unit of Ericsson AB, where he was instrumental in promoting domestic manufacturing.  

As Google is looking to expand its manufacturing outside China and is actively seeking partnerships in India for assembling its Pixel smartphones, the appointment of Reddy is very important for the company. This move could pave the way for local production of other Google hardware products, such as speakers. Additionally, Reddy's expertise will be instrumental in helping Google navigate regulatory challenges, particularly as the company faces antitrust allegations in India related to its dominance in mobile operating systems.    

Although there has been no official comment from Reddy or Google's representatives in India, it is evident that Google considers India a vital market for its growth. The company is focusing on incorporating more local languages into its services and finding ways to make its Android smartphones more affordable, with the aim of attracting a larger user base in the world's most populous country. In line with its commitment to India, Google also announced plans to establish a global financial-technology centre in Gujarat International Finance Tech-City (GIFT City), during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to the United States.