Mani will relocate to Singapore to lead OpenAI’s Asia-Pacific strategy, as the company deepens its focus on India and key regional markets amid rising demand for generative AI solutions.
OpenAI has appointed former JioStar digital CEO Kiran Mani as Managing Director for Asia-Pacific, marking a significant step in its regional expansion strategy. Mani is set to join in June and will be based in Singapore, the company’s regional hub, reporting to Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon.
Strengthening regional leadership
The appointment comes as OpenAI intensifies its focus on Asia-Pacific, particularly India, as a key growth market. Mani brings over two decades of experience across digital media, technology and consumer internet sectors. At JioStar, the Reliance-Disney joint venture behind JioHotstar, he led product, growth and digital strategy, helping scale one of India’s largest streaming ecosystems. His experience in building large-scale consumer platforms and forging partnerships across telecom and media is expected to strengthen OpenAI’s regional engagement.
Focus on India and AI adoption
In his new role, Mani will oversee business strategy, partnerships and market expansion across APAC, including India, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia. The company is witnessing growing demand for its AI models among enterprises, developers and governments, driven by use cases such as automation, coding and content creation.
OpenAI has also been expanding its footprint in India through initiatives aimed at building local infrastructure, supporting startups and enabling enterprise adoption. As competition intensifies with players like Google and Anthropic, the company is betting on stronger regional leadership to drive growth and partnerships across emerging markets.
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