OpenAI has appointed Kiran Mani, former CEO of JioStar, as Managing Director for Asia-Pacific, signalling a strategic push to deepen its presence in one of the world’s fastest-growing digital markets. Mani is set to take on the role in June and will be based in Singapore, reporting to Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon.
His move marks a significant transition from India’s rapidly evolving streaming landscape to the high-stakes global race in artificial intelligence. With competition intensifying among players like Google and Anthropic, Asia-Pacific has emerged as a key growth region, driven by large user bases, rising enterprise adoption, and increasing demand for AI-led solutions.
Mani brings over two decades of experience across technology and digital ecosystems. Before leading JioStar, he spent more than 13 years at Google, where he played a crucial role in scaling Android and Google Play across Asia-Pacific and Japan. His earlier stints at Microsoft and IBM further add to his cross-industry expertise in building and managing large-scale platforms.
At OpenAI, Mani is expected to focus on expanding regional operations, strengthening partnerships, and driving localisation strategies tailored to diverse markets across Asia-Pacific. His appointment reflects the company’s intent to move beyond its core markets in the US and Europe, and tap into the next wave of AI adoption.
As AI continues to reshape industries globally, leadership moves like this highlight how critical Asia-Pacific has become in defining the future of technology and innovation.
