Key Appointment Fills Vacant Position
Google has appointed Preeti Lobana to lead its India business, filling a key position that had been vacant since Sanjay Gupta’s promotion to Asia-Pacific president in July. This appointment comes at a critical time for the company as it pushes its AI products in India amidst intensifying competition in the digital market.
Preeti Lobana: A Seasoned Leader with a Banking Background
Lobana, who was vice president of advertising technology at Google, takes over as the company’s leader in India. She brings with her extensive experience in banking, having held positions at NatWest, American Express, and Standard Chartered before joining Google in 2016. Lobana has expressed her excitement about taking on this new challenge, stating: "This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment to shape the future with AI, unlocking unprecedented opportunities for businesses to boost productivity, solve critical challenges, and create innovative solutions."
Google’s Push into AI in India
Under Lobana’s leadership, Google will continue to push its AI products in India. The company has committed to spending billions of dollars in helping hundreds of millions of Indians come online and in digitizing local businesses. In 2020, Google announced plans to spend another $10 billion in India, underscoring its commitment to the Indian market.
Regulatory Scrutiny
However, Google is also facing mounting regulatory scrutiny in India’s digital market. The company was fined $162 million by the Indian government in 2022 for anticompetitive practices on Android. Days later, it imposed another penalty of $113 million after concluding that the Android-maker had abused the dominant position of Google Play Store in the country.
In March this year, the Indian antitrust regulator opened an investigation into Alphabet’s Google, alleging the tech giant implemented its in-app billing policies in an ‘unfair’ and ‘discriminatory manner.’ The regulatory environment is becoming increasingly challenging for Google in India, but Lobana is confident that she can navigate these complexities while driving growth.
Return of Roma Datta Chobey
Roma Datta Chobey, who served as interim chief during the previous vacancy, will return to running the company’s digital business unit. Her experience and expertise will be invaluable in helping Google adapt to the changing regulatory landscape.
The Future of AI in India
Under Lobana’s leadership, Google is poised to shape the future of AI in India. With her extensive experience in banking and technology, she is well-equipped to drive innovation and growth in the country’s digital market. As Google continues to push its AI products in India, it remains to be seen how the regulatory environment will unfold.
Key Statistics
- Google has committed to spending billions of dollars in helping hundreds of millions of Indians come online and in digitizing local businesses.
- In 2020, the company announced plans to spend another $10 billion in India.
- The Indian government fined Google $162 million in 2022 for anticompetitive practices on Android.
- The Android-maker was also fined $113 million after concluding that it abused the dominant position of Google Play Store.
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What’s Next for Google in India?
As Preeti Lobana takes over as leader of Google’s India business, the company is poised to shape the future of AI in the country. With her extensive experience and expertise, she will navigate the challenges of the regulatory environment while driving growth and innovation.
About Preeti Lobana
Preeti Lobana is a seasoned leader with a background in banking. She joins Google from NatWest, American Express, and Standard Chartered, where she held various positions before joining Google in 2016. As vice president of advertising technology at Google, Lobana has been instrumental in driving growth and innovation.
About Google
Google is a global technology company that specializes in internet-related services and products, including search engine, cloud computing, and online advertising technologies. The company was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1998 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.
Sources
- TechCrunch
- CNBC
- VentureBeat
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