Kiran Mani Appointed As OpenAI Asia-Pacific MD, Who Is He?

Mumbai, March 25: OpenAI has appointed Kiran Mani, the current CEO of Indian streaming giant JioStar, to lead its newly established Asia-Pacific operations, according to a report by Bloomberg. Mani will assume the role of Managing Director for the region in June 2026 and will be stationed at OpenAI’s Singapore office, reporting directly to Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon. The appointment marks a significant step in OpenAI’s global expansion as it competes with rivals like Google and Anthropic to capture the rapidly growing artificial intelligence markets across Asia, particularly in India.

The strategic hire comes as OpenAI intensifies its efforts to build a localised presence in India, a market of over 1.4 billion people. In early 2024, the company hired its first dedicated head of government relations in India and recently announced a partnership with the Tata Group to develop specialised AI infrastructure and data centers. By recruiting Mani, OpenAI aims to leverage his extensive experience in scaling multi-billion-dollar digital ecosystems to navigate the complex regulatory and consumer landscapes of the Asia-Pacific region. OpenAI and Anthropic in High-Stakes Battle for Enterprise Dominance Through Private Equity Partnerships.

Who is Kiran Mani?

Kiran Mani is a veteran of the global technology and media sectors with over 25 years of experience in developing digital platforms. Before his recent stint as CEO of JioStar, a high-profile joint venture between Reliance Industries and Walt Disney Co., he served as the head of Viacom18’s digital business, where he oversaw the growth of major streaming services. His career is highlighted by a long tenure at Google, where he acted as General Manager and Managing Director for the Android and Google Play ecosystems across Japan and the Asia-Pacific.

Mani’s leadership is backed by a strong foundation in finance and business strategy. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and an alumnus of IBS Hyderabad, where he graduated as a national topper. His professional development also includes a two-year stint in the IBM Marketing Leadership Development Program, a global initiative conducted in collaboration with leading business schools. His previous roles at IBM, Microsoft, and Google have spanned multiple continents, giving him a unique perspective on both Western and Eastern tech markets. OpenAI To Double Workforce to 8,000 Employees by Late 2026: Report.

OpenAI’s Asia Push

The decision to base Mani in Singapore reflects OpenAI’s intent to use the city-state as a regional hub for its commercial and policy efforts. While ChatGPT has seen widespread adoption, OpenAI is looking to deepen enterprise partnerships and government collaborations.

In India, the collaboration with the Tata Group is seen as a move to localise AI capabilities, ensuring that the technology is tailored to the diverse linguistic and structural needs of the Indian economy. Mani’s expertise in mobile and cloud ecosystems is expected to be instrumental in integrating OpenAI’s models into large-scale consumer and enterprise applications.

Mani’s move from JioStar to OpenAI underscores the shifting priorities within the tech industry, where artificial intelligence is increasingly seen as the primary driver of future growth. Under his leadership, JioStar amassed over 300 million subscribers by focusing on India's deep-rooted interest in cricket and reality television. OpenAI likely hopes to replicate this scale of user engagement within the AI sector, transforming ChatGPT from a popular tool into a foundational platform for the region's digital future.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 25, 2026 05:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).