Amazon Names Samir Kumar as New Head of India Operations
Amazon has announced the appointment of Samir Kumar as the new Country Manager for India, succeeding Manish Tiwary. Kumar, who has been with Amazon since 1999, will step into his new role on October 1, as per the company’s announcement.
Kumar, a long-time Amazon executive, will manage Amazon’s consumer business in India, alongside his existing role overseeing operations in the Middle East, South Africa, and Turkey.
Manish Tiwary, who had been steering Amazon India since July 2020, resigned on August 6 following reported disagreements with Amit Agarwal, Amazon's Senior Vice President for Emerging Markets. Agarwal commended Tiwary for his significant contributions, highlighting his role in establishing Amazon.in as a leading online shopping platform in India.
Under the new leadership structure, Kumar will oversee the current Amazon India team, which includes Saurabh Srivastava (Categories), Harsh Goyal (Everyday Essentials), Amit Nanda (Marketplace), and Aastha Jain (Growth Initiatives). Kishore Thota (Emerging Markets Shopping Experience) will now report directly to Amit Agarwal.
Agarwal stressed the strategic significance of the Indian market for Amazon and expressed confidence in Kumar's ability to lead the company's future endeavors. “With Samir’s deep experience and our strong local leadership, I am confident about our prospects and our commitment to serving customers and advancing our business in India,” Agarwal said.
Kumar was also a key figure in the launch of Amazon.in in 2013, reflecting his long-standing connection with Amazon’s expansion in the region.