Arundhati Bhattacharya Named CEO of Salesforce's South Asia Unit
Salesforce has revealed a major restructuring of its operations in India and Southeast Asia (ASEAN). As part of these changes, Arundhati Bhattacharya, currently the CEO and chairperson of Salesforce India, will assume the role of CEO for the newly created South Asia Operating Unit, starting February 1.
As per the reports, this new structure will encompass Salesforce’s markets in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia. The aim is to streamline operations and drive growth by consolidating these regions under one leadership team.
Arun Kumar Parameswaran, Managing Director of Salesforce India’s sales division, will lead the ASEAN sales leadership team while continuing to report directly to Bhattacharya. Despite taking on this expanded role, Bhattacharya will remain based in India, a strategic location from which she will continue to drive Salesforce’s regional growth.
In a statement to the Economic Times, Bhattacharya highlighted the synergies between the countries in the South Asia and ASEAN regions, noting the potential for collaboration. "We see the entire region as a growth region, and we are trying to ensure that we can come together because there are a lot of synergies in the nations in this particular area", she said.
The goal of this restructuring is to replicate Salesforce’s success in India in other ASEAN markets. India has been a key growth driver for Salesforce, with the company achieving a $1 billion revenue milestone in the 2023-24 financial year, marking a 36% growth from the previous year. Bhattacharya emphasized that the company intends to set ambitious goals for growth in this larger operating unit, drawing on the best practices and insights from India to fuel success in ASEAN markets.
As part of its expansion strategy, Salesforce is prioritizing the localization of its products and services to cater to the specific needs of each market. Bhattacharya emphasized the significance of data localization and country-specific features for successful expansion. Over the past few years, Salesforce has been strengthening its presence in ASEAN, with offices established in Singapore since 2004, Thailand since 2021, and Indonesia since 2023.